Lay Catholics condemn bishops’ synodal process

Lay Catholics have condemned the outline by the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales for the synodal process for the national Church, warning that it will stifle discussion, participation and freedom for everyone except the hierarchy. The bishops’ conference’s vision for the synodal process, which was published last month and is based on the Holy See’s vision for the process, reserves discernment around what topics should be taken forward from the parish level to the global synod in 2023 to the bishops’ conference alone. While all members of the Church have the right to speak, particularly in the diocesan-level listening process this winter, they also have “the obligation to allow those charged with the work of discernment the freedom to do so”. Representatives of the group organising the forthcoming Root and Branch Synod described a number of the steps outlined by the bishops’ conference as “red flags”.

Lay Catholics condemn bishops’ synodal process