Catholic Church

By Dr. Jeff Mirus, Catholic Culture - But despite its name, the Synod of Bishops does not quite capture the importance of synodality to the guidance and renewal of the local churches. That aspect has been left to episcopal conferences. But episcopal conferences have become a kind of permanent, bureaucratized synodality which frequently defeats the whole concept. As many have observed, episcopal conferences tend too often to diminish what it means to be a bishop in one’s own diocese… We must make no mistake about this: Synodality, for its effectiveness, depends on bishops fully understanding what it means to be bishops.

By Fr. George W. Rutler, Crisis Magazine - This past summer, what is now called the John Paul II Pontifical Theological Institute for Marriage and Family was “reconstituted” with an abruptness and thoroughness that scandalized over forty international scholars, who objected to the firing of several distinguished professors. It was a real purge… The Institute retains the name “John Paul II,” but that only serves now as an ironic reminder that it has distanced itself from the theology, philosophy, and prophetic vision of that pontiff.

By Edward Pentin, EWTN News - Ban Ki-moon is a controversial addition to the list of participants. The South Korean diplomat struck up an alliance with the Vatican in 2015 when, as U.N. Secretary General, he took part in a conference on climate change and sustainable humanity at the Pontifical Academy of Sciences… Despite the U.N.’s often radical pro-abortion and secularist agenda, Ban’s appointment as a “special invitee” spotlights the strong orientation by the Holy See towards to the U.N. and its goals, particularly on the environment, that has grown under this pontificate.

By Msgr. Charles Pope - A key theme of St. Paul’s Letters to Timothy and Titus, bishops he appointed to oversee the churches of Ephesus and Crete respectively, is their insistence on sound doctrine. He writes to Titus, “As for you, speak the things that are consistent with sound doctrine …” (Titus 2:1). He tells Timothy that if he passes on this doctrine to others, he “… will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, nourished by the words of faith and sound doctrine that you have followed” (1 Tim 4:6).