Catholic Reform Advocates’ Response to Synod Is Largely Negative

Catholic reform leaders have responded largely negatively to the synthesis report from last month’s General Assembly of the Synod on Synodality. The report failed to mention LGBTQ+ people directly, though a closer reading reveals sections that, if applied to gender and sexuality issues, could be helpful.

This week, Bondings 2.0 has been highlighting some of insights that have emerged, providing links if you would like to read more. A previous post detailed some inner workings on LGBTQ+ issues. Today’s post focuses on the responses of church reform groups and advocates. New Ways Ministry’s statement, which insists on maintaining hope even amid great disappointment, is available here.

FutureChurch said the lack of LGBTQ+ inclusion in the report was an “abysmal failure.” The organization’s statement, which also touched on the role of women in the church and governance issues, continued:

“In terms of LGBTQ+ justice and inclusion, the document was a crushing blow to a church that desperately needs to be more pastoral and welcoming to our LGBTQ+ family.  The document’s vague and non-committal language was particularly devastating given the Pope’s pre-synod remarks on blessing gay relationships; [and other positive steps].”

Marianne Duddy-Burke, executive director of DignityUSA, said in a statement that the final report “fails to live up to Pope Francis’ charge to those gathered to ‘be bold.'” She added:

“This erasure of our presence in the church and the courageous participation of many LGBTQIA+ people, family members, and allies in the Synodal listening process is another example of the way our community is repeatedly marginalized within Catholicism. . .

“What happens over the next year will be important. . .Unless the calls for engagement are heeded, it is very possible that none of the profound concerns of LGBTQIA+ people will be addressed by the Synod in any way that recognizes and affirms our presence and role in the church and the world.”

Kate McElwee, executive director of the Women’s Ordination Conference, included LGBTQ+ equality in her organization’s concerns for gender equity. McElwee commented in a statement:

“For the synodal process to retain any credibility, it will need to take seriously the full equality of women and LGBTQ+ people in every aspect of church life. A ‘listening church’ that fails to be transformed by the fundamental exclusion of women and LGBTQ+ people fails to model the Gospel itself. . .

“We will continue to work for accountability to the grassroots, and be an uncompromising voice for equitable inclusion of women at every level of the church. We have now seen women vote in the halls of the Vatican — there is no turning back.”

Jamie Manson, president of Catholics for Choice, expressed her organization’s solidarity with queer Catholics and pointed out that issues of gender and sexuality intersect with issues of reproductive rights, which were not discussed:

“For the first time in the modern era, the Catholic church held conversations about previously taboo topics like ordaining women, recognizing the relationships of LGBTQIA+ people, and rethinking church power structures.  We join our partners in the women’s ordination and LGBTQIA+ justice movements in expressing our deep concern about the synod’s failure to take seriously the grave injustice of gender equality and its refusal to acknowledge the longings of LGBTQIA+ Catholics for a more inclusive church.

“The church’s harmful teachings on gender and LGBTQIA+ people have profound intersections with its position on reproductive health and rights. . .The church cannot be open to the workings of the Holy Spirit on some issues while silencing conversation on others,. The synod may be over for now, but the church’s work is far from finished.”

Stan “JR” Zerkwoski, executive director of Fortunate Families, noted that Pope Francis made a series of positive actions towards LGBTQ+ Catholics around the Synod assembly, and explained to the National Catholic Reporter:

“‘We’ve come a long way, but we’re still walking together. We’ve been acknowledged, we’ve been heard, and we will continue to be heard. . .If you take all of that in context, the stage is set for some meaningful change, regardless of the words we wanted to see or I wanted to see in this document.'”

For Bondings 2.0’s full coverage of the multi-year synodal journey, click here. For New Ways Ministry’s resources on how LGBTQ+ people and allies can engage the Synod on Synodality, click here.

—Robert Shine (he/him), New Ways Ministry, November 17, 2023