Many of you will know that Catalyst member, Julie Thorpe was in Rome while the Synod was in progress. She has been involved in the “Plenary Matters” podcasts with Geraldine Doogue. A few hours after listening to our November SOS in which Michael Whelan and Geraldine Doogue spoke on “LET’S TALK ABOUT WHAT REALLY HAPPENED AT THE SYNOD ON SYNODALITY” she sent us a response which includes a report on “ACADEMY IN THE CATHEDRAL”, the Cathedral being the famous St Stephen’s in Vienna. Julie writes ……
“After this morning’s (for me) very rich SIP conversation with Geraldine and Michael I went along to this evening’s “Academy in the Cathedral” here in Vienna to hear Regina Polak – professor of theology at the University of Vienna and one of the 4 lay women appointed to a steering committee to advise the Austrian bishops on implementing synodality – speak on the topic “World Synod: What now?” which the organisers clearly plagiarised from the SIP program for 13 November!
Some convergences and divergences:
– listening: there is no German word for listening, only for hearing, or they use psychological concepts like “hearing with 4 ears”, Regina actually used the English word for listening! Now I want her to use Geraldine’s phrase of “kinetic imperative”!
– it depends on your bishop: as I found out in the small group discussions, if you’ve been working for 40 years in pastoral work in hospitals or serving on the parish council in the diocese of St Pölten you might get the sack from your new bishop who everyone is unhappy with, but if you’re over in the fabulous archdiocese of Salzburg your archbishop (who leads the bishops conference and was in Rome for the synod) will invite you to participate in a synodality formation program.
– the Global South: picking up Geraldine’s point, Regina voiced strong concern as a European theologian and a German-speaking one in particular that the final document appears to have forgotten or, even worse, “given up on Europe”. What about the “exchange of gifts” so much lauded, she asked? And what is the task of the European church right now in this current world moment?
Two very specific tasks, she sees:
1) the German-speaking theological world has grappled with the theology of power and the theology of structures for decades, and the absence of any statement about synodality as a contribution to world crises and conflicts (eg both Germany and Austria currently have no functioning coalition governments, or NATO and the EU v Trump) is a missed opportunity in her view
2) European and German-speaking theologians have also grappled with the question of Judaism for obvious reasons and this is not reciprocated in the Global South. In fact she sees the theology of Global South as structurally anti-Jewish, eg liberation theology, and the omission of Judaism in the final document except for the “neither Jew nor Greek” scriptural reference is frankly a shock to her German eyes.
– The Ubiquitous Young People: they were not in attendance at the Academy in the Cathedral either, but a lot were down in the square warming up on Glǔhwein in the Advent market with St Stephen’s all lit up like a gothic cathedral, because it actually is gothic! I also saw a lot earlier in the day at the Freud museum poring over his texts and his former psychoanalysis rooms, and in Cafe Freud, many of them young women studying anatomy on their laptops because it’s right next to the medical university. These are the young women Regina is most worried about who are leaving in droves, who might otherwise have taken a subject in theology alongside their medical or law or politics or history degree because the theology faculty is actually part of mainstream universities.
And a final point, picking up Michael’s phrase “internal synodality”, which Regina called an “inner ecclesiology”, even “mysticism” which maybe is another form of kinetic imperative….
Liebe Grüsse,
Julie“
Delightfully our Victorian Vice- President, John Stuart responded:
“Greetings all.
It is Friday afternoon and I sit with such a richness from last Wednesday and the various responses and comments that have followed.
Thanks to the organisers and to Geraldine and Michael for leading us.”
At the end of the Wednesday night event Geraldine made an explosive comment (my words) that in moving forward “it’s up to us.” When she said that I was moved and awakened by a word from my early scripture days in the 60s: The Anawim who are the poor in spirit who remained faithful to God in times of difficulty as well as in good times; the vulnerable and confused who found in The Divine their salvation. They were also known as the “faithful remnant.”
Are we the Anawim in relation to Synodality, or is Synodality the call to the Anawim? I speak to family and friends and they have not even heard of Synodality or if they have do not know what it means. This resonates to Michael’s ‘s question to Susan.
What Wednesday confirmed is that the Church Triumphant is dead and the Pilgrim Church is well and truly alive even if it its numbers are small.
If people in Parishes have little to no idea of what Synodality is then Geraldine’s comment is so pertinent. Parishes cannot and will not lead us forward. The concept and reality of The Anawim then becomes important in our thinking and practice.
We have a blueprint outlined by Geraldine and Michael and it is rich and powerful in its invitation; and it is going to be a huge challenge for us to implement.
Many of us have been inspired and encouraged by Indigenous Singer/Songwriter Archie Roach whose last song, One Song, reflects who we are and in turn is worth reflecting on:
“Remember well what we have told you
Oh! and don’t forget where you come from
Mother Earth will always hold you,
And we are born of just one song.
Yeah, we are born of just one song.”
These are just a few reflections from Wednesday’s inspiring conversation.
Thanks to all who are inviting and challenging us to take Francis seriously.
