Catholicism at a crossroads: 3 takeaways from the Amazon Synod
Pope Francis (left) is presented with gifts during Sunday’s Mass at the Vatican that officially capped off the three-week Pan-Amazon Synod. Photo Vatican Press Office.
(OPINION) It’s been one very busy month at the Vatican. The three-week Pan-Amazon Synod that came to a conclusion this past Sunday in Rome could very well mark the beginning of some major changes within Roman Catholicism.
The battle for the future direction of the church was played out among the bishops and others who participated in the synod aimed at addressing issues affecting Catholicism in the region of the Amazon that encompasses a great swath of South America. Its ramifications, however, could very well impact the global church.
“We are a bit like tax collectors because we are sinners, and a bit Pharisees because we are presumptuous, able to justify ourselves, masters of the art of self-justification,” Pope Francis said during his homily this past Sunday to close the synod. “This may often work with ourselves — but not with God.”
Those comments underscore the fractious nature of the synod. Indeed, the gathering wasn’t without controversy. Even before the synod got underway, there were disputes between progressive and conservative factions about the recommendations the synod could ultimately put forth. Some traditionalists warned that any acceptance on the part of Pope Francis to do away with priestly celibacy, a part of the Latin Rite for over a millennium, was heresy.
After three weeks that included debate owner whether married men should become priests (to address the shortage of ordinations in the region) and if women could serve as deacons were at the forefront of the discussions, the synod came out with a list of recommendations this past Saturday. Not to be outdone, external forces also played a role in the debate, including a series of missteps by the Vatican press office highlighted by the controversy over wooden idols (dumped in the nearby Tiber River and later recovered) that had originally been placed in a Rome church.
Like the press coverage regarding impeachment swirling around the actions of President Donald Trump, so too has the synod been plagued by such partisan bickering in the media. In the case of the synod, conservative websites such as EWTN focused on certain aspects, while the ones on the progressive end of the spectrum, like America magazine, celebrated the changes.
Was it a progressive plot that created a conservative conundrum? After much debate, here are three takeaways from the Amazonian Synod and how what transpired in Rome could impact the church going forward:
Married priests — but female deacons the bigger story
Many in the mainstream press latched on to the headline regarding the synod’s recommendation that married men could serve as priests in the Amazon, a part of the world where Catholics have to sometimes wait months to attend Mass because of a lack of clergy. The recommendation, for those following the synod each day, isn’t the biggest surprise. The bigger headline, and the one with a major impact on doctrine, is the possibility of allowing women to serve as deacons. The Associated Press started their story this way:
Catholic bishops from across the Amazon called Saturday for the ordination of married men as priests to address the clergy shortage in the region, a historic proposal that would upend centuries of Roman Catholic tradition. The majority of 180 bishops from nine Amazonian countries also called for the Vatican to reopen a debate on ordaining women as deacons, saying “it is urgent for the church in the Amazon to promote and confer ministries for men and women in an equitable manner.”
The ordination of married men, even if Pope Francis accepts the proposal, would call for the elaboration of a new “Amazonian rite,” reflecting the unique situation in that part of the world. It’s not meant to be used in other parts of the world. The 31-page final document, which was voted upon by those participating in the synod, called for “esteemed men of the community” to be allowed to serve as priests.
On the other hand, there was a proposal to allow women to serve as deacons, allowing them to preach as well as celebrate baptisms and weddings. The proposal stopped short of allowing them to consecrate the Eucharist, something only an ordained priest can do during Mass. It should be noted that the synod did not directly call for female deacons. Instead, it quoted the Vatican’s 2016 commission of study on the female diaconate to hear from the synod about “our experiences and reflections” before making a decision.
The same traditionalists who oppose women as deacons have argued that the move would be one step closer to allowing the ordination of female clergy, something more akin to some Protestant churches. In its story, the AP pointed out the following:
In a sign that women still have a ways to go in church decision-making parity, no woman was allowed to vote on the final document. Thirty-five women, among them religious sisters and superiors, were appointed as experts to the synod and contributed to the final document, but only the 181 men cast a vote.
Paganism fuels canon controversy
One of the biggest incidents to occur during the synod took place last week when several indigenous statuettes of a naked pregnant woman — which became the showpiece of some synod events — were stolen and tossed into the Tiber River.
Why the Vatican was so protective of statues that some deemed as idols from the start remains befuddling. Following the theft, which was recorded and posted to social media, Francis requested “pardon” from anyone who was offended by the desecration of the unexplained symbols of indigenous Amazonian culture. In having worshippers bow before them, the church publicly violated its own canon. Nonetheless, Francis made sure to say he was speaking as the Bishop of Rome in this matter, not as the pontiff. It was little remedy to the original controversy.
Nonetheless, this theological ambiguity only created a larger wedge between conservatives and progressives. The pope said the statues, later fished out of the water by Italian authorities, had been displayed “without idolatry” in the Church of Santa Maria in Traspontina, located along Via della Conciliazione that leads to St. Peter’s Square. The Vatican press office (more on them later) blamed the theft on right-wing Catholic media news outlets. In turn, those same news outlets did openly report on — even celebrated — their removal from the church. In an analysis piece that ran in Catholic News Agency under the headline “Why Pachamama took a dip,” editor J.D. Flynn wrote:
Vatican Media interviewed Fr. Paulo Suess, a German priest who has served for decades among the indigenous peoples of the Amazon. Fr. Suess is in Rome as an official of the Synod of Bishops on the Amazon, and is regarded there as an expert on the region.
The priest was asked about a ceremony held in St. Peter’s Basilica Oct. 7, which seemed to use both traditional Christian symbols and unexplained symbols of indigenous Amazonian culture.
“It is definitely the case that there is a noticeable sentiment against the synod on the part of certain media here … Someone wrote that it was a pagan rite,” Fr. Suess responded.
“So what?” the priest asked.
“Even if that had been a pagan rite, what took place was still a worship service. A rite always has something to do with worship. Paganism cannot be dismissed as nothing. What is pagan? In our big cities we are no less pagan than in the jungle. That's something to think about," he said.
Vatican Media eventually removed those comments from its interview with the priest, with no note or indication of the redaction.
It wasn’t a good look and did nothing to bring both sides together.
Vatican press office adds to doctrinal ambiguity
That takes us to the Vatican press office. Back in August, I wrote about how important the synod was for this new batch of press officers. If the Amazon Synod was a test, then they failed. The Pachamama scandal highlighted the Holy See’s press office inability to address scandal. When questions about the statues arose, they were vague. Were they idols? Were they Amazonian representations of Mary? There were no answers for days.
After all, it was the pope — not conservative Catholic websites — who called the statues Pachamama, a pagan goddess revered by the indigenous people of the Andes. As Father Dwight Longenecker wrote on his blog:
The huge problem about the statues is the ambiguity that surrounded them. Nobody seemed quite sure what to say. There were lots of weasel words and double speak. Then the Pope came out on Friday and used the name “Pachamama” for them. But then his handlers bounced back and said, “He was just using that name because everybody would sort of know which statues he was referring to but he didn’t mean it really and remember it wasn’t an infallible statement anyway and so please stop making a fuss and go away…”
In other words, more ambiguity and backtracking. The Vatican press office, instead of reinforcing doctrine and papal statement, had to dance around them. The comparisons to Trump aren’t that far off in this regard as well.
The synod may be over, but what transpired over the last three weeks could have a major impact on Catholicism in South America, and throughout the world, for years to come. Exactly how remains to be seen. Pope Francis is expected to respond to the proposals by the end of the year. The synod may be over, but the controversies it has wrought will be part of the debate within the church and during this papacy for years to come.
Clemente Lisi is a senior editor and regular contributor to Religion Unplugged. He currently teaches journalism at The King’s College in New York City.