“An Extraordinary Synod, Indeed”

You may have seen my take on the recently concluded Extraordinary Synod, which is that Pope Francis is acting too much like a Pope Rowan and is not to be trusted.  Harsh, yes.  And, as I stated then, I am among those who hope my take proves to be mistaken.

But for a much lighter, probably more perceptive, and downright funny take on the Extraordinary Synod, I point you to George Weigel for a short and excellent read.

It is too short to excerpt much, but this was my favorite part:

2. The 2014 Synod demonstrated the extraordinary self-confidence of bishops from dying local churches who nonetheless feel quite comfortable giving pastoral advice to local churches that are either thriving or holding their own. Many northern European bishops and theologians (and bishop-theologians) acted as if the blissful years when they set the agenda for the world Church at Vatican II had returned. That these same bishops and theologians and bishop-theologians have presided over the collapse of western European Catholicism in the intervening five decades seemed not to matter to them in the slightest. Happy days were here again.

Yes, the similarities with liberal bishops in the Anglican Communion are hard to miss - even through the laughter.