Pope Francis using synods to ‘build consensus’ in Church, participant says

By Christopher White, 1 November 2019
Xaviere Missionary Sister Nathalie Becquart attends a news conference to discuss the Synod of Bishops on young people, the faith and vocational discernment at the Vatican Oct. 9. Image: CNS/Crux.

 

While synods may be Pope Francis’s major tool for the reform of the Church, according to Sister Nathalie Becquart, he is also using them to gradually build consensus and preserve its unity.

Becquart was an auditor for last October’s Synod of Bishops on Young People, Faith, and Vocational Discernment, and last May, the pope named her, along with three other women, as consultors to the Synod’s General Secretariat – marking a historic first for the Church.

While in Rome for the final days of the Synod on the Amazon, Becquart told Crux that she sees a strong link between the two synods, linked by the topic of inculturation.

“During the synod on the youth, the main topic was a question of…the inculturation of the Gospel in the culture of the youth.  And that was also the main topic for the Amazon people,” she said.

Further, she said, inculturation necessitates another major aspect of synodality, which is vesting local churches with more decision-making power.

“When you speak about inculturation, you speak about decentralisation and that’s the main thing also for the reform of the Church nowadays,” she added.

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With thanks to Crux and Christopher White, where this article originally appeared.

 

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