Pope wants to keep big Vatican meeting on the church's future behind closed doors, ideology-free

[Eugene]

Source: Associated Press

Pope wants to keep big Vatican meeting on the church’s future behind closed doors, ideology-free

BY NICOLE WINFIELD
Updated 12:05 PM EDT, September 4, 2023

ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE (AP) — Pope Francis defended the decision to keep the discussions of a big Vatican meeting on the future of the Catholic Church behind closed doors, saying Monday the three-week conference was a religious moment for the church and “not a television program” that was open to scrutiny.

Francis was asked repeatedly on his way home from Mongolia about the Oct. 4-29 meeting, or synod of bishops, which is opening after an unprecedented two-year canvassing of rank-and-file Catholics around the globe about their hopes for the church.

Many Vatican watchers consider the synod to be a defining moment of the Francis pontificate, since the official agenda includes hot-button issues such as the role of women in decision-making roles in the church, the acceptance of LGBTQ+ Catholics and celibacy for priests.

While the synod is not a decision-making body, many Catholics who participated in the pre-meeting consultations are eager to see how their contributions are considered or not by the bishops and laypeople who were chosen to represent them. In a novelty, Francis has allowed laypeople including women to have a vote alongside bishops on specific proposals that will be put forward for the pope’s consideration.

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Read more: https://apnews.com/article/synod-vatican-pope-conservative-media-8839abd4564149854ab02586c5342941

[hlthe2b]

1. I'm normally in favor of as much openness as possible but I can see the point in

at least initial discussions private. They should, however, be generously and accurately summarized afterward.

Given the antagonism of Far Right Wing Bishops in the US and elsewhere, I don't think they need free rein to bulldoze over the Pope and everyone else while preening to an audience.