There is no reason or impediment that should prevent women from carrying out leadership roles in the Church: what comes from the Holy Spirit cannot be stopped.

(Final Document of the XVI Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops - No. 60)

Dear Friends of WUCWO,

we have been following together the synodal process that began more than 3 years ago. I know that for some the process has been long and tiring, but for many others it has been a great gift. I stand with Pope Francis in the sense that the Final Document which concluded the second phase of the Synodal Assembly in October is a great gift to the Holy Father himself, to the People of God and to the whole world. It brings together the fruit of years of listening to the Holy Spirit and to one another in order to better understand how to be a ‘synodal Church’ today. It is the beginning of a real transformation in the life of the Church!

To recognise the value of the synodal journey that has been made, the Pope approved the final document voted by the Assembly, making it available to all, and decided that it was not necessary to issue an Apostolic Exhortation, given that it contains very concrete indications which are a guide for the mission of the Churches in the different continents and contexts. As he says in his Note signed on 24 October, this document “participates as part of the "ordinary Magisterium of the Successor of Peter" and asks that its authoritative nature be respected as such. 

In this note the Holy Father tells us that this document ‘is not strictly normative’ and that ‘its application will require various mediations’. But ‘this does not mean that it does not commit the Churches to make choices consistent with what is indicated in it’. The local Churches and the groups of Churches are now called to put into practice, in the various contexts, the authoritative indications contained in the Document, through the processes of discernment and decision-making, provided for by law and by the Document itself, and taking into account the various contexts, what has already been done and what remains to be done, in order to learn and develop ever better the style proper to the missionary synodal Church.

In many cases it is a question of effectively applying what is already provided for in existing Latin and Eastern law. In other cases, it will be possible, through synodal discernment and within the framework of the possibilities indicated in the Final Document, to proceed to the creative activation of new forms of ministry and missionary action, experimenting and testing experiences. For all this ‘time is needed’.

As has been repeatedly pointed out, the synodal Church is a relational Church and therefore the most important thing about the synod has been the relationships, the dialogue, the communion, the discernment, the unity in diversity... as witnessed by those who participated in the two sessions of the Assembly and experienced by those of us who participated in conversations in the Spirit. For the People of God, the synodal style implies the interweaving of our vocations, charisms, and ministries so that, united in our diversity, we may be able to live in communion and go out to meet all people to bring them the joy of the Gospel. This Synod continues to harness the energy of the seed sown with the Second Vatican Council and to develop its potential.

Structure of the Final Document

It would be impossible to summarise this Final Document here, which you can find on our website. However, I would like to discuss with you some of the most important issues for us as women, as laywomen and as members of associations, committed to evangelisation and human development in an outgoing synodal Church that wants to reach out to all, especially the most marginalised.

The Document brings together some important convergences that emerged in the First Session, the contributions coming from the Churches in the months between the First and Second Sessions and what has emerged during the Second Session.

It is a more concrete report, with specific proposals and clearer structural recommendations, divided into 5 parts: The Heart of synodality (Called by the Holy Spirit to conversion); On the Boat, Together (the Conversion of Relationships); Cast the Net (the Conversion of Processes); An Abundant Catch (the Conversion of Bonds) and So I send you (Forming a People for Missionary Discipleship).

Greater involvement and responsibility of the laity:

• The contribution of the laity, men and women, is considered indispensable to create a less hierarchical Church.

• It calls for " regular hosting of ecclesial assemblies at all levels", with greater effective participation of the laity, "Without limiting consultation to members of the Catholic Church, these gatherings should be open to listening to the contributions from other Churches ".
• An increased participation of laymen and laywomen in Church discernment processes and all phases of decision-making processes is requested. "The authority of the Bishop, of the Episcopal College and of the Bishop of Rome in regard to decision-taking is unwaivable, but such an exercise of authority, however, is not without limits: it may not ignore a direction which emerges through proper discernment within a consultative process.
• Decision-making processes must be accompanied and followed by practices of accountability and evaluation, with greater participation of lay people, particularly women, in a spirit of transparency.
• It calls for the creation, effective functioning and more plural integration of the participatory bodies already provided for in canon law, which in the Latin Church are: the Diocesan Synod, the Presbyteral Council, the Diocesan Pastoral Council, the Parish Pastoral Council and Diocesan and Parish Finance Council.
• Wider access for lay men and women to positions of responsibility in dioceses and ecclesiastical institutions, including seminaries, is indispensable.
• It calls for greater recognition and support for the life and charisms of consecrated men and women and their employment in positions of ecclesial responsibility, for a greater number of qualified lay people serving as judges in all canonical processes, and for effective recognition of the dignity and respect for the rights of those who are employed in the Church and its institutions.
• Local Churches are encouraged, according to their circumstances and needs, to promote more forms of lay ministries, that is, ministries that do not require the sacrament of Holy Orders.

What changes does the synod call for, particularly for women?

• “Full implementation of all the opportunities already provided for in Canon Law with regard to the role of women, particularly in those places where they have not been implemented".
• There is an urgent need for more and more women in leadership positions, in decision-making and participatory bodies in the Church.  This is already allowed in various instances, but they are not integrated.
• Women's participation is essential to ensure transparency in resource management and evaluation processes.
• It calls for greater attention to the to the language and images used in preaching, teaching, catechesis, and the drafting of official Church documents, giving more space to the contributions of female saints, theologians, and mystics.
• Finally, the question of women’s access to diaconal ministry is not closed; discernment needs to continue.

Some other important issues

• Unity in diversity, proposed since the beginning of the Synod, is reiterated and a continuous relationship between the Eastern and Latin Churches, ecumenical initiatives and provisions for cultural adaptation to each context are suggested. There can be no synodality without ecumenism, nor ecumenism without synodality.
• The term universal church is being rethought to emphasise unity in diversity, seeing local churches not as subordinate but as expressions of faith within the one Body of Christ.
• As the Pope says: “Synodality is the proper interpretive framework for understanding hierarchical ministry".
  • The universal Church must be seen, rather than as an international corporation, as a communion of Churches with an increasing participation of lay people and of women.
  • Financial accountability requirements, abuse prevention and response measures, as well as regular reporting mechanisms and increased transparency requirements need to be put in place.
  • A comprehensive review of seminary formation is urgently needed.

Conclusions:

Synodality is achieved step by step, it is a journey  and the beginning of that journey is different in each part of the world. We have already seen the first fruits of the journey begun in 2021. The simplest, but most precious, are fermenting in the life of families, parishes, Associations and Movements, small Christian communities, schools and religious communities, where the practice of conversation in the Spirit, community discernment, the sharing of vocational gifts and co-responsibility in mission are growing.

The synodal process does not end with the conclusion of the current Assembly of the Synod of Bishops; it includes the implementation phase. Much has been achieved, but it is only the beginning. The path and the ground rules have already been set. Now it is up to all of us: bishops, priests, religious, consecrated and lay people, united in diversity, to work to make the Synod come alive, to make the content of the Final Document accessible to all, and to change the culture and life of the People of God in our respective realities.

The task of accompanying this phase of realisation of the synodal journey is entrusted to the General Secretariat of the Synod together with the Dicasteries of the Roman Curia. As the Holy Father reiterated, in the Note mentioned at the beginning, the synodal journey of the Catholic Church ‘needs that the words shared be accompanied by deeds’.

In this we, WUCWO women, have a very important role to play, both in our own organisations, parishes and communities, and at national and international level. Let us remember that “what comes from the Holy Spirit cannot be stopped” and that we are His instruments. In the meantime, we are already planning the next steps of WUCWO’s School of Synodality, which will support us on this journey.

We entrust the results of this Synod to the Virgin Mary. " May she, Mother of the Church, who in the Upper Room helped the newly formed community of disciples to open themselves to the novelty of Pentecost, teach us to be a people of disciples and missionaries walking together, to be a synodal Church”.

Mónica Santamarina

WUCWO President General