In 2021 Pope Francis called for all Catholics worldwide, and others, to tell him the pros and cons of our Church. Each parish, then each diocese, was to produce a report. Then each country was to send this national synthesis to the next continental phase, and thence to Rome in 2023.

A team of nine lay and religious produced our National Synthesis, above top, collating what we wrote for the bishops' assent.

Yet their own accompanying letter, their initial Reflections, above, is disappointing. Yet again, we are told that it is up to the Bishops to 'discern' our responses.
 

Root & Branch spokesperson Penelope Middelboe said:

'The Bishops’ National Synthesis of the views of Catholics in England and Wales issued on 22nd June 2022 was braver than we’d expected. It included statements such as 

‘the [clerical] abuse scandal was frequently described as destroying the Church’s credibility’, 

‘the crisis is seen as a dramatic indictment … of an institution seen as self-serving rather than serving, concerned with itself and its own reputation,’ 

‘many call in the reports for women to be ordained as deacons and priests’, 

‘A constant voice in the reports laments the exclusion and sidelining of LGBTQ+ Catholics’.

The National Synthesis reports that parishioners say 'they want their voice heard' and 'many expressed scepticism' that nothing would change. The report added, ‘there is a genuine fear that the prophetic voice will be ignored or silenced.’

And yet… throughout the entire ‘Reflection’ there is not a single reference to equality, celibacy, women in ministry, deacons, matrimony/marriage or divorce'.   

What do you think?