Cardinal Robert McElroy, during their conference, mentioned that Pope Francis' synodal consultation process is necessary for church conversion and reform.
Necessary Call
According to NCR Online, at the conference hosted by the Franciscan School of Theology at the University of San Diego, Cardinal McElroy stated that the Pope had prompted the Church to engage in a synodal process.
This process aims to transfigure every aspect of ecclesial life and outreach to the world.
According to the cardinal, the ongoing reform process seeks to improve the church at all levels, from the parish and the diocese to the global community.
That said, it is not limited to the issuance of new documents or a momentary change.
Cardinal McElroy explained that Pope Francis envisions synodality as a process that involves the entire "people of God."
He stated that it is something that emphasizes ongoing discernment under the guidance of the Holy Spirit rather than a parliamentary process.
The approach also prioritizes values such as humility, honesty, decentralization, active listening, participation, shared responsibility, and a significant emphasis on conversion and change.
Cardinal McElroy noted that the call to conversion is vital but always challenging.
He stated that people often become comfortable and set in their ways, which can impede their ability to grow authentically as followers of Jesus Christ.
It also requires Christians to resist complacency and actively engage in the ongoing process of personal and collective transformation.
However, for him, such a process is necessary as this is a fundamental aspect of discipleship in the Church.
Fostering Inclusivity
In his talk at San Diego, Cardinal McElroy also emphasized the significance of inclusion.
He built upon his recent essay advocating for "radical inclusion" of marginalized groups in the Church.
Cardinal McElroy highlighted the importance of fostering an inclusive community.
He identified a range of marginalized groups, including divorced and remarried individuals, immigrants, the elderly, members of the LGBTQ+ community, and people of color and women, as constituting a "national tapestry of marginalization in the Church."
Cardinal McElroy especially expressed his concerns about a looming crisis in the Church's ability to minister to the LGBT+ community.
He stated that change in how the Church approaches and reaches out to LGBT+ individuals is urgently needed to make it a truly welcoming presence in the world.
He also noted that the exclusion of women from certain roles and positions within the Church is part of a broader reality where lay Catholics are often marginalized in a variety of ways.
Cardinal McElroy commented that the strong expressions of the ideas about the inclusion of women in the Church revealed its failures to treat and engage women justifiably.
The over half a million Catholics who participated in the sessions also raised issues about clericalism and polarization.
That said, the two-day conference overall explored a new perspective on the contemporary struggles of the Church.
Other than Cardinal McElroy, other conference speakers were Dr. Daniel Horan, Dr. William Short, Dr. Mary Elizabeth Ingham, and Dr. Linh Ngoc Hoang.
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