Contributors

Penelope Middelboe on a recent trip to Venice, reveals the decrepit nature of the church in Italy.

Interview with Sr Mary T Barron, OLA, President of UISG.

While in Europe and other areas of the world there has been a mixed reaction to the publication of ‘Fiducia Supplicans’, the Catholic Church in African is in revolt, writes Attanasio.

“I fear for Pope Francis’s health. I wrote him a personal letter posted on 7 December, but it hasn’t left the UK yet according to the tracking number,” writes Penelope Middelboe.

A prominent theologian has said the Church in Ireland needs a whole “mindset shift” over lay ministry.

“I am not sure whether and how synodality, with its recovery of our need for mediation, can change our economy, politics, and education. But surely it can change the Church,” writes Professor Massimo Faggioli.

“Now that the recognition of a membership proper to women is emerging in the ecclesial sphere, the synodal church must be conceived of as a church of men and women,” writes Professor Serena Noceti.

“The participants demonstrated their openness to return to contentious issues, allowing doors to remain open in the face of uncertainty,” writes Mike Lewis.

“What would a synodal approach to pastoral council look like? It would be more prayerful and discerning, and this is precisely the dynamic that was witnessed on the Synod floor in October,” writes lay activist Patricia Carroll.

“There is an opportunity here, that we as Church may begin to tackle more head-on some obstacles to mission that continue to impede us,” writes Gerry O’Hanlon SJ.