No Synodality Without Laity

No Synodality Without Laity

Press Release

14 November 2022

We Are Church calls for Equal Numbers of Voices for Laity and Clergy at the October 2023 and October 2024 Synod meetings

The Synodal Process called by Pope Francis has already exceeded expectations. Laity and clergy have been meeting and listening at many levels:

  • Parishes
  • Dioceses
  • National
  • Continental

The Continental (DCS) document presents a good summary of the wide range of issues raised around the world and the Continental meetings in February and March 2023 will have balanced teams of laity and clergy representing each country.

The same balance must be maintained as we approach the two upcoming Synod sessions in Rome. Synodality means sharing decision making and decision taking. Thus, we urge church leaders to ensure that balanced teams of laity and clergy are present at the October 2023 and October 2024 meetings and that lay members have the same deliberative authority as clerical members. A Church of equals should be represented in the Synod by having representatives according to the plurality exisiting in the Church with respect to many important issues eg. Women; LGBTQ+ people; Laity in decision taking at all levels.

“No one puts new wine into old wineskins: otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost, and so are the skins: but one puts new wine into fresh wineskins” (Mark 2:22)

Colm Holmes

Chair, We Are Church International E colmholmes2020@gmail.com

M +353 86 606 3636

W www.we-are-church.org

We Are Church International (WAC) founded in Rome in 1996, is a global coalition of national church reform groups. It is committed to the renewal of the Roman Catholic Church based on the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) and the theological spirit developed from it.

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Speaking Out with One Unified Global Voice

"...Until we raise a common voice, we will not only not be heard, we will not even be listened to....   

My hope is that by speaking out together - a strong chorus of calls for reform - we can provide a common, a clear, a strong and ongoing voice for the yet incomplete vision of Vatican II.

In common cause, let us band together across the world. By our desire to be heard on particular issues - all of them important - let us not lose the strength of our common voice by reducing it to a whisper.

In light of this, we invite individuals and organizations to join together in making known our opinions for the good of our Church. By uniting our voices, it is not about abandoning the unique work of your organization but rather about how your work can enhance global reform."

Sr. Joan Chittister, CCRI Special advisor

"We have to join our forces in order to reach a real breakthrough in this window of opportunity." Hans Kung, CCRI Consultor


"When spider webs unite, they can tie up a lion." [Ethiopian proverb]


"Sticks in a bundle are unbreakable." [Kenyan proverb]

"(The Christian faithful) have the right and even at times the duty to manifest to the sacred pastors their opinion on matters which pertain to the good of the Church and to make their opinion known to the rest of the Christian faithful." (Canon 212 §3)

CCRI is also interested in helping support various causes in regions of the world by garnering the support of our entire global community for those who need support beyond their parish, organization, or locale. Send us (1) your name and affiliation, or (2) the name of your group with some description of your goals, membership, and numbers. Click here to see those organizations who have already joined together speaking out for reform of our Church.



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