Sheep in Shepherds’ Clothing

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TRANSCRIPT

The Vatican is calling for Eastern Orthodox Christians and Protestants to have a bigger say on how matters are implemented within the Catholic Church. Church Militant's Hunter Bradford explores possible time bombs at the 2023 Synod on Synodality.

An October 2021 Vatican document revealed on Monday prompted bishops to afford non-Catholic Christians the opportunity to contribute to the synodal process "since all the baptized participate to some degree in the sensus fidei," and "ecumenism can be understood as an 'exchange of gifts.'"

Faithful Catholics however, disagree:

Father Mark Goring, C.C.: 

They water down the gospel thinking it'll be easier for people to accept and more people will come to church. And what happens? Less people are interested, so what do they do? They water it down some more, and then even less people are interested. And they keep watering it down thinking that somehow that's going to help the situation. It's not.

A group of faithful priests responded to the synod's plan of including non-Catholics: "While listening to the people is a good and necessary thing, they are not a good measure of what is true. Non-Catholics and, in particular, nonreligious people, are poor sources for ascertaining the mind and will of God."

The Second Vatican Council also emphasized ecumenism by inviting Orthodox and Protestants to participate — indirectly. That ecumenical approach seemingly led to a watered-down presentation of Church teaching and the liturgy. Experts fear the upcoming synod may continue that trend.

Pope Francis claimed in Rome last week that synodality is not "the search for the consensus of the majority," and the synod's "protagonist" is the Holy Spirit.

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