By its fruits shall ye know the European Synod Assembly

Father Nowotnik, Director of Mission and National Ecumenical Officer at the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales gave the final presentation.  He was introduced as speaking in European English.   He read out what will become the formal document produced to be forwarded on to the worldwide Synod meeting in Rome in October- one from each of the continental assemblies.  His words in quotes.

"For the first time in Europe, the People of God are meeting to listen to one another...

We have experienced the joy of being a synodal church...

We were able to deal with realities different from the one we live in....

We do not want to hide, the Synodal process has raised fears, doubts and perplexities.

Some highlighted in a process like this there was a risk of submitting to the spirit of the world."

Concern about watering down of document or for the use of sociological expressions in working groups was underlined.

"We have welcomed these perplexities aware that everyone (!) must be listened to in the process. And every opinion (!) represents an expression of the spirit."

"In this path of mutual listening, we realise that we can be united in diversity."

Cathcon, he uses here the motto of the European Union, In varietate concordia, officially translated as United in Diversity for the Church!  Compare the US motto, ex pluribus unum, out of the many one.  Surely, it would be much more appropriate to appropriate Pope Benedict's motto for such an assembly if it had any chance of succeeding in the Catholics.  Cooperatores veritatis, fellow helpers of the truth. 

It is taken from the First Chapter of the Third Letter of Saint John

[1] The ancient to the dearly beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth. 

Senior Gajo carissimo, quem ego diligo in veritate. 

[2] Dearly beloved, concerning all things I make it my prayer that thou mayest proceed prosperously, and fare well as thy soul doth prosperously. 

Carissime, de omnibus orationem facio prospere te ingredi, et valere sicut prospere agit anima tua. 

[3] I was exceedingly glad when the brethren came and gave testimony to the truth in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth. 

Gavisus sum valde venientibus fratribus, et testimonium perhibentibus veritati tuae, sicut tu in veritate ambulas. 

[4] I have no greater grace than this, to hear that my children walk in truth. 

Majorem horum non habeo gratiam, quam ut audiam filios meos in veritate ambulare. 

[5] Dearly beloved, thou dost faithfully whatever thou dost for the brethren, and that for strangers, 

Carissime, fideliter facis quidquid operaris in fratres, et hoc in peregrinos, 

[6] Who have given testimony to thy charity in the sight of the church: whom thou shalt do well to bring forward on their way in a manner worthy of God. 

qui testimonium reddiderunt caritati tuae in conspectu ecclesiae : quos, benefaciens, deduces digne Deo. 

[7] Because, for his name they went out, taking nothing of the Gentiles. 

Pro nomine enim ejus profecti sunt, nihil accipientes a gentibus. 

[8] We therefore ought to receive such, that we may be fellow helpers of the truth.

Nos ergo debemus suscipere hujusmodi, ut cooperatores simus veritatis.

The Synod so far from the spirit of the early church, to which the Church wanted to return at the time of the Council.  Too many have taken it as a sign to keep go back in time, instead of a New Springtime, a new paganism.

Father Novotnik continued, saying delegates were appointed by episcopal conferences.  

Cathcon: Joseph Ratzinger had interesting things to say about the juridical legitimacy of episcopal conferences in his writing before he became Pope.  They now have arrogated the powers to appoint to Synods.  One only has to look at the German delegation to realise how unrepresentative their appointments are.  There were four direct delegates plus 10 online. One can only guess at the anguished, radical cries from the 10 online delegates in each country.

Father then talked about cultural conditioning.   The Church in Eastern Europe has their "peculiarity of being synodal and fully Catholic at the same time."  There were calls for a European Martyrology as thchurch of the martyrs 

"Wounds caused by the abuse have affected the very credibility of the church." Nordic conference asked to what extent is the distinction still made between members of the institution and the institution itself. 

Moldova was keen on the "need to engage in a dialogue with contemporary culture and thought on topics such as AI, robotics or gender identity issues, LGBTQIA+ as outlined by Portugal.  Spirituality has even to be introduced even in the work of governance of the church. 

"Holy Spirit main author of Synodal path" 

"Only when we have a personal experience of God the Father can we be brothers in Christ to one another going into the world with the content of the Gospel and revealing the riches of the Faith." 

Exculturation was considered a liberation from burdens of the past.  

Cathcon:  After exculturation, what remains of the Church? 

"Tensions can be overcome if the tent is a safe space." Cathcon: the language of wokeness!

"A shared journey of conversion becomes one of the first forms of inclusion." 

"The gap between tradition and modernity, between conservative and progressive is becoming increasingly wide and more and more aggressive", stated a Nordic country. 

There was a proposal from the Assembly for an Ecclesial Assembly for Europe 2025, which will be the Anniversary of Gaudium et Spes, the most progressive of Conciliar documents.

There was no real consideration of mission in the presentation.  There was a concern about elitism with  mission being impossible when locked in one own community.   The tension between mission and the abuse scandal was raised and a long list of countries which this affects was read out. 

Moving to liturgy, the Italian delegation said the joy of liturgy rarely expressed. (No surprise there, given the botched Conciliar liturgical reform which has led to a lack of belief in the Real Presence.  Delegation from France, England and Wales and the Nordic countries noted tensions with respect to the 1962 Missal, but this being a political meeting, did not say which side they supported when it came to the persecution of Latin Mass communities....if you do this to your own people, you are hardly in a position to raise a hue and cry about real persecution throughout the world. 

See also final remarks

See also summary of the statements after the draft final statement.  Not one mention of Our Lady in the draft final statement! 

"Ukrainian Bishop Oleksandr Yazlovetskiy, a Latin auxiliary bishop of Kyiv, was one of the first to take the floor, raising an objection to the repeated use of the term LGBTQ on “every other page” in the document, suggesting instead that it would be better to cover the topic within a single paragraph.

 Archbishop Stanisław Gądecki objected to the framing of “conservative and liberal” when describing the Church, suggesting instead to clarify whether given statements agree or disagree with the Gospel. The Polish prelate added that the document does not communicate the position of the Church in its references to “LGBT” persons."

Separate from this meeting, but relevant to it, Archbishop Chaput is clear: Only worthy agenda for Synod is one given to us by Jesus in the Gospels