Pope extends reform process for year amid apathy, criticism

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By NICOLE WINFIELD

ROME (AP) — Pope Francis has decided to extend by a year a lengthy global consultation of ordinary Catholics about the future of the Catholic Church, amid limited participation by the laity and seeming resistance to his reforms from the hierarchy.

Francis announced Sunday that the planned 2023 gathering of bishops would now take place in two stages — one session in October 2023 and a second in October 2024 — to allow more time to find a way forward.

Francis in 2021 formally opened a two-year consultation process on the topic of “synodality,” or a more decentralized structure of the church with the laity having a greater role. The process is part of Francis’ long-term goal of making the church more inclusive, participatory and responsive to real-world issues facing ordinary Catholics.

As part of the process, the Vatican asked dioceses, religious orders and other Catholic groups to embark on local listening sessions so ordinary Catholics could talk about their needs and hopes for the church. Bishops conferences in August reported back the results, and an organizing committee recently met near Rome and completed a synthesis document.



Pope Francis blesses the faithful from his studio's window overlooking St. Peter's Square on the occasion of the Angelus noon prayer at the Vatican, Sunday, Oct. 16, 2022.(AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)


Read more: https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-religion-99c56be791c4c2f20694e66d01c6d50e?utm_source=homepage&utm_medium=TopNews&utm_campaign=position_08

[not fooled]

1. Aaahhh, sounds as though the people who stay Catholic

want to be told what to do, and the establishment church hierarchy wants to tell them. Would explain a lot, e.g. Opus Dei thinking it has the right to tell ALL of us what to do.

[peppertree]

2. +1

And the problem, as you know, goes beyond medievalists like Opus Dei. Moneyed Catholics, for the most part, hate Pope Francis.

"He wants us all to be poor," as one told me (the old fool lost most of his money in subsequent bad stock bets, from what I gather).

[cab67]

4. I don't think that's what's happening here.

Francis is not an Opus Dei extremist.

[Sentath]

5. Er, other way around

If I understand correctly is it Opus Dei and similar that are dragging their feet in an opening salvo to 'do nothing' this reform to death.

[paleotn]

3. Get with the century or get left behind.