Bishop Athanasius Schneider: A New “Synodal Church” Undermines the Catholic Church (June 29, 2023)

Many questions have arisen about the current “synodal process,” and therefore in order to be of service to Christ’s flock, I would like to address some important points of the Instrumentum Laboris for the October 2023 Session of the Synod on Synodality. This Working Document or Instrumentum appears to undermine the Divine constitution and the Apostolic character of the life and mission of the Catholic Church, substituting for them an invented “synodal church,” inspired predominantly by Protestant, social and anthropocentric categories. Below are several principal areas of concern.

The Divine constitution of the Church is undermined.

Episcopal authority is undermined by the Instrumentum Laboris in two principal ways. First, by demanding a “greater involvement of all the Faithful and thus a ‘less exclusive’ exercise of the Bishops’ role” (B 2.5, c), and by fostering a “community discernment process” (B 3.2, 7). Second, by making episcopal authority dependent on and accountable to non-hierarchical advisory bodies, following secular institutions. (See B 3.3.8)

Papal authority is undermined in two principal ways. First, by suggesting that “the convergence of several groups of local Churches (Particular Councils, Episcopal Conferences, etc.) on the same issue” should “commit the Bishop of Rome to address it at the level of the universal Church.” (B 3.4) Second, by suggesting that “local institutions” in different regions may “adopt different approaches” than the Bishop of Rome, which he ought to accept. (B 3.4.) ….

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