The Synod Begins

THE SYNOD BEGINS The arrival of Cardinal Mindszenty in Rome overshadowed another Vatican event: the much-discussed third session of the world Synod of Bishops, which convened at week's end for a month of debate on church issues. Indeed, the Hungarian primate was seated at the Pope's right when Paul VI opened the synod in the Sistine Chapel.

Synods (literally, "meetings") of churchmen have been a part of the ecclesiastical fabric since the earliest days of Christianity. The world synod, however, a representative international gathering of bishops and religious-order superiors, is a creation of the Second Vatican Council. There have been two previous sessions, in 1967 and 1969. Like its predecessors, the synod of 1971 is expected to be mainly a sounding board of worldwide church opinion--"a communications happening," as one Vatican watcher put it. That in itself may be more than Pope Paul bargained for, as not all the sounds are likely to be polite.

Of the 210 delegates, the majority (136) are from Third World countries, where the issue of social reform is compelling. Latin American prelates, concerned about social injustices and increasing radicalism at home, are likely to demand serious debate on the ethics of violent revolution and to ask for a more radical church stand against capitalism and "neocolonialism." Others, concerned with population problems, want the church to discourage parents from having large numbers of children. The Pope may even hear his position on birth control attacked to his face. Sessions on the priestly ministry have already begun to focus on the controversial question of celibacy.

The U.S. delegation was headed by Philadelphia's conservative John Cardinal Krol, and Detroit's progressive John Cardinal Dearden. But U.S. bishops are less likely to be active debaters than some of the European leaders, such as Belgium's Leo-Jozef Cardinal Suenens. Just how much Paul may be willing to listen to is questionable. In his opening speech last week, the Pontiff warned the delegates not to yield to the "particular danger" of pressures from the outside world, including either praise or criticism from the press or broadcasters. Just the day before, Paul had made it clear what he meant by dangerous pressures when he castigated the official Italian television network for a "terrible attack" on the church. The offending program was a debate between the Pope's personal friend Jean Cardinal Danielou and a proletarian Tuscan priest who blasted the church for its failure to identify with the oppressed of the earth.

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