In a historic conclusion to a three-year synodal process, Pope Francis revealed recommendations to address the challenges facing the Catholic Church and proposed a vision for greater inclusivity and transparency within the institution. The Final Document, published on October 26, highlights a framework where all baptized members can participate in shaping the church’s future.
The proposals include transformative steps like reforming priestly training, promoting greater lay involvement in bishop selection, expanding women’s ministries, and amending church law to ensure accountability and openness. The 51-page document summarizes discussions from numerous listening sessions, continental assemblies, and two summits held in Rome, marking a critical point in the church’s journey toward inclusivity and synodality.
Despite its progressive stance, the document stops short of advocating for certain significant reforms that many Catholic reform groups had hoped for, including reinstating the female diaconate and increasing recognition of LGBTQ Catholics. However, it remains open to future dialogue on these issues, affirming that the possibility of women’s ordination to the diaconate “remains open” and emphasizing that the church should not exclude people based on “marital status, identity, or sexuality.”
The proposal to ordain women as deacons was one of the most contentious topics in the synod, receiving the highest number of opposing votes. Although all 151 paragraphs in the document achieved the required two-thirds majority, the paragraph on women deacons garnered 97 “no” votes from the 355 voting members in the Vatican synod hall.
Crafted by approximately 400 delegates worldwide, the document represents a landmark effort by Pope Francis, urging the centuries-old institution to listen to all members and create a more inclusive church. Yet, questions remain about how and when these proposals will be implemented.
Pope Francis endorsed the document’s release and expressed his hope that it would serve as a “gift to the people of God.” He stated that he would not issue an apostolic exhortation—typically a document offering his own reflections on synod proceedings—because the synod’s Final Document already contains “highly concrete indications” for guiding the church’s mission. The pope also acknowledged that specialized study groups will continue working on complex issues raised during the synod, with conclusions anticipated by June 2025. As he highlighted in his remarks, the church’s “words must be accompanied by action.”
Women’s Role, Seminary Training, and Bishop Accountability
The role of women has been a focal point throughout the synod process. While Pope Francis has previously stated that the proposal to reinstate the female diaconate needs further discernment, the Final Document leaves the issue open. “This discernment needs to continue,” it states, signaling an openness to further dialogue.
At a press conference on October 26 following the final vote, Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich explained that by publishing the document, Pope Francis has signaled support for the synod’s recommendations, including leaving the question of female deacons unresolved. “The Holy Father has not said women will be ordained deacons. He has not said women will not be ordained deacons,” Hollerich noted, suggesting an open-ended approach.
The document observes that women still face significant obstacles to achieving full recognition in all areas of church life and recommends implementing leadership roles for women currently permitted under canon law. Additionally, the document calls for an overhaul of priest formation programs, proposing that women play a prominent role in Catholic seminaries.
An ongoing special study group is examining issues related to women, although its activities have mostly remained confidential since it was formed in March. After recent controversy involving the group’s leadership, the document requests that the Vatican’s synod office “ensure the synodal quality” of these study groups.
The document further envisions enhanced lay leadership within the church and proposes that the laity be given a larger role in selecting bishops. In a synodal church, the Final Document explains, collaboration and shared responsibility should guide relationships among bishops, priests, and parishioners, including within seminary training and canonical processes. The document stresses that accountability should be reciprocal, noting that this dimension of church authority “needs restoration.”
Increasing Transparency and Accountability
One of the synod’s primary goals has been to improve transparency in the church’s decision-making processes. The Final Document suggests that the church’s Code of Canon Law be updated from a “synodal perspective” to clarify the roles of consultation and decision-making within the church’s governance.
Additionally, the synod advises establishing finance councils, involving laity in pastoral and financial planning, creating audited annual reports for financial matters and safeguarding policies, and conducting regular evaluations of all church ministries. These participatory bodies, the document emphasizes, are foundational to a “synodal church” that prioritizes efficiency and genuine engagement.
For a truly synodal church, the Final Document insists that “concrete changes in the short term” are necessary to inspire confidence in the synodal process. Otherwise, it warns, disillusioned church members who had gained hope from the synodal discussions may lose faith in the church’s commitment to reform.
While the document does not explicitly mention it, the recent Vatican decree permitting blessings for same-sex unions was a topic of significant discussion during the October 2-26 assembly. Though widely accepted in the West, some bishops in Eastern Europe and Africa have refused to enact the decree. The document calls for further study on whether certain doctrinal matters should be reserved for the pope or if episcopal conferences can address them independently. It also supports greater collaboration among regional episcopal conferences to deepen synodal practices.
Other Proposals and Future Directions
Among other recommendations, the document proposes:
- Collaboration between Roman dicasteries and bishops’ conferences, including consultation with local parties before issuing major documents;
- Enhanced interactions among the College of Cardinals to improve communication within the church’s leadership;
- Establishing a synodal study group to explore how liturgical celebrations can better reflect synodality;
- Creating a council of Eastern Catholic patriarchs, major archbishops, and metropolitans to provide guidance to the pope; and
- Expanded training for those working with minors and vulnerable adults to enhance safeguarding initiatives.
Pope Francis officiated the synod’s closing Mass on October 27 at St. Peter’s Basilica, surrounded by delegates from around the world. He urged the church to address the “challenges of our time,” particularly the “urgency of evangelization” and the widespread suffering in today’s world.
“A sedentary church, that inadvertently withdraws from life and confines itself to the margins of reality, is a church that risks remaining blind and becoming comfortable with its own unease,” the pope remarked. “If we remain stuck in our blindness, we will continuously fail to grasp the urgency of giving a pastoral response to the many problems of our world.” Concluding his address, he encouraged the church to “get its hands dirty” by bringing “the joy of the Gospel through the streets of the world.”
This monumental synodal journey marks a new chapter for Pope Francis and the Catholic Church, striving for a future of inclusivity, transparency, and active engagement with all its members.