An American Agenda for Rome U.S. Bishops Help Lay the Groundwork for A

By Richard N. Ostling.

Through much of 1985, Roman Catholic analysts have been speculating avidly and almost ceaselessly about what will happen at the forthcoming international synod of bishops. Pope John Paul II has called for the extraordinary session to commence in Rome on Nov. 25 to examine the implementation of the decrees of the Second Vatican Council, which concluded 20 years ago. The synod will follow a rare, three-day meeting in Rome of the full College of Cardinals. Some alarmists fear that a rollback of the accomplishments of the reformist council is in the works. That is an extreme view, but the synod will reflect the struggles among Catholics over interpretations of the council's pronouncements and the desirability of further change in the church.

Meeting in Collegeville, Minn., last June, the bishops of the U.S. discussed the status of the American church, in preparation for the synod, and last week their president, Bishop James W. Malone of Youngstown, Ohio, sent the Vatican an official report, requested from all bishops' conferences, on behalf of the Americans. Malone, 65, attended Vatican II and is the U.S. hierarchy's delegate to the November meeting in Rome. His 14-page statement reflected not only Collegeville comments but proposals from two dozen Catholic scholars. The report, strongly endorsing the effects of Vatican II in the U.S., said that the American church is making headway in advocating social justice, but admitted that there is considerable "confusion over moral issues," including the limits of personal dissent and the role of conscience. The most significant passage dealt with the status of women. Malone, declaring that "particular attention must now be given" to laywomen and sisters, asserted, "Their role in the church and society must be clarified, their rights and dignity must be affirmed, and their advancement to positions of leadership and decision making must continue." He said nothing about women as priests, which both the Pope and the U.S. hierarchy oppose, but he proposed that sisters should be incorporated into "policymaking and overall direction of the church."

Sister Rita Hofbauer of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious in Silver Spring, Md., said that Malone's statement was "stronger than a lot we've been hearing," but doubted the role of women in the church would be a serious concern at the synod, since it is not a significant issue outside the West. Malone's document complained about poor communication between Rome and religious orders. It did not refer specifically, however, to the unsettled dispute between the Vatican and 24 U.S. sisters who last year signed a pro- choice newspaper advertisement on abortion. The Vatican has threatened to expel those sisters from their orders if they do not affirm church teaching.*

On another simmering issue, clerical marriage, Malone maintained that "the

shortage of new priestly vocations requires specifically addressing such issues as celibacy." Those were bold words, since John Paul has repeatedly indicated that priestly celibacy is a closed question.

Attending a retreat with a group of priests in Youngstown last week, Malone told TIME, "What we need now is not to turn aside from Vatican II teaching but to grasp it with new enthusiasm and to pursue its implementation with new vigor." Since the synod will provide only two weeks to do that, Malone's report also asserted, it might be time for a special U.S. synod to deal with Vatican II. Though the U.S. bishops meet briefly once or twice a year, their last extended national council was in 1884. The U.S. bishops' conference and the Vatican have not yet considered the proposal, but, remarked one noted commentator on Roman Catholic affairs, Psychologist Eugene Kennedy of Chicago, "it would be a spectacular religious event in this country."

FOOTNOTE: *Some 800 liberal Catholics have endorsed a follow-up protest ad that was to have appeared in October, but it is now being held pending further Vatican action.

With reporting by Barbara Dolan/Chicago