An Authentically Catholic Approach to the 2023-2024 Synod on Synodality

It is generally understood, in the world of Catholic teaching, that if left alone long enough, evil will eventually destroy itself. This is something we must keep in mind when it comes to the upcoming Synod on Synodality in Rome. There is a lot of consternation going on among Traditional Catholics in the Church today, and I’ll freely admit that I find myself in that group. Indeed, many of the moves Pope Francis appears to be making, especially in whom he has picked to represent the United States in the Synod, and now his new doctrinal chief of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF), leave us with just cause for concern. Admittedly, I don’t listen to Pope Francis’ words anymore. I watch his actions, almost to the exclusion of everything else, and I’m convinced he’s setting the Church up to be railroaded with heresy in the not-too-distant future. That, however, is just me. I could be wrong, and I hope I am.

As we approach this seemingly ill-fated synod, I wish to remind my readers how this process works. The Synod itself has no power. It has no authority. It can do nothing. The purpose of the Synod is to “advise the pope.” So whatever final document that comes out of the Synod, no matter how good or how horrible, its purpose is to advise Pope Francis and nothing more. Now if the document itself is sensational, we can expect the mainstream media to immediately pick up on it, and tell the world in such a way as to make people think it is done. Rome has spoken, and the changes have already happened. Don’t fall for it! This is a trick. The mainstream media does this all the time. The Synod has no power or authority of its own. The documents it produces only advise the pope, and that’s all they do. You must remember this. It’s vitally important that you do. Don’t get suckered by the news media.

The real event will happen a couple years later, probably some time after the new year in 2025, and the second stage of the Synod in 2024. This will come in the form of some kind of Apostolic Exhortation or Apostolic Letter, or Motu Proprio. It might also find a higher form of papal document, such as an encyclical or Apostolic Constitution, depending on the situation. Whatever the case, it is this papal document that matters, not the Synod. After taking into account the recommendations of the Synod, the pope will decide to implement what he deems prudent. And this is what we must pay attention to.

In the past, Pope Francis barely implemented a fraction of what the Synods had suggested. Keep this in mind too. For example, the Synod on Synodality might recommend: female ordination, the end of priestly celibacy, and Church approval of same-sex unions. To which the mainstream media is sure to go bananas reporting this to the world as “Rome has spoken” and “it’s all gonna happen soon!” Historically speaking, however, they don’t have a leg to stand on with those claims. Some time after the Synod, Francis may decide that the only thing he will do is end priestly celibacy in occasional circumstances, for example, allowing older married men into the priesthood, and that’s it. This will come out in a papal document, the matter will be closed, end of discussion. If that’s how it goes down, none of us have anything to worry about, as this is all within the pale of Catholic orthodoxy. We can debate its prudence all we want, but it is orthodox. It will be a change, to be sure, but nothing earth-shaking. The Western Catholic Church will look just a little bit more like the Eastern Catholic Church in this regard.

What if, however, that doesn’t happen? What if Pope Francis “goes off the rails” so to speak, and issues a document that sanctions objective heresy. Let’s use, for example, the blessing of same-sex unions. The Church can never bless sin, and yet, that is exactly what she would be doing if same-sex blessings were allowed. What then? Well, then we’re in a much more sticky situation. However, before you panic, keep in mind there are a few options available.

The pope may issue a document, and heretical bishops may embrace it, but each and every bishop in the Catholic Church reserves the right to authoritatively say that within his diocese or jurisdiction, “this does not apply.” Any bishop can do this, and yes, some bishops already have in regards to Amoris laetitia, the papal document issued in 2016 following the 2014-2015 Synod on the Family. In this document, Pope Francis sanctioned communion to be given to the divorced and remarried, even if they have not had an annulment. In response, some bishops gleefully accepted this document and immediately implemented it in their dioceses. While other bishops said, in one way or another, “this does not apply to my diocese.” Some did this privately, in the form of a private communication between the bishop and his priests. Some did this in a more public way, such as the Bishop of the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter, His Excellency Stephen J. Lopes.

It was necessary for this particular bishop to make a public statement for two reasons, both of them ecumenical in nature. First, many of the members of the Ordinariate are former Anglicans, who fled to the Catholic Church over heresies concerning the nature of matrimony in various Anglican institutions. These people (myself included) needed to be assured that we had not abandoned one sinking ship, only to board another! Second, many more Anglicans (and Methodists) were quietly eyeing the Ordinariates in the Catholic Church as a possible safe refuge for the future. Some still are. And it’s important for them to know that the Ordinariates are what they claim to be, a place wherein the English Patrimony can flourish without fear of being taken over by Modernist ideologies. This is the primary problem plaguing Anglicanism right now, and it’s a huge catalyst causing many to turn to Rome through the Ordinariates. Bishop Lopes’ response to Amoris laetitia can be found in his Pastoral Letter: A Pledged Troth. It’s a wonderful pastoral letter that basically accounts for the beauty and necessity of the Sacrament of Matrimony, including a simple explanation of how the controversial part of Amoris laetitia does not apply to the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter, or any of its parishes, missions or communities.

Now, the reason why I’m telling you this, is to let you know that any bishop can do this, either publicly like +Lopes did, or privately like a number of other US bishops did in 2016. This is important to know, because what it means, and what I’m trying to tell you, is that papal documents following Vatican synods, are not absolute. They don’t necessarily apply in all dioceses, or all jurisdictions, at all times. Local bishops can override them, and many local bishops do. Sometimes you never know about it, unless you ask your priest, because it might not be publicized.

So, in preparation for the coming Synod on Synodality, this is what I am recommending we all do…

Pre-Synod Preparation

Get more traditional in your practice of the Catholic Faith. If you’re so inclined, dust off the old Baltimore Catechism and reacquaint yourself with the Catholic Faith as it has always been taught for over a hundred years. Consider using more traditional translations of the Catholic Bible as well: such as the RSV-CE or DRB. While you’re at it, learn how to say some basic Catholic prayers in Latin. Now, why would we do this? Occasionally, when times are turbulent, it’s best to ground ourselves in customs and disciplines rooted in history, and proved with time. In other words, when the future seems unsure, go back to what you know works! This helps to internally stabilize us in the Faith.

Pray for the pope and the Synod, but most especially for the pope. Why the pope? Because while the Synod can cause a lot of trouble, only the pope can actually make any changes to the laws of the Church. That alone is reason enough to focus on him for prayer. I recommend a simple prayer for his repentance, and submission to the Holy Spirit, that he may govern the Church rightly. Include this in your Rosary, or whatever devotion you do. I do, however, strongly recommend the Rosary. It’s a powerful devotion.

Start making plans to get to a more conservative and traditional Catholic parish in the event of a worst-case scenario. This might be an FSSP (Latin Mass) parish, or an ICKSP (Latin Mass) parish, or an Ordinariate (North America, United Kingdom, Oceania) parish, mission or community. It could also be a more conservative regular parish in another part of the diocese, or in a nearby diocese (this map of North America might help). Everyone’s circumstance may be different, but start making plans now, so you won’t be caught off guard later. People who get caught off guard tend to panic. Don’t be one of those. Have a plan in place ahead of time, so you can execute it with calmness and tranquility if (or when) you need to. People who panic also tend to make dumb choices, which can include leaving the Catholic Church entirely in some cases. Don’t be one of those!

Post-Synod Preparation

Don’t get caught up in the panic. We can expect some crazy things to come out of this synod, to include (but not limited to) proposals for female ordination, blessing of same-sex unions, democratic governance of the Church, an end to priestly celibacy and much more. The mainstream media may likely tell us it’s a done deal. That’s not true. It’s a typical, and predictable, media trick. Doubt me? Check the date of this blog entry. If you’re reading this after the Synod is over, did I get it right?

The mainstream media lies. Just remember that. You can’t trust them. Talk to your priest. Talk to your bishop if you can. Get information straight from the horse’s mouth. Don’t trust anyone else. Find out from the leaders of your diocese what is really going on.

What we will be doing post-synod is waiting, and we’ll likely be waiting for a while. It could be as long as six months. What matters is the papal document that will follow, wherein the pope will decide what he’ll be implementing from the Synod, and what he won’t be implementing. This is where the “rubber meets the road,” so to speak. This is how we will really know what’s going to happen.

Once the document is issued, and your bishop has had time to review it and decide what he’s going to do, talk to your priest and bishop’s office about it. Find out how the document will be implemented in your diocese. If the pope has “gone off the rails” so to speak, as in blessing same-sex unions (for example), or some other Modernist nonsense, then find out if your bishop is going to implement that, or nullify it, in your diocese. If he’s going to nullify it, then you have nothing to worry about. If he’s going to implement it, however, then it’s time to implement your Pre-Synodal planning from above. Specifically, start going to mass at your pre-designated refuge parish. You must do it calmly, and rationally, without causing a panic in your family or among your friends. You must present yourself as stable and sane, in a world (and a Church) gone mad. Execute your Pre-Synodal plan like a good Catholic with peace and tranquility.

Conclusion

Yes, there will come an end to this present madness. As I said above, evil always becomes a victim of its own success eventually. That’s because in the end, it always self-destructs. The self-destruction takes many forms and varieties, but it always dies by its own hand, sooner or later. What matters is that you don’t get caught in the middle of it. What matters is that you preserve your Catholic Faith and pass it down to your children and grandchildren. You do this by playing it cool, having a plan, and not letting the madness in the Church rattle you.

Shane Schaetzel is an author of Catholic books and an Evangelical convert to the Catholic Church through Anglicanism. His articles have been featured on LifeSiteNews, The Remnant Newspaper, Forward in Christ, and Catholic Online. You can read Shane’s books at ShaneSchaetzel.Com