The Synodal Comedy: Act II

Throughout history, the city of Rome, the See of Peter, has faced numerous assaults.

Attila the Hun attempted to take the city but retreated when confronted by Pope Leo the Great. Napoleon successfully conquered Rome in 1809, while Italian nationalists in 1848 forced Blessed Pius IX to flee to Gaeta. Hitler subdued Rome on June 4, 1944.

Yet none of these compare to the current assault. Today, Rome faces Synodal Listening—II, a process many see as a squandering of Christ’s salvific inheritance. The sight of Church leaders engaging in what seems like a spiritual self-actualization exercise alarms many Catholics. Were it not for Christ’s promise—“the gates of Hell shall not prevail”—one might fear the end of Catholicism, as these prelates, behaving like participants in a Maoist Struggle Session, dismantle the Faith they swore to protect.

At these Synodal Sessions, the Faith itself is trampled, traded for the hollow reassurances of modern psychology. That this desecration takes place on ground consecrated by the blood of Peter and Paul makes it even more chilling. The Church’s once-stalwart defenders now resemble performers in a cheap vaudeville act, devoid of dignity or conviction.

It’s difficult to accuse these synodalists of heresy, as their lack of substance fails to meet even that charge. Heresy requires purpose and conviction—qualities absent here. Instead, they act as pallbearers for a dying Catholic Left, participants in an exercise as empty as it is misguided.

The Synod began with a retreat, a hollow shell of true Catholicism. Take, for example, the penitential liturgy aimed at ushering in a “new way of being Church.” It included confessions for a new set of sins: sins against peace, creation, migrants, women, and the misuse of doctrine as a weapon. The confusion is palpable. If defending the Revelation of Christ is now a sin, what is left to believe? If doctrine is harmful, what purpose does the Church serve?

This line of thinking leaves one questioning the very purpose of martyrdom. Did St. John Fisher die because he “hurled doctrine” at his enemies? Was the Council of Trent wrong to define doctrines against Protestant heresies?

Theological reasoning breaks down in the face of these platitudes. As Aristotle noted, reasoning with a man who has abandoned logic is futile. Is this the predicament facing the Church today?

Any Catholic not troubled by this fog of confusion must check if their baptismal character has faded. Pachamama ceremonies and the introduction of Mayan and Amazonian rites were mere preludes to the nonsense of the Synod Retreat, where modern-day synodalists present their own list of trendy sins, unrelated to true Christianity.

While some may find amusement in these absurdities, the tragedy lies in the fact that many Catholics will take this Synod seriously, treating its pronouncements with the reverence reserved for the Gospel itself.

Perhaps these synodalists should revisit St. Gregory the Great’s Pastoral Rule from 599. Gregory warned that a pastor who fails to assert the truth, out of fear or weakness, abandons his flock to the enemy. His words remind us that defending doctrine is not just a duty, but a shield against error.

Despite the troubling actions of the Synod, Catholics must not respond with bitterness or despair. Instead, they should take inspiration from St. Ignatius of Loyola, who, when faced with rejection, encouraged his followers by saying, “Our Lord expects great things of us.”

In the face of this crisis, the Church will rise again, as it has through greater trials. But this revival will require the courage and prayers of informed laypeople, those who understand that these are times for Catholics to act with conviction. The crisis may deepen, but now is the time to stand firm, praying and acting in the spirit of Christ’s warning: “Because thou art lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, I will begin to vomit thee out of my mouth” (Revelation 3:16).

Now is the time for Catholics to rise to greatness. The call to action is clear. Get started.