Blase Cardinal Cupich uses the metaphor of a dance to describe what synodality is about—it is like a complex dance but with everyone working together to make sure the choreography is unified.
That’s nice. But it could be said of any human organization political or cooperate or military.
In his essay published by Vatican News, Cardinal Cupich does not mention Jesus, Mary or Joseph. He doesn’t say a word about “knowing, loving and serving Jesus Christ.” He says nothing about sin and redemption and the glories of salvation in heaven that is made possible only by the Cross and Ressurection of our Crucified and Risen Lord.
He does say we must “channel” the Holy Spirit.
And there isn’t anything about the Sacraments, both the personal and communal dimensions.
Certainly, all these things are implied but because these are not made explicit they become peripheral.
This is why synodality is a failure. It captures not the hearts of the faithful but only frustrates us. It’s all about what we do and not what God is doing for us which goes way, way, way beyond ecclesial, corporate, military and political organization and dancing together to reach our goals—for the Church, as described by Cardinal Cupich, its dancing together, meaning, pulling together but for what and for whom?
And with so much secular thinking applied to religious organization, Cardinal Cupich commits the cardinal sin of not realizing that in Catholicism it isn’t either/or but both/and. In this regard, the Cardinal’s sin is saying that the Church is called to move from individual performance to collective harmony. It’s isn’t either/or but both/and. Either standing alone is wrong!
Press title for full Vatican News essay by Blase Cardinal Cupich of Chicago:
8 comments:
An excellent explanation of Synodality by Blase Cardinal Cupich. He rendered the concept of Synodality in easy-to-grasp fashion. His article also included ample references to things spiritual.
Things spiritual:
-- Numerous references to the "Holy Spirit."
-- He promoted the Vatican document Synodality in the Life and Mission of the Church.
-- " So, synodality invites the entire community to take responsibility for moving forward in unison, attentive to the Holy Spirit..."
-- "Synodality...deeply listening — to the Holy Spirit, to scripture, to tradition..."
-- "This is the very definition of co-responsibility in a synodal framework. The hierarchy, the laity, religious communities, and theologians all hold distinct charisms (spiritual gifts) and roles.
"Synodality does not flatten these differences; rather, like a master choreographer, it weaves them together. "
-- "A diachronic approach to synodality ensures that the voices of the saints and Church Fathers and Mothers are given a vote in the current discernment, preventing the local community from drifting into a fleeting cultural fad that fractures historical unity.
"The diachronic boundaries of Church teaching rather than stifling the Holy Spirit, channel divine creativity...finding fresh, creative, and pastoral ways to express timeless truths to a modern world."
-- "Viewing synodality through the lens of dance rescues this unfamiliar word and concept from the realm of dry bureaucracy, committees, and paperwork.
"Synodality is the Church learning to dance. It reminds us that the goal is...to praise the Creator through the grace, unity, and love displayed in every single step along the way.
"But even more. Synodality viewed as dance also opens a fuller appreciation of how the Church is called to mirror the mystery of the Trinity.
"Early Fathers of the Church spoke of perichoresis, literally “a dancing around,” in describing the mystery of the Trinity.
"And so, the Church mirrors the Trinitarian mystery ever more effectively the more she embraces the dance of synodality."
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Blase Cardinal Cupich has explained Synodality, via his unique, creative article that is replete with spiritual references.
He even incorporated into his outstanding article the idea that "the Church mirrors the Trinitarian mystery" via Synodality.
Via his beautiful article in question, it is easy to discern why Pope Leo XIV has granted strong support to Blase Cardinal Cupich.
Pax.
Mark Thomas
Speaking of Synodality...
Next to Pope Saint Paul VI possibly, Pope Francis may have served as the most influential Pope of the past several decades.
That is true particularly in regard to the manner in which Pope Francis revived the concept of Synodality...then launched the Church into that which is irreversible.
That is, as Pope Leo XIV has made clear via his tremendous support of Pope Francis, we are the Synodal Church.
In line with Pope Saint John XXIII's opening address to the Council, Popes Francis, as well as Leo XIV, have made it clear that Synodality has involved the safeguarding of the Deposit of Faith, which is subject simply to different modes of transmission.
The Holy Synodal Church holds dear the Deposit of Faith. Via Synodality, the Church will render Her Truth in a different, yet orthodox, manner.
It is a shame that the Holy Ghost-guided emergence of the Synodal Church has enraged certain folks.
Pax.
Mark Thomas
This secularist mentality is what has driven much of the liturgical reform, focusing on the action of the gathered community rather than on the action of Jesus Christ acting through the ministry of the priest.
While Cupich prattles on about synodality being a dance, faithful Catholics attended this Musical Colloquium at the gorgeous chapel on the University of Illinois campus. Liturgies were celebrated with fantastic music at a Hybrid Mass (English and Latin), Vetus Ordo and Novus Ordo and the youth of the crowd should give the Vatican and Leo some pause.
https://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2026/07/photos-from-cmaa-2026-sacred-music.html#more
MT, your experience must be vastly different than my experience. But 99.9 % of practicing Catholics don’t give a s*** about synodality, pastoral councils, finanance councils and all the various committees and organizations of the Church. They want to get through life with the assistance of God, meaning, not their churchy lives but their real, everyday lives. They don’t want to join a committee, talk about the Faith with a group of people, become Eucharistic ministers, lectors, ushers or anything else. They want to survive their lives be they rich, poor or in between. They want a respite from the chaos of life in the Masses they attend, even if they come late and leave early. I have never had any Catholic tell me we need more synodality, more meetings and more talking and listening about churchy things. They want clarity, peace and a boost to face their miserable lives for another week.
Basically, 99.9% of practicing Catholics, about 5 to 12 percent of all Catholics, don’t give a flip about synodality and it being a dance—in fact they don’t like dancing at all!
Father McDonald said..."MT, your experience must be vastly different than my experience. But 99.9 % of practicing Catholics don’t give XXX about synodality, pastoral councils, finanance councils and all the various committees and organizations of the Church.
"They don’t want to join a committee, talk about the Faith with a group of people, become Eucharistic ministers, lectors, ushers or anything else."
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Father, my "experience" is that Cardinal Cupich's uplifting, creative article in question has added to my understanding of the Holy Ghost-guided Synodal Church to which Pope Leo XIV has made clear is inevitable.
I do not dispute that a vast amount of Catholics have little, if any interest, in the things that you delineated.
But then, I am certain that the vast amount of Catholics have, at best, little interest in numerous aspects of the Church that Pope Leo XIV has made clear is of monumental interest/concern to him.
Pope Leo XIV will continue to exhort the laity to cultivate a powerful desire to participate deeply within the Church, beginning at the parish level...then onto such things as Synodality.
But should 99.9 percent of the laity wave off Pope Leo XIV's teaching in question, then so be it.
Father McDonald, does not the lack of a strong commitment to Church life beginning at the parish level contribute to the failures of numerous Catholics to leaven society...to allow Catholicism to inform and sanctify the public square?
Pax.
Mark Thomas
Pope Leo XIV has offered then following holy teachings and exhortations that the 99.9 percent of Catholics who have waved off Synodality — who have waved off interest in numerous aspects of Church life — that His Holiness has taught that they would do well to consider:
https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/speeches/2025/october/documents/20251031-iyab.html
ADDRESS OF HIS HOLINESS POPE LEO XIV TO THE MEMBERS OF THE INTERNATIONAL YOUTH ADVISORY BODY
Excerpts:
"Dear young people, good morning and welcome.
"I would like to share three brief reflections with you on participation, synodality and mission.
"In order to carry out your task, you are called, above all, to recognize that you are participating in the life and mission of the Church.
"Those who are close to Jesus, who become his friends through prayer, the Sacraments and daily life, begin to feel as he feels. This gives rise to the desire to participate, to be part of the Church’s universal mission, which is directed to everyone.
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"The second aspect is synodality.
"You know that synodality is one of the ways of putting into practice the nature of the Church as communion.
"In the image of the Holy Trinity, the Church is also a communion of persons, of the faithful of every age, language and nationality, who journey together, enriching one another and sharing their spiritual gifts.
"In the synodal Church, therefore, we want to listen to what the Holy Spirit says to young people; we want to welcome their charisms, the gifts that are specific to their age and their sensibilities.
"Young people, in the synodal Church, are also called to speak on behalf of their peers.
"Through you, we want to hear the voices of the weak, the poor and the lonely, refugees and those who struggle to integrate into society, or to access educational opportunities.
"At the same time, for young people, the synodal Church is also a challenge, a catalyst we might say, since it encourages them not to live their faith in isolation.
"The danger is that a faith discovered online is limited to individual experiences, which may be intellectually and emotionally reassuring, but are never “embodied.”
"Such experiences remain “disembodied,” detached from the “ecclesial body.” Nor are they lived alongside others in real-life situations, relationships or sharing.
"In this sense, experiences of lived synodality overcome the barriers of the self and encourage young people to become effective members of the family of Jesus Christ.
"They allow us to “live the faith together and to show our love by living in community and sharing with other young people our affection, our time, our faith and our troubles.
"The Church offers many different possibilities for living our faith in community, for everything is easier when we do it together” (Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Christus Vivit, 164)."
Pax.
Mark Thomas
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