[Greek] συνοδεύω (synodeuō), [Latin] comitare, [French] accompagner, [German] begleiten: to travel with, to accompany; Acts 9:7
Background information:
Greek Hellenism: This term means to accompany, to travel in company, and to have fellowship with.
Plutarch’s Pompey 40: “Cato marched on foot. But his friends who journeyed with him were on horseback.”
Old Testament: This term means to walk (literally and figuratively), to travel, and to live a manner of life. Walking with God (in being faithful to Him) was very important to the Hellenized Jew who lived outside Jerusalem.
New Testament: This term means to travel with and walk with. This is derived from (syn-) with and (-hodos) way/path.
Acts 9:7: “The men who were traveling with Paul stood speechless, for they heard the voice but could see not one.” (Saul and his companions were likely on the road to Dasmascus to arrest the followers of the “Way.” This encounter with Jesus marks a pivot point in Saul’s life. The experience of hearing without seeing can be seen as a test of faith [Jn.20:29])
[Greek]συνοδία (synodia): travelers, a company of wayfarers, a caravan
Lk.2:44: “Thinking that He was in the caravan, Joseph and Mary journeyed for a day and looked for Him among their relatives and acquaintances.” (It was common for large groups to travel together for safety and fellowship. Joseph and Mary thought that Jesus with other family members or friends. This suggests the size of traveling groups and the normalcy of children moving freely with trusted companions.)
What is Synodality?
- Synodality is the walking together of Christians with Christ towards God’s kingdom, in union with humanity
- Synodality is a path of spiritual renewal and structural reform that enables to the Church to be more participatory and missionary.
- This begs the question, “Where is this Synodal Church going?”
- This begs the question, “How will this Synodal Church plan to get there?”
What are some guiding principals of Modernist/Synodalist thinking?
- Agnosticism: human reason is confined and reduced entirely within the person’s perceptions and senses
- Vital Immanence: man finds within himself (sentiment, perceptions, and lived experiences) for an explanation for God, religious, faith, and doctrine. External objective supernatural objective and moral realities are excluded or diminished. (This idea comes from Pope Pius X’s encyclical Pascendi Dominici Gregis)
- Modernism: this belief system is a starting point for all heresies: Modernism ==> heresies [fill in the blank] ==> atheism (This idea comes from Pope Pius X.)
- Synodality: LIVED EXPERIENCES (“A listening Church”, “Giving the people of God a greater voice”, Synodal study groups) can often TAKE PRECEDENCE over Church teachings. ==> SYNODALITY BECOMES AN IDOL!
- Questionable ecumenism: The Synodal Church continue to seek unity of faith outside the Catholic Church. Creating a new Synodal Church made in the image of man and his lived experiences.
- Bringing in worldliness and the “smoke of Satan” (spirit of undermining) into the Church: Synodality has continued what Vatican II had started in allowing the Church “to get with the times.”
- Focusing more on MAKING A BETTER WORLD/SEEKING FAVOR WITH THE WORLD: The Church looks more like a United Nations NGO rather than the divine Church established by Jesus. There is less focus on the salvation of souls (bringing souls into heaven.)
- Focusing more on the world: Scripture states we are remain as temporary earthly sojourners and citizens of heaven. (1Pet.2:11, Php.3:20, Eph.2:19) (Rather than focusing on spiritual issues, the Church focuses on politics, environment, immigration, inclusion, tolerance, and accommodation to the culture.)
- Focusing more on life experiences: A Synodal study group suggesting that homosexual relationships may not be sinful (Making homosexuality OK in the Church)
- Clergy and laity sharing decision-making authority: This further blurs the distinctions between the clergy and laity in church organization and clergy/laity roles in the Church.)
- Appropriating language and terminology: Synodal advocates are appropriating the “Holy Spirit of Surprises” to ratify and justify their novel Synodal practices. This is deceitful and dangerous in that the Holy Spirit can only stand for Truth! “Informal blessings” for same-sex unions
What are the dangers of Synodality?
- The Synodal Church continue to focus more on Synodality (lived experiences) rather than Jesus’ command to make disciples of all nations and bringing souls into heaven.
- Pope Leo continues to excludes and marginalizes traditional clergy and laity while welcoming scandalous and heretical clergy and laity.
- Pope Leo continues to remain silent in response to scandal and liturgical sacrilege in the Church. Silence ===> tacit acceptance.
- Pope Leo states that attitudes must change first before doctrine can change. Pope Leo is open to the idea that doctrine can change.
- We have clergy who often think that Church teachings should and must change. (Homosexuality/sodomy)
Pope Gregory XVI’s encyclical Mirari Vos (1832): refuting the need for a human “restoration” of the Church:
“All truth was daily taught it by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost. It is obviously absurd and injurious to propose a certain restoration or regeneration for her [the Church] as though necessary for her safety and health, as is she could be considered subject to defect or other misfortune. These authors of novelties consider that a foundation may be laid of a human institution. That what was a divine thing may become a human Church.”
Vatican II had essentially ignored the prophetic warnings of bringing questionable human traditions (ecumenism) into the Church. This Modernist/Synodal arrogance has led to many problems into the Church. Synodality is essentially continuing what Vatican II started. Pope Leo not surprisingly bestows great deference to Vatican II. Does this also imply that they thought that Jesus did not get it right in how to lead His Church?
Bishop Mutsaert’s criticism of Synodality:
- How does Synodality help the cause for the salvation of souls?
- How does the Synodal Church (which focuses on the world) point to Christ?
- What is Synodality actually achieving? Has Synodality solved any problems in the Church?
- How long will this Synodal process last? Is Synodality becoming and end in itself?
- Whenever did Christ found discussion groups? Christ told His followers to make disciples of all nations.
- Truth does not arise from a majority of votes.
- Who must the Church listen to? It must be to Christ, Scripture, Tradition, the Magisterium, and the Saints.
- The Church must not primarily confirm the people’s wishes. The Church must lead people to Christ.
- Is Synodality solving the problems that the Church is facing? No. Instead, Synodality is focused on decision-making.
- Why is Synodality opening up the door to false and impractical expectations? Women priest/deacons, same-sex unions, sexual morality/homosexuality, rights/vocations
- Committees, listening sessions, clergy/laity decision making become a Protestantization of the Catholic Church.
- We need more holiness and conversion, not more listening and participation
- Why is there not enough attention to the Truth revealed by Christ?
Comitatus: This refers to a armed escort (retinue), elite army commanders, authority, protection arrangement, and authority (posse comitatus).
Conclusion:
Comitatus, accompany, accompaniment, lead
Jewish walk of faith: The Jews remained faithful to their traditional teachings. They did not update or change their faith.
Update: What are some of these harmful consequences of Vatican II and Synodality? Lack of vocations, liturgical sacrilege, liturgical confusion and chaos, decreasing belief in the Real Presence, Church sexual abuse, closing Churches, decreasing Catholic affiliation, undermining Tradition and traditional Church practices, marginalizing Traditional Catholics, and banning the Traditional Latin Mass.
What have been the harmful consequences of the Vatican/Synodal Church’s LGBTQ+ “outreach”?
- Pride Masses, LGBTQ Vatican Jubilee, liturgical sacrilege, need for reparations
- Fiducia Supplicans (informal blessings” for same-sex unions
- Synodal study group stating the homosexuality/sodomy is no longer sinful
- Pontifical commission stating that Sodom and Gomorrah was a failure of to provide hospitality
- Questionable and scandalous clergy who promote LGBTQ issues, who believe that homosexuality/sodomy is not sinful, who engage in homosexuality, who disagree with Church teachings
Lived experiences taking precedence over reverence: Cardinal Cupich states that one must end kneeling before receiving Holy Communion out of respect for those who receive Holy Communion in the hand. Why is Cardinal Cupich seeking to favor lived experiences (peoples’ feelings) over showing reverence to God?
Synodality taking precedence over the laity’s desire for the TLM: The Synodal clergy continue to marginalize the laity by continuing to restrict access to the TLM.
Other clergy who have criticized Synodality:
- Cardinals Zen ZeKiun, Burke, Brandmuller, Sarah, Iniguez, Muller, Pell, Bishops Schnedier, Eleganti
How can we solve these problems? We must re-evaluate Vatican II’s purpose and the consequences of its implementation (impact) on the Church.
“We don’t want to convert the young people to Christ or the Catholic Church or anything like that.” Cardinal Auguiar at the 37th World Youth Day [Lisbon, Portugal] (God forbid that the young adults would be Catholic! This just illustrates that the Synodal Church is becoming a new religion.)
Quotes by GK Chesterton:
“We do not want a Church that will move with the world. We want a Church that will move the world.”
“Right is right even if nobody does it. Wrong is wrong even if everybody is wrong about it.”
“What is wrong is that we do not ask what is right”