"Church leaders should carry out their tasks as a whole not hierarchically but competently, not bureaucratically but creatively, not with regard to their office but with regard to men; they should summon up the courage to involve themselves more with people than with the institution; they should provide for more democracy, autonomy, humanity among all ranks in the Church and strive for better collaboration between clergy and laity.
Bishops
especially should not be appointed for their conformity by secret procedures in
the style of Roman absolutism (with the “papal secret” secured by oaths,) but
should be elected for a limited time in the light of the needs of the diocese
concerned by representatives bodies of the clergy and laity.
The
Pope too, if he claims to be more than Bishop of Rome and Primate of Italy,
should be elected by a body consisting of bishops and laypeople which-unlike
the college of cardinals, nominated solely by the Pope-which would be
representative of the whole Church, not only the different nations, but
especially the different mentalities and generations.
“Priests” (leaders of congregations and also of dioceses), in the light of the freedom that the Gospel assures them on this point, should decide – each according to his personal vocation – whether they want to marry or not.
“Laypeople”
(parishes and dioceses) should have the right, not merely to offer advice, but
also share with their leaders in a well-balanced system with spheres of
authority clearly marked out (checks and balances); they should exercise the
right to object whenever Jesus himself would raise an objection.
Women
should have at least that dignity, freedom and responsibility in the Church
which they are guaranteed in modern society; equal rights in canon law, in the
Church’s decision making bodies, and also practical opportunities of studying
theology and being ordained.
In
questions of morality and a new slavery set up (in the Church); in particular
there should be understanding in the light of the Gospel for a new attitude to
sexuality, remembering that the younger generation can find more ways than one
of maintaining purity of heart.
The
question of birth control, even by artificial methods, should be left to the
married parties to decide conscientiously in the light of medical,
psychological and social criteria; the leaders in the Catholic Church should
revise the present teaching (the encyclical Humanae
Vitae on this point.
And
so on. The fulfilment of these and similar desiderata must
be vigorously demanded and fought for until it is achieved; for the sake
of the people who suffer from the present unhappy state of affairs in the
Church.
We
must not be silent. The requirements of
the Gospel and the need and hopes of our time are in many outstanding questions
so unambiguous that silence out of opportunism, lack of courage or
superficiality can involve guilt just as much as the silence of many responsible
people at the time of Reformation."
Decision
for the Church, Hans Kűng, On being a Christian, (1978)
Finally, it should be noted that had the three
controversial topics been dealt with on a more democratic vs theocratic basis (requiring a 2/3rd. majority), all
items would have comfortable passed. Note results as follows:
Topic Voting results
Remarried
(some) 104 in favour 74 voted against
Divorced/remarried
112 in favour and 54 were against.
Gays/same-sex
marriage 118 in favour and 62 against
For details on these topics see my previous blog here.
Earlier (Sep. 10/14) Fr. Thomas Reese SJ. warned readers of the National Catholic Reporter that the make-up of Synod of Bishops on the family would be a disappointment to those hoping for reform of the Curia and for those who hoped that the laity would be heard. The details can be read here.
Later, when it seemed that the Synod would fail to reach a consensus the bishops in attendance introduced the unusual word 'graduality' as a means of resolving the matter of sexual and medical ethics . According to the bishops giving emphasis to the concept of 'graduality' was a way of thinking about morality that allows for human imperfection without compromising ideals. What the word 'graduality' actually means left even some of the clerical experts confounded. Most ended up suggesting it meant 'we will get it better next time'!
Update Oct. 31/2014
Its hard to change the Church a further reflection on the synod.
