[Catholic Caucus] Cardinal Grech: Church is ‘synodal by nature’ but remains hierarchical

AdVaticanum ^ | September 23, 2026 | Niwa Limbu

[ebb tide]

[Catholic Caucus] Cardinal Grech: Church is ‘synodal by nature’ but remains hierarchical

Cardinal Mario Grech has said that while the Catholic Church is “synodal by nature” and there must be room for everyone, it remains “hierarchical by nature”, with bishops and the Pope retaining responsibility for decisions. “Our Church is synodal by nature. That means there’s room for everyone,” Cardinal Grech, Secretary General of the Synod of […]

Cardinal Mario Grech has said that while the Catholic Church is “synodal by nature” and there must be room for everyone, it remains “hierarchical by nature”, with bishops and the Pope retaining responsibility for decisions.

“Our Church is synodal by nature. That means there’s room for everyone,” Cardinal Grech, Secretary General of the Synod of Bishops, told German broadcaster DOMRADIO.DE. “No one should feel excluded. But: the Church is also hierarchical by nature.”

His Eminence explained that Catholics meeting through a synodal process do not gather just to discuss matters, but to make decisions together. Responsibility for determining whether those decisions are correct ultimately belongs to the bishop at diocesan level and to the Pope for the universal Church.

“When the baptized meet, they don’t just meet to discuss things, do they? They meet to make decisions together,” Cardinal Grech said. “But then we need someone to ensure that this decision is correct. At the diocesan level, that is the bishop’s responsibility. For the universal Church, it is the Holy Father. That’s how the Catholic Church works.”

His comments came as Cardinal Grech addressed the implementation of the Synod on Synodality, the situation in Germany and the Church’s plans for a universal assembly in 2028.

Cardinal Grech confirmed that the Synod itself has already concluded and that the planned 2028 gathering will not constitute another stage of the Synod on Synodality. “We are in a three-year phase of implementing the results of the final document of the Synod,” Cardinal Grech said. During this period, the Secretariat of the Synod will accompany local Churches, dioceses, episcopal conferences and continental assemblies as they prepare for the 2028 ecclesial assembly.

Several hundred bishops, priests and lay people from all continents are expected to participate. Asked whether the 2028 gathering would mark the end of the worldwide synodal process or whether its structures could eventually become institutionalised, Cardinal Grech reiterated that the Synod itself had already ended.

“The Synod has already concluded,” His Eminence said. “The meeting in 2028 is not a continuation of the Synod. It is another meeting, a moment for evaluation and exchange about the gifts among the churches.”

Cardinal Grech added that any decision about what happens after the 2028 gathering belongs to Pope Leo XIV. “How this develops in the future is for the Holy Father to decide,” the Secretary General said.

The three-year implementation period will involve several phases in which the Secretariat accompanies local Churches in preparing for the 2028 assembly. Cardinal Grech said the gathering would allow different Churches to bring their experiences together and learn from one another. “What we can expect for 2028 is that we will come together and share these experiences,” Cardinal Grech said. “Hopefully, we can then learn from each other.”

His Eminence acknowledged that questions would remain unresolved because synodality is “a topic that is constantly evolving”. Cardinal Grech added that the Church remains open to what the Holy Spirit wishes to communicate.

The interview also addressed the German Synodal Path and the proposed Synodal Conference. Those involved in Germany are still awaiting a response from Rome concerning the Synodal Conference, which was originally scheduled to take place in November and was intended to continue the Synodal Path. Asked whether further information was available, Cardinal Grech said the matter did not fall within his responsibilities and referred responsibility for the matter to the Dicastery for Bishops. 

Asked directly whether he knew the current situation, His Eminence replied: “No.”

The cardinal was then asked whether, from his perspective, a synodal conference in Germany could be regarded as a legitimate and meaningful expression of the worldwide synodal process. “I think we need to consider the status of such a conference,” Cardinal Grech said. “It’s normal for people to meet with their bishops. But how this meeting will develop needs to be carefully examined.”

Cardinal Grech’s comments came after an international symposium entitled “Shaping Synodality in Europe – From Vision to Roadmap”, held at Puchberg Castle near Wels in Upper Austria.

Around 180 representatives from more than 30 European countries attended the symposium, where participants developed a spiritual and structural roadmap for synodality in Europe.

Archbishop Franz Lackner of Salzburg stressed that synodality must be genuinely experienced at grassroots level. Asked how the Church would know within two or three years whether the roadmap was having an impact, Cardinal Grech said there was no need to wait several years because positive experiences were already taking place.

“I think we don’t need to wait two years, because there are already positive synodal experiences at the grassroots level,” Cardinal Grech said.

The purpose of the 2028 assembly, he added, would be to bring those experiences together so that the Churches could learn from one another.

Cardinal Grech also pointed to structures already present within the Church, including pastoral and parish councils. “We don’t need to reinvent the wheel,” His Eminence said. “Structures already exist within the Church, for example, the Pastoral Council or the Parish Council. The question is how these structures function.”

For Cardinal Grech, however, the existence of formal structures does not by itself constitute synodality. “It is not enough to have a structure,” the cardinal said. “We also need this synodal spirit, in which the People of God – laity, religious, priests – feel that they are part of the Church.”

Cardinal Grech linked that participation to prayer and discernment, saying Catholics should seek to move forward together while discerning what the Holy Spirit wishes to communicate to the Church.

The question of how different voices can be accommodated within the universal Church was also raised during Cardinal Grech’s participation in the Renovabis Congress in Freising, which focused on polarisation and social cohesion.

Asked how German reformers and their concerns could be integrated into the universal Church, His Eminence returned to the relationship between synodality and hierarchy.

“Our Church is synodal by nature. That means there’s room for everyone. No one should feel excluded,” Cardinal Grech said. “But: the Church is also hierarchical by nature.”

Cardinal Grech pointed to bishops and episcopal conferences as those who lead the Church, while reiterating that ultimate responsibility for decisions belongs to the bishop within a diocese and the Pope within the universal Church.

“That’s how the Catholic Church works,” His Eminence said.

The cardinal also emphasised that the process being discussed is specifically Catholic synodality, rather than a generic model that can simply be applied across Christian communities.

“When we speak of synodality, we must remember that we are speaking of Catholic synodality,” Cardinal Grech said. “Because there are other forms and experiences of synodality in other churches.”

The Renovabis Congress was held under the motto “Beyond Polarization – Perspectives for Social Cohesion in East and West”. Cardinal Grech presented synodality as one possible response to division, arguing that listening to one another could help reduce polarisation.

“Synodality can also be an answer,” His Eminence said. “Listening to one another can reduce polarization.”

Cardinal Grech said gathering people around one table and allowing them to listen freely to one another could help the Church find common solutions.

---

TOPICS: Apologetics; Catholic; Theology
KEYWORDS: anticatholicpinglist; apechurch; blasphemoussectarian; hereticalsspx; heretics; jackchickpinglist; kingdomishierearchy; kingdomnotdemocracy; protestantpinglist; satandeniedhierarchy; sspxdisobedience; synodalchurch

[ebb tide]

“When the baptized meet, they don’t just meet to discuss things, do they? They meet to make decisions together,” Cardinal Grech said. “But then we need someone to ensure that this decision is correct. At the diocesan level, that is the bishop’s responsibility. For the universal Church, it is the Holy Father. That’s how the Catholic Church works.”

And so far, from these cursed sin-nods, the few specifically selected "baptized" have decided, and the synodal popes have approved: giving Holy Communion to unrepentant adulterers in the state of mortal sin, the blessing of unrepentant sodomite couples, also in a state of mortal sin, the open discussion of womyn dekeons/priests, and a reexamination of Human Vitae in view of approving artificial contraception.

And who are the ones guiding the carefully selected "baptized" to make these pre-determined decisions: "facilitators" personally appointed by the synodal popes. It's a Catch-22.

None of the above comes from the Holy Ghost, as claimed. It comes from a spirit but he is not holy:

[ebb tide]

Synodal "church" Barf Alert

[alternatives?]

It seems like corporate strategic planning meetings. They give the appearance of input by the lower level staff, but the leaders are just using the meetings as cover for what they want to do. Corporate managers and large mutual funds are pulling the wool over the individual stockholders and lower level staff. I don’t believe God is deceived by the corporate decision makers. Neither is he deceived by the church leaders. Even if the church leaders were correct in what they are doing, and I don’t think so, deception is not a God approved strategy for dealing with his sheep IMHO.

[steve8714]

As long as perverts don’t want Latin Mass....