Women will vote at the Synod for the first time by decision of the Pope
- April 26, 2023
- 0
Pope Francis will, in a revolutionary decision, allow women and lay people elected to participate in the next Synod of Bishops to be able to vote for the
Pope Francis will, in a revolutionary decision, allow women and lay people elected to participate in the next Synod of Bishops to be able to vote for the first time in this meeting, which until now was only allowed to vote on the final document. , prelates.
Organizers Regular General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops They announced this innovation ahead of the forthcoming Synod on Synodality, which will culminate in two meetings in Rome in October 2023 and 2024.
The main innovation is that ten clerics will be “replaced five nuns and five monastics belonging to the Institutes of Consecrated Life, elected by the respective representative organizations of Superiors General and Superiors General, and with the right to vote, the statement said.
And nuns and associations catholic women For many years they have asked to be able not only to be part of a meeting where some important questions of the Church are decided and discussed, but also to be able to vote on the final document that serves dad make your own decisions.
Photo: Reuters
Another big innovation is that there will be no “auditors” as before, but “another 70 members, non-bishops, who represent other believers and who can be priestsordained persons, deacons or lay believers, originating from churches local residents” and it is expected that 50 percent will be women.
“They will all have the right to vote,” he emphasizes.
They will be chosen by the Pope from a list of 140 named during the international meetings of the Bishops’ Conferences and the Assembly of Bishops. Patriarchs of Churches Catholics of the East.
And it has been suggested that 50% of said people be women and that the presence of young people is also valued.
“When identifying them, it will be necessary to take into account not only their general culture and judgment, but also their knowledge, both theoretical and practical, as well as their participation in various positions in synodal process“, they explain.
“All of them, as members, have right to vote“, they note, whereas until now only bishops and representatives of male congregations have voted.
Photo: Reuters
Jean-Claude Ollerich, Archbishop of Luxembourg and rapporteur of the Synod on synodality, explained during the presentation of the news that, in his opinion, “this is not a revolution, since the assembly continues to be an assembly of bishops, with the participation of non-residents. “bishops”, as about 75% of the participants will remain bishops.
Cardinal Mario Grech, general secretary of the Synod, also wanted to downplay these changes, adding that “it will continue to be synod of bishopsbut there will be this participation as members of the laity.”
“Their presence and participation not only provides a dialogue between the prophecy of God’s people and the insight shepherds. Their presence guarantees memory, they are evidence of a process, a route, an insight that began two years ago,” he added.
EFE
Source: Aristegui Noticias
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