Written by

Fr. Nishad Alakkalathil OFM Cap.

“Semper ecclesia reformanda est (the Church is always in need of reform)”[1]. It is true that the Church always tries her maximum to implement reform and renewal through her teachings and approaches. At the time of St Augustine, the question was ‘which is the true Church?’ During the time of the sixteenth the century reformation, the question was ‘what was the Church?’ Today, the question is ‘why the Church?[2] The second Vatican Council was summoned to renew and reform the Church in the modern world. After Vatican II, the medieval formula of the Church was changed. With the dogmatic constitution Lumen Gentium (the dogmatic constitution on the Church) the definition of the Church was reconstituted like this; Church as the people of God. By this, not only was the medieval monarchy was rejected, but Constantine’s empire Church[3]. Now, Pope Francis uses the language that is comprehensible for the people. The principle of ‘theology of the people’ remains the real foundation for the expressions of Pope Francis. Pope Francis calls for a paradigm shift that emphasises the qualitative rather than the quantitative existence of the Church, backed by the ‘theology of the people’ that emerged in the Argentine Church. The papacy of Pope Francis has restored the concept of ‘people of God’ into the Catholic ecclesiology. Pope Francis is keen to articulate the qualitative presence of the Catholic Church in this modern world.  To understand a person and his standpoints, we must know his context and background.

The Context and Background of Pope Francis

Pope Francis has been named ‘Person of the Year 2013’ by Time magazine for changing the perception of the Catholic Church in an extraordinary way within just nine months in office[4]. It is essential to know the background and context of Pope Francis to study his vision, theology and teachings. He was born on 17 December 1936 in Flores, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Jorge Mario Bergoglio is incomprehensible outside the framework of his own country, so it is vital to have some background in Argentine politics to comprehend him[5]. Despite becoming the first Pope to be ordained as a priest after the Second Vatican Council, Bergoglio’s formation was mostly pre-Vatican II in both style and content[6].

The main political figure was Colonel Juan Domingo Peron, who represented a form of romantic Catholicism that was liked by Argentines, mainly by the lower middle class[7].  Peron made so many alliances with trade unions and small-scale business groups. He also employed economic policies that made explicit references to Catholic social teachings. It was an impetus for the labour class[8]. Bergoglio absorbed certain ideas of Peronist political philosophy too.  He was also influenced by Peronist political ideologies as the biographers say[9].  He was also interested to learn Catholic social teaching as he was a member of a Catholic action study group[10].

While reading Denzinger’s Enchiridion (a widely used compendium of the Church traditions), Bergoglio had been struck by an early Church principle of the Christian faith. The biography says, “faithful people were infallible in credendo, in its believing”[11]. The biographer opines that Bergoglio had grasped that the ‘people’ was also a repository of faith[12]. Together with that,  he was influenced by “the Vatican II document, Lumen Gentium, reformed the principle of the Church, not as an institution so much as a people, the ‘People of God’ ”[13]. Bergoglio was more of a political activist than a Catholic intellectual. He started doctoral studies but didn’t finish them[14]. He warned the Jesuits of his province to give away abstract ideologies that do not match the reality[15]. The crux of the theology of the people is revealed in his apostolic exhortation, Evangelii Gaudium (no. 231), wherein he mentions that we love people, not concepts or ideas[16]. He hints that when an idea or concept does not have any connection with the lives of the people, it is not worth considering even. The study of the ‘Theology of the People’, which was developed in the Latin American Church and known for assuming the centrality of the option for the poor that begins from the documents of Medellin (1968), Puebla (1979), Santo Domingo (1992) and Aparecida (2007).  

His theological vision was well established during the time he was made Cardinal in 2001. His lodestars were two French theologians, Henry de Lubac and Yves Congar, who inspired and taught him how to unite God’s people by radical reform that will lead them to holiness[17]. As a result, unlike other streams of liberation theology, his theological-pastoral choice could not be reduced to an analysis of the economic and socio-political in light of a Marxist technique. According to him, we must not reduce humans into political and economic categories alone. His theological vision has got three dimensions: discernment of spirits, an inductive approach and preferential option for the poor[18]. He does not theologize only for the poor ones. His attention is on the people as a whole, not as parts. It is an inclusive pattern that encompasses the poor, migrants, elderly, minority groups, children, non-Christians, nature, etc.

No reader of Bergoglio could fail to miss the influence of this most important document on him. Because Pope Francis commented that Evangelii Nuntiandi is the greatest pastoral document ever written[19]. In 1975, Paul VI published Evangelii Nuntiandi. An Argentinian theologian, Lucio Gera explains,

Theology of the people did not try to change social and political structures in themselves, but to promote a discernment of the mission and identity of the ecclesiastical institution based on an explicit option for the poor people and their culture[20].

If the people are the subject and agent of their history, the Church is in debt to the people, not the reverse. It means it is the periphery that gives meaning to the centre[21]. Another Argentinian theologian Rafael Tello adds his view that the notion of people is connected to the existence of popular culture. It implies that one cannot understand people without understanding their culture[22]. This type of theology had two factors in common with other liberation theological streams. Those are the preferential option for the poor and the inductive method of see-judge-act[23].

This Argentine theology does not stem from social analysis based on economic concerns. But it proceeds from a historical analysis of the culture of the people who are united by a common ethos[24].  The theology of the people was also known as the theology of culture. The Argentine bishops adopted this method of theology in 1969 following the Medellin conference in 1968. We see that this type of theology was a need of the time. Because, all the other concepts concerning society and people had leniency towards liberal, Marxist ideas. Austen Ivereigh quotes Scannone who elucidated the differences between Marxist-influenced liberation theology and the theology of the people. 

The Marxist ideologies saw the people as an essentially socio-economic or class category (Proletariat, the landless people) in opposition to the dominant wealthy class (Bourgeoise), but the theology of the people saw the people as a historic, cultural and symbolic category, who share a common project of liberation, whatever their status be[25]. 

Andrea Gagliarducci comments about this, in his report in the Catholic News Agency. He says that liberation theology had its leniency towards Marxist ideas. But the theology of the people had its foundation in common people’s culture and devotion, including their spirituality and sense of justice[26].

The pioneers of ‘the theology of the people’ thought that an elite group (liberalism, Marxism, Clericalism) attempted to arrogate the power to decide what ‘people’ should think or act. For Pope Francis, it is not a passive collection of Christians numerically, but a conscious protagonist of their history. Thus, it brings about a qualitative existence of the Christians on this earth[27].

The Church does not have answers for every specific problem in her conversations with the state and society. She supports programs that, along with other societal segments, uphold each person's dignity and the greater good. She does this by outlining straightforwardly the core principles of human life and convictions, which can subsequently be expressed through political action (EG 241)[28]. Rafael Luciani, one of the main authors in this field, writes in his article “Pope Francis and Theology of the People”, quoting Víctor Manuel Fernandez, the present Prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith;

It is used to be said that a theology of the people opts for the ignorant masses, lacking of culture and critical thought. That which the theology of the people defends is very different. It means to consider the poor not as the mere object of liberation or education, but as individuals capable of thinking with their own categories, capable of legitimately living faith in their own way, and capable of creating paths for popular culture. Additionally, that they express or view life in a different way does not mean that they don’t think or have a culture; it’s simply a different culture, one that differs from that of the middle class[29].

Pope Francis preferred the image people of God used by Vatican II. For him, the Church is not a passive collection of Christians numerically nor a multinational organization, but a conscious protagonist of their history. Thus, it brings about a qualitative existence of the Christians on this earth[30]. So the Church is urged to leave behind its narcissistic and navel-gazing preoccupation, go out and touch and care for the wounds of mankind and adore God alive in our midst. The Jesuit Pope seems to have made the right discernment of spirits for the Church he has been called to lead[31]. For Pope Francis this qualitative existence is to be expressed and experienced through Synodality.

Pope Francis, a strong proponent of Synodality, has urged the Church to be more open, involved, and sensitive to the needs of the world. This understanding of synodality promotes greater participation in the Church’s decision-making processes by marginalized groups. It demands a Church that prioritizes relationships over structures, conversation over rules, and pastoral care over institutional effectiveness.

The qualitative existence is actualised by Synodality. This is the radical shift Church that we find in the papacy of Pope Francis. Pope Francis opines in the ceremony of commemorating the 50th anniversary of the institution of the Synod of bishops, “It is precisely this path of Synodality which God expects of the Church of the third millennium”[32]. The concept of Synodality is not a new invention, but different modes of Synodality were there in the history of the Church, as we saw, the existence of the Synod of bishops years ago. Synodal conversion represents the deepening of the text and the spirit of the Second Vatican Council[33]. The ITC (International theological commission) document on Synodality which was published on 2nd March 2018 elucidates that although Synodality is not explicitly found as a term or as a concept in the teaching of Vatican II, it is fair to say that Synodality was at the heart of the Council[34].

Today, the present Pope wants to implement and extend this Synodality to local levels. Rafael Luciani, one of the leading writers on the principle of Synodality opines that in 2013 we entered into a new phase of conciliar reception that recovered the Church as the people of God, the vital hermeneutical criterion and contribution of Vatican II[35]. By this, the people of God return to the confidence that they too have a vital role in the Church.      EG also explained the need to shift from a quantitative Church to a qualitative Church. 

Paul VI invited us to deepen the call to renewal and to make it clear that renewal does not only concern individuals but the entire Church. Let us return to a memorable text which continues to challenge us. “The Church must look with penetrating eyes within herself, ponder the mystery of her own being… This vivid and lively self-awareness inevitably leads to a comparison between the ideal image of the Church as Christ envisaged her and loved her as his holy and spotless bride (cf. Eph 5:27), and the actual image which the Church presents to the world today... This is the source of the Church’s heroic and impatient struggle for renewal: the struggle to correct those flaws introduced by her members which her own self-examination, mirroring her exemplar, Christ, points out to her and condemns”[36]. The Second Vatican Council presented ecclesial conversion as openness to a constant self-renewal born of fidelity to Jesus Christ: “Every renewal of the Church essentially consists in an increase of fidelity to her own calling… Christ summons the Church as she goes her pilgrim way… to that continual reformation of which she always has need, in so far as she is a human institution here on earth”[37](EG 26)[38].

Pope Francis considers Church reform not as a one-time act of revision or updating of certain outdated structures, but as a constant and permanent process of ecclesial conversion involving the whole Church[39]. The concept of Synodality has a vital influence in the Catholic world. The change is not just a sociological one; it also involves a hermeneutical space change that enables the Church to interact with the outside world and as a result, determine its identity and mission in light of current events[40]. 

The Meaning of Synodality

     The Synodal outline offers privileged space for the underprivileged and those who are marginalised as well as a more inclusive, participatory, and traditional place where all of the faithful can share their experiences while maintaining their own identity and integrity[41]. The Vatican Council document, Gaudium et Spes, also explains the role of the Church as a leaven and as a kind of soul for human society as it is to be renewed in Christ and transformed into God’s family (GS no. 40).

The ecclesiology of the people of God emphasises the shared mission and dignity of all baptised people while allowing them to express the variety and organised richness of their charisms, vocations, and ministries. Thus, we understand that all the ministries and vocations have dignity, greatness and a pivotal role in the Church. No vocation or ministry is superior and higher in itself. It was usual that in the olden times, priests and bishops were considered to be the faces of the Church. And now, an equivalent role is expressed with the concept of Synodality. This does not mean that all clerics are in the wrong direction right now. But, the attempt made here is a call to walk together as faithful people of God. Synodality gives a way of proceeding in the Church. Synodality is not listening only through traditional mediations such as prayer and gospel, and so on, but also, through the face-to-face confrontation of different ideas and viewpoints in an ambience and with the method of communal discernment[42]. The Pope himself explains that the Synod is an ecclesial exercise in discernment. If the Synod is to be a process of discernment, it is essential to talk openly and listen honestly. Synodality is the way in which the Church acts in the present time. Synodality is a call to foster processes of conversion as we listen to one another and the larger society while reading the signs of the times together[43].

The Significance of Synodality

                     The Church has its foundation in Christ and is to be synodal in its being and management. To foster close cooperation in the Church’s mission, the Church must move beyond the clergy-laity division that has plagued her[44]. Synodality in the Church manifests the vocation of all the faithful to live, work and journey together, rooted in ecclesial communion[45]. The present ecclesiology discusses the Church in a synodal way wherein all faithful have a vital role and responsibility to fulfil. Here we notice a move of ecclesial understandings from the periphery to the centre. This is the real significance of Synodality. As I have mentioned before, Synodality becomes a walking together of all.   EG 120 makes it clear,

                     In virtue of their baptism, all the members of the People of God have become missionary disciples (cf. Mt 28:19). All the baptized, whatever their position in the Church or their level of instruction in the faith, are agents of evangelization, and it would be insufficient to envisage a plan of evangelization to be carried out by professionals while the rest of the faithful would simply be passive recipients[46].

 Pope Francis defines Synod as the convergence of the listening processes. It is the point of convergence of the listening process at every level of the Church’s life. We see that the discussions on Synodality take place on many levels: pontifical level, national level, diocesan level, parish level, community level etc. The Synod process begins by listening to the people of God, which shares also in Christ’s prophetic office according to a principle dear to the Church of the first millennium[47]. It does not mean receiving the consultative vote in civil society but that the authority needs to consult and listen to the opinion of the faithful before making decisions[48].  The concept of Synodality refers to the involvement and participation of the whole people of God in the life and mission of the Church[49].  The Synod is an expression of the Church as a whole, as She journeys to grasp reality with the eyes of faith and the heart of God, and she also questions herself concerning her fidelity to the deposit of faith[50]. The true meaning of a Synodal Church is accomplished only by journeying together with the people of God and joining together to allow mutual listening, discernment, and decision-making in every aspect of the Church. This is really the qualitative shift we see in the papacy of Pope Francis. One of the prominent biographers of Pope Francis, Austen Ivereigh, shares his view that the dichotomy of Francis’ papacy is that, while being deeply rooted in tradition and utterly faithful to the Church’s teaching, he is bringing out seismic change even while decentralising the papacy and bolstering Synodality and collegiality[51]. 

                     The significance of co-responsibility and baptismal dignity is made clear in the effective implementation of the Synodal process. The document on Synodality makes it clear,

                    The entire People of God is challenged by its fundamentally synodal calling. The circularity of the sensus fidei with which all the faithful are endowed, the discernment carried out at the various levels on which synodality works and the authority of those who exercise the pastoral ministry of unity and governance shows the dynamic of synodality. This circularity promotes the baptismal dignity and co-responsibility of all, makes the most of the presence in the People of God of charisms dispensed by the Holy Spirit, recognises the specific ministry of Pastors in collegial and hierarchical communion with the Bishop of Rome, and guarantees that synodal processes and events unfold in conformity with the depositum fidei and involve listening to the Holy Spirit, for the renewal of the Church’s mission[52].

                      It is about a path taken together, under the guidance of the risen Lord, by all the people of God with the wide variety of its members and a responsible exercise of the various charisms and ministries for the sake of the common good[53]. The Synodal Church renews her communion in harmony with all men and women, especially with the poor, the marginalized and the suffering. She serves them in her ministry after the example of Christ’s ministry. Thus, the Synodal Church refreshes her mission as a service to humanity and creation at large. The total Synodal conversion is the implementation of the Vatican II vision in which all the faithful are endowed with the same dignity. It is in this line (equal dignity to all) that Pope Francis speaks about peripheries. We find its ecclesiological root in what Cardinal Suenens said when he spoke about the need to overcome the hierarchical model of the pre-conciliar phase. There are two approaches in this regard. The first one is the gaze from the centre to the periphery. The second approach is from the periphery towards the centre[54]. This invitation to gaze to peripheries and the gaze from peripheries would constitute universal fellowship of all the people at all levels. This vision goes even beyond the boundaries of religion, sex, ideologies, nationality etc.

                      The Implementation of Synodality

     Prior to speaking about the implementation of Synodality, we should know how the being of the Church should be expressed amidst humanity. Indian Jesuit theologian Kurien Kunnumpuram suggests three modifications for a Synodal Church. The first modification is the cognitive change, which means the creation of a new perspective on life and reality.  The second modification is the change of an attitude, which calls for the acquisition of new values. The last modification is the behavioural change or the acceptance of new behaviours. We may sum it up by saying a shift in commitment, vision, and behaviour[55]. EG 114 formulates these visions beautifully,

     Being Church means being God’s people, in accordance with the great plan of his fatherly love. This means that we are to be God’s leaven in the midst of humanity. It means proclaiming and bringing God’s salvation into our world, which often goes astray and needs to be encouraged, given hope and strengthened on the way. The Church must be a place of mercy freely given, where everyone can feel welcomed, loved, forgiven and encouraged to live the good life of the Gospel[56].

Dr Samuel Ryan, an Indian Jesuit writes so beautifully about the role of the Church amidst humanity. He suggests some noteworthy points. I think these points will give some spark for the practical implementation of the Synodal Church in an Indian background.

    1. Act as leaven and catalyst of social change demanding and accelerating it, and above all giving it orientation and meaning to keep it authentically human. 2. Become herself as ‘institution of social criticism’ (J. Metz), a non-authoritarian movement of freedom and a service of human liberation. 3. Rethink her investments and break her ties with unjust systems. 4. Give up lyrical pronouncements about unity and justice, and recognize the contradictions and conflicts that do divide people inside the Churches and outside them more deeply than do rites and theologies. 5. Learn to read politically the signs of the times and engage in prophetic denunciation of injustice of every kind wherever found[57].   

     The document brought out by the ITC on Synodality in 2018, ‘Synodality in the Life and Mission of the Church’ by name, basing itself on the constitution Lumen Gentium, emphasised that the ecclesiastical hierarchy is at the service of the People of God in order for the Church to fulfil her mission in accordance with God’s plan of salvation, in the logic of the priority of the whole over its parts and of the end over the means[58]. From the aforementioned ecclesiological framework, we should reflect on Synodality, to clear the hurdles of clericalized ecclesial culture and excessively priest-centred ministries[59]. Pope Francis expressed his growing concern that ecclesial elites striving for idiosyncratic policy or doctrinal changes could seize control of Synodal events. The Supreme Pontiff reminds us about the three risks as we advance in the Synodal path, namely formalism, intellectualism and complacency[60].     Pope views Synodality as a component of his ecclesiology of the people rather than as part of a wider institutional reform strategy[61].

Conclusion

At times there is an inclination in our theological studies to depict the Church as totally holy, other worldly and of a mystical origin. It is true that the Church founded by Jesus, is holy. But there are faults in the testimony given by Her members.  Pope Francis tries to renew this latter part. The critical understanding of the real situation is detrimental to the process and progress of theology and its relevance. The renewal of the Church involves both human and divine components.  The authoritarian approach must be replaced with a pastoral one that sees the Church as a loving mother who welcomes and loves everyone. This hints at a Church that heals. Pope Francis, on many occasions quotes Pope Paul VI, especially in Evengelii Gaudium. The words of Pope Paul VI, said in 1963, are important to note here. He opined that the reform pays homage to tradition by seeking to abandon all its outdated and ineffective manifestations to render it genuine and fruitful[62].  A proper critical understanding of history, as well as present existential patterns, would help the Church for an authentic, qualitative existence and orientation in Christ. The theological thinking and advancements must reveal the beauty, necessity and significance of the Catholic Church in the modern world. Theology has to be firmly backed by scripture and tradition on the one hand and by the proper understanding of religious, cultural, social and political situations on the other[63].  We are happy that the present papacy has taken such a risk to pursue more of a synodal vision of the Church. I think that this would be yet another spring in the Catholic Church and her meaningful presence in the modern world.  On the whole there is a ‘Francis effect’ in the Catholic Church. In conclusion, Pope Francis’ qualitative contributions for a qualitative Church encompass a profound shift in the way the Church interacts with the world and its mission, going beyond theological advancements or administrative changes. A new path that places a higher priority on human dignity, solidarity, and a dedication to justice and peace is shown by his emphasis on mercy, care for the poor, ecological justice, synodality, and interfaith communication. Let us put this in the words of Pope Francis, “Challenges exist to be overcome. Let us be realists, but without losing our joy, our boldness and our hope-filled commitment. Let us not allow ourselves to be robbed of missionary vigour (Evengelii Gaudium 109)”[64].

 Written by

Fr. Nishad Alakkalathil OFM Cap.

 Resident Staff at Capuchin Vidyabhavan Thellakom, Kottayam, India.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

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[1] Cf. Karunakar Reddy Kasu, Towards the Deepening of Faith and Renewal of Commitment to Evangelization, 1.

[2]  Cf. Davis Varayilan, “A Love Story’ in the Mission Context of India”, in Third Millennium XVII, 2014, 47.

[3] Cf. Norman P. Tanner, ed., Vatican II: The Essential Texts, 23.             

[4] Cf. Press Trust of India, Time magazine names Pope Francis as Person of the Year https://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/time-magazine-names-pope-francis-as-person-of-the-year-113121100935_1.html , accessed on 14/03/2025.        

[5] Cf. Paul Valley, Pope Francis: Untying the Knots: The Struggle for the Soul of Catholicism, 31.

[6] Cf. Ibid.

[7] Cf. Gerald Whelan, A Discerning Church: Pope Francis, Lonergan, and a Theological Method for the Future, 109.

[8] Cf. Ibid. 109-110.

[9] Cf. Austen Ivereigh, The Great Reformer, 71-72.

[10] Cf. Gerard Whelan, A Discerning Church: Pope Francis, Lonergan, and a Theological Method for the Future, 110.

[11] Austen Ivereigh, The Great Reformer, 111.

[12] Cf. Ibid.

[13] Ibid, 111.

[14] Cf. George Neumayr, The Political Pope, 47.

[15] Cf. Gerard Whelan, A Discerning Church: Pope Francis, Lonergan, and a Theological Method for the Future, 114-115.

[16] Cf. Pope Francis, The Complete Encyclicals, Bulls, and Apostolic Exhortations, 157. Also in  Pope Francis, Address to the Participants in the Second World Meeting of Popular Movements, Bolivia, July 9, 2105 https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/speeches/2015/july/documents/papa-francesco_20150709_bolivia-movimenti-popolari.html. Accessed on 01/02/2025.

[17] Cf. Ibid., xv.

[18] Cf. Gerard Whelan, A Discerning Church: Pope Francis, Lonergan, and a Theological Method for the Future, 125.

[19] Cf. Ibid., 53.        

[20] Rafael Luciani, Pope Francis and Theology of the People, 5.           

[21] Cf. Ibid., 7.

[22] Cf. Ibid., 5.

[23] Cf. Gerard Whelan, “Theological Method in Evangelii Gaudium, a Dialogue with Bernard Lonergan and Robert Doran”, in Gregorianum 96/1, 2015, 52.

[24] Cf. Walter Kasper, Pope Francis’ Revolution of Tenderness and Love: Theological and Pastoral Perspectives, 16.

[25]  Austen Ivereigh, The Great Reformer, 112.

[26] Cf. Andrea Gagliarducci, “The Theology of the People, According to Pope Francis,” Catholic New Agency, 27 April, 2015, https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/31899/the-theology-of-the-people-according-to-pope-francis. Accessed on 01/02/2025.

[27] Cf. Joseph Xavier, “The Church of the People; Ecclesial Vision of Pope Francis”, in Vidyajyoti Journal of Theological Reflection, Vol. 80/8 August 2016, 593.

[28] Cf. Pope Francis, The Complete Encyclicals, Bulls, and Apostolic Exhortations, 161.

[29] Rafael Luciani, “Pope Francis and Theology of the People”, 9.

[30] Cf. Joseph Xavier, “The Church of the People; Ecclesial Vision of Pope Francis”, in Vidyajyoti Journal of Theological Reflection, Vol. 80/8 August 2016, 593-594.

[31]  Cf. Benedict Vadakkekkara, “Good Evening; Brothers and Sisters! Or New Evangelization”, in Unto the Margins; Pope Francis and his Challenges, J. Chathanatt, ed., 113.

[32] Pope Francis, “Ceremony Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the Institution of the Synod of Bishops”, 17 October 2015, https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/speeches/2015/october/documents/papa-francesco_20151017_50-anniversario-sinodo.html accessed on 01/03/2025.

[33] Cf.Ibid., 15.

[34] Cf. International Theological Commission, “Synodality in the Life and Mission of the Church”, no. 7.

[35] Cf. Rafael Luciani, Synodality; A New Way of Proceeding in the Church, 45.

[36] Pope Paul VI, Encyclical Letter Ecclesiam Suam, 6 August 1964, nos. 9, 10 and 11.

[37] Vatican Council II, Decree on Ecumenism Unitatis Redintegratio, no. 6.

[38] Pope Francis, The Complete Encyclicals, Bulls, and Apostolic Exhortations, 70.

[39] Cf. Rafael Luciani, Synodality; A New Way of Proceeding in the Church, 16.

[40] Cf. Ibid., 19.

[41] Cf.  Gerry O’Hanlon, “Pope Francis and Church Reform”, in The Way, Paul Nicholson, ed., 59/4 (October 2020), 101-111, 107.

[42] Cf. Rafael Luciani, Synodality; A New Way of Proceeding in the Church, 29.

[43] Cf. Cf. Hosffman Ospino, “A Closer Look at Synodality and its Promise for a more Inclusive Church”, https://www.ncronline.org/news/opinion/closer-look-synodality-and-its-promise-more-inclusive-church.              Accessed on 11/02/2025.        

[44] Cf. Kurien Kunnumpuram, Indian Church of the Future, 9.

[45] Cf. Ibid., 234.

[46] Pope Francis, The Complete Encyclicals, Bulls and Apostolic Exhortations, 112.

[47] Cf. Pope Francis, “Ceremony Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the Institution of the Synod of Bishops”, 17 October 2015, https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/speeches/2015/october/documents/papa-francesco_20151017_50-anniversario-sinodo.html Accessed on 01/03/2025.

[48] Cf. International Theological Commission, “Synodality in the Life and Mission of the Church”. no.68.

[49] Cf.  Ibid.

[50] Cf. Pope Francis, “Synod for the Family 2015; Introductory Remarks by His Holiness Pope Francis’, 5 October 2015, https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/speeches/2015/october/documents/papa-francesco_20151005_padri-sinodali.html. Accessed on 20/02/02025.

[51] Cf.  Austen Ivereigh, “Pope Francis and Church Reform”, in  The Way, Paul Nicholson, ed., 59/4 (October 2020), 13-28, 16.        

[52] International Theological Commission, “Synodality in the Life and Mission of the Church” no. 72.

[53] Cf. Antonio Spadaro, “The Synodal Church” in La Civilta Cattolica, 26 October 2018, www. Lacivilta cattolica. com/the-synodal-church/. Accessed on 11/02/2025.

[54] Cf. Rafael Luciani, Synodality; A New Way of Proceeding in the Church, 19.

[55] Cf. Kuruvila Pandikattu and P T Mathew, et.al., ed., Committed to the Church and the Country: Reflections on Christian Living in India in Honour of Professor Kurien Kunnumpuram SJ, 33.

[56] Pope Francis, The Complete Encyclicals, Bulls, and Apostolic Exhortations, 109.

[57] Samuel Ryan, “The Mission of the Church: Christian Reflection of Evangelization in India Today”, in Kurien Kunnumpuram, ed., Collected Writings of Samuel Rayan SJ, Vol. III, 154.

[58] Cf. International Theological Commission, “Synodality in the Life and Mission of the Church”, no.54.

[59] Cf. Rafael Luciani, Synodality; A New Way of Proceeding in the Church, 49.

[60] Cf. Catholic News Agency, “Pope Francis: Path to 2023 Synod on Synodality faces 3 ‘risks’”, https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/249236/pope-francis-path-to-2023-synod-on-synodality-faces-three-risks. Accessed on 12/02/2025.        

[61] Cf. Massimo Faggioli, “Synod and Synodality in Pope Francis’s Words”, in The Way, Paul Nicholson, ed., 59/4, October 2020, 89- 100, 100.

[62] Cf. Rafael Luciani, Synodality; A New Way of Proceeding in the Church, 1.

[63] Cf. Mathew Paikada, Indian Theology of Liberation as an Authentic Christian Theology, xxi.

[64] Pope Francis, The Complete Encyclicals, Bulls, and Apostolic Exhortations, 107.