It's neither an absolute monarchy nor a parliament. The Church is synodal by nature. It's precisely this concept that will be the focus of the next assembly of bishops, in Rome, in October 2022.
The synod's theme will be “For a synodal Church: communion, participation, and mission.” It's a concept popes have been developing since the Second Vatican Council.
PHILIP GOYRET
Pontifical University of the Holy Cross
“Jesus Christ founded the Church and gave it to the apostles. This might lead one to think that the Church has a pyramidal structure. This, as often happens, has some truth and some incompleteness, because a bishop is not a monarch.”
DARIO VITALI
Adviser, Synod General Secretariat
“In a democracy, what generally works is the opinion of the majority. In the synodal Church, the guiding principle for the life of the Church is “sensus fidei,” in other words, the voice of the Holy Spirit, which manifests itself through a community of the baptized.”
The synod was a consultative body instituted by Paul VI. His successors then developed its nature and functions. The last update was signed by Pope Francis in September 2018. The synod went from being merely consultative, to being an active body. It proposes measures to the pope and works to see them through.
At the end of the last synod, the pope said something had improved in the way of treating synodality, but that there was still work to do.
POPE FRANCIS
Oct. 26, 2019
“First of all, I would like to thank all of you, who have given witness by working, listening, seeking, seeking to put into practice this synodal spirit we are learning, perhaps, to adopt. We haven't yet accomplished it, but we are well on our way.”
As a matter of fact, on that occasion, the bishops said synodality could be the theme of the next synod, which is exactly what has happened.
Javier Romero
Translation: Claudia Torres
