蜜桃交友

By Isabella Piro

Synodality is not 鈥渁 mere decision-making process鈥�, but 鈥渁 fundamental feature of the Church鈥檚 identity, says Cardinal Michael Czerny, Undersecretary of the Migrants and Refugees Section of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, in an article published 31 December, in 鈥淟a Civiltà Cattolica鈥�. The Cardinal writes that synodality is the way in which 鈥渢he Church disposes all its members to co-responsibility, enhances their charisms and ministries, and intensifies the bonds of fraternal love鈥�. In this sense, it finds its premises in : in this dogmatic Constitution of the Second Vatican Council, 鈥渢he importance of the laity in the life of the Church is included鈥�, since they are called to participate in its government 鈥渁ccording to their tasks, roles and ways鈥�. But that鈥檚 not all: while collegiality refers, specifically, 鈥渢o the exercise of the ministry of the bishops鈥�, synodality, Cardinal Czerny emphasizes, is a 鈥渂roader鈥� concept, as it 鈥渋mplies the participation and involvement of the entire People of God in the life and mission of the Church鈥�. This is the sense that Pope Francis gives to the word 鈥渟ynod鈥�; that is, not only the sense of 鈥渆cclesial structure鈥�, but also of 鈥渧isible form of communion鈥�, of 鈥減ath of ecclesial fraternity in which all the baptised participate and contribute personally鈥�.

鈥淪ynodality is the path that God expects from the Church of the Third Millennium鈥�, the cardinal writes, quoting Pope Francis: a Church that, 鈥渓ike an inverted pyramid鈥�, 鈥渉armonises all the subjects involved in it: people of God, College of Bishops, Successor of Peter鈥�. A clear explication of this concept can be found in the Apostolic Exhortation , in which synodality is defined as 鈥渁n indispensable prerequisite for giving the Church a renewed missionary impetus鈥�. From the laity, in particular, the Church 鈥渉as much to learn鈥�, for example in the areas of 鈥減opular piety, commitment to ordinary pastoral care, cultural competencies and social coexistence鈥�. So much so that, as St John Henry Newman said, 鈥渢he Church would look foolish without them鈥�. Of course, there are obstacles, Cardinal Czerny says, highlighting the lack of adequate training and the clerical mentality that relegates the lay faithful 鈥渢o a subordinate role鈥�.

However, these are obstacles that must be overcome, because 鈥渢he co-responsibility of the entire people of God in the mission of the Church鈥� requires a more active participation of the laity. In this context, the cardinal also situates the Apostolic Constitution 鈥�, promulgated by Pope Francis in 2018: a document that 鈥渕arks progress with respect to the Second Vatican Council鈥� because it 鈥渢ranslates theoretical arguments into ecclesial practice鈥�. Listening becomes key: of the people of God, the pastors, and the Bishop of Rome. Only in this way can synodal praxis begin, and only in this way will 鈥渃ollegiality be at the service of synodality鈥�.

Another essential instrument for the implementation of synodality, Cardinal Czerny also affirms, is 鈥渢he preferential option for the poor鈥�, which is 鈥渘ot a preference of a sociological nature, but a properly theological one, insofar as it leads back to God鈥檚 saving action鈥�. Far from any expression of 鈥渘aive goodness鈥�, this option 鈥渟hould be recognised as an integral part of the Gospels and of the process of transformation initiated by the Council鈥�: at the time, in fact, it was argued that the Church should move from 鈥渁 charitable practice of a welfare type鈥�, in which the poor are a mere 鈥渙bject鈥� of care, to their 鈥渞ecognition as members of the people of God and subject of their own liberation鈥�. What was true then is true now; and it is no coincidence that Pope Francis has repeatedly called for the 鈥渆ffective and concrete鈥� integration of the poor, migrants, refugees and internally displaced persons, urging us not to 鈥渄rop welfare programmes from above鈥�, but to recognise these people as 鈥渁ctive agents of evangelisation鈥�. 鈥淭he encounter with the poor鈥�, the Vatican Undersecretary stressed, 鈥渋s a favourable opportunity to let oneself be evangelised by Christ鈥�.

From here also flows the safeguarding of Creation, 鈥渙ur common home鈥�: care of the environment and attention to the poor are closely connected, Cardinal Czerny reminds us. Indeed 鈥淓verything is connected鈥�, as Pope Francis鈥� second Encyclical, 鈥�: on care for our common home鈥� states. But how can synodality be made to grow in the Church? The cardinal suggests 鈥渋nitiating processes of conversion鈥�, aiming at 鈥渋nclusive communion鈥�, which involves all the components of the people of God, especially the poor. Without 鈥渕utual acceptance鈥�, the ecclesial structures, instruments of communion, 鈥渃ould prove insufficient to achieve the end for which they were created鈥�.

The last part of Father Czerny鈥檚 article dwells on Pope Francis鈥� modus operandi: the Pope 鈥渄oes not have pre-packaged ideas to apply to the real world, nor an ideological plan of ready-made reforms鈥�, nor 鈥渟trategies conceived on the drawing board鈥� to 鈥渙btain better statistical results鈥�. Rather, the Pope moves forward 鈥渙n the basis of a spiritual and prayerful experience鈥�, which he shares 鈥渋n dialogue, in consultation, in concrete response to situations of vulnerability, suffering and injustice鈥�. From this it follows that 鈥渢he primary commitment and criterion for all social action by the People of God is to listen to the cry of the poor and of the earth, and to recall the fundamental principles of the Church鈥檚 social doctrine鈥�, including 鈥渋nalienable human dignity, the universal destination of goods, the primacy of solidarity, dialogue aimed at peace, and care for the common home鈥�.