The working document for the first global session on the Synod on Synodality, released by the Vatican, focuses on broader participation in decision-making processes within the Church.

The document presents discernment questions on various topics, including the role of women, effective preaching on digital platforms, and welcoming people with disabilities. It explores the relationship between synodality and hierarchy in the Church and emphasizes the need for bishops to involve more people in decision-making. The document identifies three central priorities for the upcoming synod: communion, mission, and participation. It acknowledges tensions but encourages ongoing synodal discernment. The goal of synodality is to create a Church that listens, encounters, and dialogues, and is transformed by the Spirit.

The document raises issues such as migrants, the elderly, political polarization, ecumenism, and the Church’s relationship with a secular society. It also discusses co-responsibility in mission, the role of women in the Church, and the interplay between ordained ministry and baptism ministries.

The document explores the sensus fidei, magisterial authority, decision-making processes, and governance structures. It raises questions about lay leadership, allowing married men to be ordained priests, and broader participation in selecting bishops. The role of the Pope and the evolution of his primacy in a synodal Church are also discussed.

The final section focuses on participation, governance, and authority, and calls for more inclusive decision-making processes and a synodal perspective to prevent abuse. The document emphasizes that structural changes alone are insufficient and highlights the need for a synodal culture and spirituality accompanied by conversion and formation.

To read the full document, click here.