Synod: The Church’s Being is Christ, Her Ecology the Gospel, by Dr. Jeff Mirus

By Dr. Jeff Mirus, Catholic Culture, Oct 10, 2023

In reading the early reports of the Synod on Synodality, it is interesting (and somewhat disturbing) to see such a preoccupation with listening and welcoming in the world, with so little attention to the proclamation of the Gospel. What we see so far is an emphasis on togetherness and inclusion, and a de-emphasis on the Gospel itself as the only firm basis for human solidarity. At a certain point in every Catholic reflection, it is necessary to to stop worrying about both human feelings (such as “alienation”) and abstract ideas (such as “inclusion”). There can be no unity without acceptance of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Too often, the speakers at the Synod seem to place the emphasis on the Church’s acceptance of everyone, instead of everyone’s acceptance of the Church.

We knew this would happen, of course. It was already explicit in the results of much of the consultation and preliminary discussions leading up to the meeting in Rome. And while it goes without saying that there may well be a vast distance between preliminary observations and final conclusions, it is nonetheless already clear that the Synod will not bear fruit unless most of its participants recognize that outreach and inclusion are utterly bankrupt without an unmistakable Christian identity. Christ is not served by the warm fuzzies, but by a mature love which seeks to draw all to the acceptance of the Gospel and obedience to God’s will—a love which actually demands a response of conversion. …

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