Pope Francis launches consultation process on Church reform
October 11, 2021, 2:36 am

Pope Francis launches consultation process on Church reform

Pope Francis/Pixabay

The BBC reported, Pope Francis has launched what some describe as the most ambitious attempt at Catholic reform for 60 years.

The BBC said, a two-year process to consult every Catholic parish around the world on the future direction of the Church began at the Vatican this weekend.

It mentioned, some Catholics hope it will lead to change on issues such as women's ordination, married priests and same-sex relationships.

While others fear it will undermine the principles of the Church.

They say a focus on reform could also distract from issues facing the Church, such as corruption and dwindling attendance levels.

According to the BBC, Pope Francis urged Catholics not to "remain barricaded in our certainties" but to "listen to one another" as he launched the process at Mass in St Peter's Basilica.

He asked: "Are we prepared for the adventure of this journey? Or are we fearful of the unknown, preferring to take refuge in the usual excuses: 'It's useless' or 'We've always done it this way'?"

Read more: THE PANDORA PAPERS, AN ANTHROPOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE

The consultation process, called "For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation and Mission", will work in three stages:

* In the "listening phase", people in parishes and dioceses will be able to discuss a wide range of issues. Pope Francis said it was important to hear from those who were often on the fringes of local Church life such as women, pastoral workers and members of consultative bodies

*The "continental phase" will see bishops gather to discuss and formalise their findings.

* The "universal phase" will see a month-long gathering of the bishops a the Vatican in October 2023.

The Pope is expected then to write an apostolic exhortation, giving his views and decisions on the issues discussed.

Discussing his hopes for the Synod, Pope Francis warned against the process becoming an intellectual exercise that failed to address the real-world issues faced by Catholics and the "temptation to complacency" when it comes to considering change.

The initiative has been praised by the progressive US-based National Catholic Reporter newspaper, which said that while the process might not be perfect "the Church is more likely to address the needs of the people of God with it than without it".

However, theologian George Weigel wrote, in the conservative US Catholic journal First Things, it was unclear how "two years of self-referential Catholic chatter" would address other problems the Church such as those who are "drifting away from the faith in droves".

Source: BBC

UK works on resettling Afghan girls footballers and their families who fled Taliban Angela Merkel assures Israel's security central to every German government

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”