The Episcopal Conference of the Bishops of France is the target of controversy after making public a text that proposes a radical reform in the Catholic priesthood among other equally reformist proposals
Newsroom (22/06/2022 11:35, Gaudium Press) Last June 15, the Bishops of France officially concluded the first phase of the Synod on Synodality.
The French episcopate decided on the presentation of a text to the Vatican as the fruit of the national part of the synod planned for October 2023 in Rome. The text is the result of the consultation carried out in all parishes in the country.
However, the document entitled “Collection of Synod Syntheses” has not failed to create controversy because of the themes proposed. If on one side there are those who are happy with the content, on the other there are those who criticize the document.
In fact, the document proposes a radical reform, particularly with regard to the sacrament of the priesthood.
End of celibacy, ordination of women to the diaconate, Eucharist in the background
The document was presented to the general public by the president of the French Bishops’ Conference, Bishop Eric de Moulins-Beaufort, Bishop Alexandre Joly, Bishop of Troyes and those responsible for the document, and the mother of the family, Lucie Lafleur.
The document first presents a study on the priesthood and then proposes solutions, among which leaving the choice of celibacy to the candidates, so that the priesthood and marriage are compatible.
The proposal that women be accepted in the diaconate and that they be in charge of preaching the word also appears in the document.
Another radical proposal is the “diversification of liturgies that favor the celebration of the word,” because according to the document, the Eucharist is an excluding sacrament, since homosexuals and divorcees cannot participate.
Fruit of the diocesan study circles, not the opinion of the prelates…
According to the French newspaper “Le Figaro”, the approved text does not have the unanimous support of the Bishops.
In fact, the French bishops met on June 14 and 15 to hear a text prepared by the commission responsible for gathering the observations and proposals of all the dioceses in France.
The same French periodical reported that a first text was presented to the prelates on June 14, but rejected because it did not even mention the word “Christ”.
A new text was hastily drafted between the evening of June 14 and the morning of June 15, a text entitled “Follow-up document to the collection of synod syntheses.”
Document transmitted to Rome “as is”
The document was approved on the condition that it be accompanied by the text “Collection of Synod Syntheses,” the one proposing the radical reforms.
In the end, the French bishops’ conference decided that the “collection of synodal syntheses” should be handed over to Rome as it was drawn up, after all the text represents the opinions extracted from lay people in various dioceses and not exactly the opinion of the bishops.
The bishops’ decision apparently prevented them from taking a position on the radical reforms of the document. They left it up to Rome to decide whether or not to decide on the proposals presented. Next to the German proposals, the French document is so far one of the most reformist.
It will be up to Rome to validate or not the first phase of the synod… (FM)
Compiled by Camille Mittermeier
