Ms Julieann Moran and Father Éamonn Fitzgibbon reported on their experience as delegates at the European Continental Assembly, which was held in Prague from 5 to 9 February. The Irish delegation consisted of four in-person delegates and ten on-line delegates. Overall, the Irish delegation was very satisfied with the way its presentation was received at the Assembly. The text of the Irish delegation’s presentation can be read here: https://www.catholicbishops.ie/2023/02/07/speaking-notes-from-the-irish-delegation-attending-the-continental-assembly-of-the-synod-in-prague/
There were 200 delegates present in Prague, representing 39 bishops’ conferences from 45 different European countries with a further 390 delegates attending the assembly online. The purpose of the Continental Assembly was to deepen the insights that the local churches gained through the Synodal Process to date.
The main themes to emerge from the Continental Assembly included:
- the affirmation of the synodal process but the need for faith formation to deepen the practice, theology and hermeneutics of synodality.
- the unity in our diversity as the Catholic Church in Europe with all the treasures of the two great Latin and Eastern traditions.
- the need to concretely implement the equality in dignity of all the members of the Church founded in baptism.
- the need to take concrete and courageous decisions on the role of women within the Church, their greater involvement at all levels including decision-making and decision-taking processes.
- the pain of the wounds that the Church has inflicted through the abuses perpetrated by people who were performing an ecclesial ministry or office.
- the need to address the question of an all-ministerial Church, reflecting on charisms and ministries (ordained and non-ordained) and the relationships between them.
- the understand Eucharist as the source of communion.
- the need to walk and talk with people in a respectful way.
- the need to listen to the cry of the poor and the earth, and in particular, the desperate cry of the victims of war who demand a just peace.