This week in Rome, a feeling of déjà vu is hard to shake off. Along with the usual flood of tourists, the city has welcomed pilgrims, pastors, and prelates attending the second round of the Vatican’s Synod on Synodality. This synod, which first convened in October 2023, brings together not just bishops, as is customary in such gatherings, but also priests, women religious, and laypeople, many of whom participated in the previous session. For some in the media, it feels like another Groundhog Day moment at the Vatican.
The concept of “synodality” is centered on the idea of “journeying together,” as the Vatican translates it. Reflecting this spirit, the delegates are seated around circular tables during the discussions. This arrangement is intended to promote a sense of equality, instead of hierarchy, and to cultivate a vision of a Church that values dialogue, listening, and inclusivity.
Yet despite this atmosphere of open conversation, many people—both inside and outside the Catholic Church—are questioning what has been accomplished beyond the talking stage.
Communicators for the synod, along with Vatican officials, have sought to convey that real progress is happening, and that this isn’t simply a rehash of last year’s event. “This is not just a chronological repetition of what has happened before,” said Rev. Giacomo Costa, a familiar figure in his role as special secretary to the synod. Speaking at the first synod press conference on Thursday, October 3, Costa assured journalists that the delegates are more comfortable with one another this time around, which he believes has improved the quality of their discussions.
Costa emphasized that this year’s gathering is more focused, with attendees tasked with addressing specific issues without being sidetracked by broader debates. “Delegates are supposed to focus on specific issues and not be distracted by raising questions and opening ever-growing discussions,” he explained.
Cardinal Mario Grech echoed this sentiment in his opening remarks at the synod’s General Assembly. He pointed out a marked reduction in the number of questions raised in this year’s preparatory document, “Instrumentum Laboris,” compared to the previous year. “The question mark appears around a dozen times, compared to the 300 times in the previous one,” Grech said, noting that this is a clear indicator of progress. “It seems like a good indicator of the step forward that the second session is called to take and a clear invitation to focus our attention on a single direction.”
Despite these reassurances, the lack of concrete news coming out of the synod has left many wondering what, if anything, is being achieved. Media coverage of the event has been limited by strict Vatican controls. Although daily press briefings are held, journalists can only interview a few select delegates and access a small number of speeches delivered inside the closed meeting rooms, which are not attributed to any particular speaker.
While the synod takes place behind closed doors, Catholic advocacy groups and organizations outside the Vatican are holding their own events—ranging from demonstrations to vigils—aimed at influencing the discussions. However, these groups are as much in the dark as the reporters when it comes to the details of the synod proceedings.
One of the reasons for this perception of stagnation is that the more contentious issues within the Church, which many Catholics had hoped would be addressed, have been deferred. Instead of being discussed by the synod delegates, these topics have been passed on to 10 study groups consisting of theologians and experts who are not part of the formal synod.
The questions that once gave progressive Catholics hope for reform, while causing concern for conservatives, have been effectively sidelined until the study groups report their findings next year. Among the issues under study are the ordination of women, the possibility of married priests, and the inclusion of LGBTQ Catholics in the Church. But even beyond these headline-grabbing topics, there are other pressing concerns for ordinary Catholics: Why shouldn’t laypeople have more influence in choosing bishops or papal representatives? How can priests be better trained? How should the Church address the widespread practice of polygamy in African congregations? And what steps can be taken to strengthen relationships with Eastern Rite Catholics and other Christian denominations?
While these questions might not generate as much media attention, they are no less complex. As Rev. Thomas Reese, a columnist for Religion News Service, noted, “Some of these questions have been at the center of Catholic debates since the (16th century’s) Council of Trent!”
Costa was quick to clarify that members of the study groups are not operating in isolation. Several of them are also delegates at the synod, and they have invited feedback from all Catholics, whether individuals or organized groups. The study groups, he explained, are intended to “discern, not veto” the proposals coming out of the synod discussions.
As part of this effort to discern the way forward, the synod has also considered the role of women in the Church. However, Archbishop Victor Manuel Fernandez, the head of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, indicated that there is still no clear path for women to become deacons. “The Dicastery judges that there is still no room for a positive decision by the Magisterium regarding the access of women to the diaconate, understood as a degree of the Sacrament of Holy Orders,” Fernandez stated. He did add, however, that the study group had found “a particularly interesting way forward” in considering other forms of leadership for women in the Church.
If the synod is indeed a journey, then it appears that changing the culture of the Church is going to take time—a message that Catholics have heard repeatedly over the three years of the synod process. Nevertheless, many of the delegates involved believe that the experiment in synodality is succeeding. Inside the Vatican’s walls, they say, genuine dialogue and listening are taking place.
As the second round of the synod draws to a close, many Catholics are left wondering if the changes being discussed will trickle down to parishes, bishop’s conferences, and Catholic communities around the world. It remains to be seen whether the synod’s efforts to foster inclusivity and dialogue will bring about lasting change in the Church’s structure and governance.
For now, the world watches, waiting to see if the Vatican’s experiment in “journeying together” will lead to real progress or if, as some fear, it will amount to little more than talk.