The Vatican Synod Office has announced significant changes that will allow laymen and women to vote at the upcoming Synod of Bishops. In previous cases, as shown here in 2018 Synod, only men could vote. File photo by Alessandro di Meo/EPA-EFE
April 26 (UPI) — The Vatican announced Wednesday that it will allow women to vote in the Synod of Bishops for the first time in history, opening the process to laypeople.
The Vatican’s synod office said it would remove the “auditors” and instead allow the 70 non-bishops who had previously just observed the process to take part in the vote in October.
The office asked that half of the new participants be women and encouraged the inclusion of young people.
The Vatican’s Code of Canon Law defines the Synod of Bishops as “a group of bishops who have been selected from different regions of the world and who meet at certain times to foster a closer unity between the Roman Pontiff and the bishops, to help the Roman Pontiff to preserve and grow with their advice.” faith and morals”.
Non-episcopal members are expected to represent less than 25% of the total voting members.
The general secretary of the Synod of Bishops, Cardinal Mario Grech, told a press conference on Wednesday that the inclusion of the laity did not harm the character of the gathering, but “enriches the whole church”.
“It’s a change, but not a revolution,” added Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich, general liaison to the synod of the Synod. – Changes are normal in life, in history.
