A U.S. bishop who helped draft the synthesis document for the North American continental phase of the ongoing process for the Synod of Bishops said he saw "notable differences" in this phase's virtual listening sessions, compared to input from the previous parish- and diocesan-level phase.
"Concerns about the direction of the synod were more pronounced," said Bishop John Stowe of Lexington, Kentucky, noting that among the concerns of those delegates, who were handpicked by bishops, were restrictions against the pre-Vatican II Latin Mass, possible changes to Catholic doctrine, the focus on inclusivity and the synod process itself.
Stowe made his remarks in an April 11 talk on "The Common Good and Synodality: The Vision of Pope Francis"* as part of the Cardinal Bernardin Common Cause lecture series at the Hank Center for the Catholic Intellectual Heritage at Loyola University Chicago.
Source: North American synod gathering focused on concerns about pope's process, says participating bishop'