Francis now allows laity to vote in Vatican II's Synod of Bishops

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Insult to the Laity: Francis Abolishes "Synod of Bishops"

gloria.tv | April 26, 2023


Francis amended his Apostolic Constitution Episcopalis Communio (EC) on 26th April to "allow" laity and women to vote at the forthcoming former "Synod of Bishops".

With this decision, the "Synod of Bishops" introduced after Vatican II has ceased to exist, although the organisers claim that the new members "do not change" the episcopal nature of the assembly, which is also an insult to the lay members who are part of this new assembly.

The newly established Episcopalis Communio assembly will deal with "synodality" and will have even less authority than the former Synod of Bishops.

In order to increase the number of lay people, ten priests working for the Institutes of Consecrated Life were excluded from the EC Synod in October 2023 and replaced by five female and five male religious.

The auditors present at the previous Synod of Bishops will be replaced by 70 non-episcopal members. Francis will chose them from a list of 140 people selected by the Bishops' Conferences. All will have the right to vote in the EC Synod.