With the conclusion of the so-called “Synod on Synodality”, many people are asking themselves: what does “synodality” really mean?
The meaning of “synodality” is deliberately kept unclear. However, one could define “synodality” as follows: synodality is a new religion, which maintains certain appearances of Catholicism and in which decisions are made by multiple levels of assemblies, with clergy nominally presiding. In this new religion, its members (or at least a group of its members) take part in the assemblies and vote on truth.
First, I would like to point out that the entire “synod” was completely illegitimate. Due to Benedict XVI’s resignation being invalid, Jorge Bergoglio was never validly elected pope. Also, antipope “Francis” (Jorge Bergoglio) is a public formal heretic and an apostate and thus not a member of the Catholic Church.
What is the “Synodal Church”?
The final document of the “Synod on Synodality” was published on October 26, 2024, after the final meeting. At the writing of this article, only the working translation was available.
I thank the Catholic Esquire for his analysis. My article is inspired by his two-part video “Synodality of Destruction: Dismantling Church Hierarchy”.
What is the significance of this final document?
Well, in 2018, Bergoglio issued an “apostolic constitution” called “Episcopalis Communio”. In article 18 of that document, it says:
Ҥ1. Once the approval of the members has been obtained, the Final Document of the Assembly is presented to the Roman Pontiff, who decides on its publication.
If it is expressly approved by the Roman Pontiff, the Final Document participates in the ordinary Magisterium of the Successor of Peter.
§2. If the Roman Pontiff has granted deliberative power to the Synod Assembly, according to the norm of canon 343 of the Code of Canon Law, the Final Document participates in the ordinary Magisterium of the Successor of Peter once it has been ratified and promulgated by him.”
In other words, this final document is allegedly part of the official teaching of the Catholic Church.
However, we know that this document cannot be the official teaching of the Catholic Church, because it contains at least two heresies.
The role of the “pope” in the “Synodal Church”
Paragraph 92 contains direct heresy. Let’s read it:
“In a synodal Church, the authority of the Bishop, of the Episcopal College and of the Bishop of Rome in regard to decision-taking is inviolable as it is grounded in the hierarchical structure of the Church established by Christ; it both serves unity and legitimate diversity (cf. LG 13). 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, especially if this is done by participatory bodies. It is not appropriate to set the consultative and deliberative elements involved in reaching a decision in opposition to each other: in the Church, the deliberative element is undertaken with the help of all and never without those whose pastoral governance allows them to take a decision by virtue of their office. For this reason, the recurring formula in the Code of Canon Law, ‘merely consultative’ vote (tantum consultivum) should be reviewed to eliminate the possibility of ambiguity. It seems appropriate to carry out a revision of Canon Law from a synodal perspective, clarifying the distinction and relation between consultation and deliberation and shedding light on the responsibilities of those who play different roles in the decision-making process.”
In other words, the power of bishops and the power of the pope are going to be dependent on “participatory bodies”. The “Synodal Church” is not the Catholic Church. Blessed Pope Pius IX issued the decree “Pastor Aeternus” at the First Vatican Council in 1870. He said: “If anyone, then, shall say that the Roman Pontiff has the office merely of inspection or direction, and not the full and supreme power of jurisdiction over the Universal Church, not only in things which belong to faith and morals, but also in those which relate to the discipline and government of the Church spread throughout the world; or assert that he possesses merely the principal part, and not all the fullness of this supreme power; or that this power which he enjoys is not ordinary and immediate, both over each and all the Churches and over each and all the Pastors and the faithful; let him be anathema.” That is, in order for someone to be Catholic, one must believe that the pope has immediate, full and supreme power over the Church. Obviously, if the pope’s authority “is not without limits” because he “cannot ignore” the decision of some meeting, then he no longer has that kind of power.
Also, paragraph 131 of the final document says: “The Bishop of Rome, who is the foundation of the Church’s unity (LG 23), is the guarantor of synodality: he is the one who convokes the Church in synodality and presides over it, confirming its results.” This suggests that the “pope” of the “Synodal Church” is simply a kind of an honorary president, letting the assemblies decide and then approving the results.
In addition, paragraph 125.e says that “decisions made by an Episcopal Conference [should] impose an ecclesial obligation on each Bishop who participated in the decision in relation to his own diocese”. In Catholic teaching, each bishop governs his own diocese and Episcopal Conferences have very limited decision-making power, specified by the Code of Canon Law.
Membership in the “Synodal Church”
In order for one to be a member of the Catholic Church, one must fulfill three conditions: be baptized; believe the Catholic Faith; be in communion with the (true) pope and the bishops. Venerable Pius XII explains in his encyclica Mystici Corporis Christi (1943): “Actually only those are to be included as members of the Church who have been baptized and profess the true faith, and who have not been so unfortunate as to separate themselves from the unity of the Body, or been excluded by legitimate authority for grave faults committed.”
The conditions for membership in the “Synodal Church” seem to be different. The final document uses the phrase “all the baptised” 13 times. At the first mention of that phrase, it says “all the baptised, without exception” (§4). Someone might argue that implicitly only Catholic baptized are meant by this. Paragraph 23 makes it clear that that is not the case.
“All Christians participate in the sensus fidei through Baptism. Therefore, as well as constituting the basis of synodality, Baptism is also the foundation of ecumenism.” Yes, really. Protestants have the sensus fidei, which is a collective sense determining what is true faith and what is not, too! This means that they are members of the “Synodal Church”, too.
Further issues with the document
The document contains many potential time bombs, including paragraph 70 (the “People of God” should “have a greater voice in choosing bishops”), or paragraph 36 (“expand possibilities for participation and for the exercise of differentiated co-responsibility by all the baptised, men and women”).
Finally, paragraph 60 claims that “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. Additionally, the question of women’s access to diaconal ministry remains open”. Women cannot be ordained deacons. The “deaconesses” of the early Church were not equal to ordained male deacons and had mainly duties in charitable works.