In this special episode of Plenary Matters Geraldine speaks about hope with Dominican priest Timothy Radcliffe during his recent visit to Australia. Pope Francis appointed Fr Timothy as spiritual advisor to the synod on synodality and his series of talks and meditations to synod delegates set the tone for the synod’s call to journey together as a global human family. Timothy tells Geraldine he thinks the church has something to offer a multipolar world. But it may cost us. ‘This crisis will really put us to the test whether we are the body of Christ in which the walls are broken down between north and south and east and west,’ he says. Mentioned in the show: Ezra Klein's interview with author Marilynne Robinson Timothy Radcliffe's new book with Lukasz Popko, Questioning God (Bloomsbury) See also Timothy's synod reflections and talks, Listening Together: Meditations on Synodality (Liturgical Press) You can also catch up on Plenary Matters' coverage from Rome: The synod gets underway A church under pressure History making at the synod Letter to the people of God Share your thoughts on the Plenary Matters Facebook page

Welcome back to a new season of Plenary Matters! Up first is renowned Czech theologian Tomáš Halík, in Australia last month to discuss his new book, The Afternoon of Christianity, with Australian Jesuit Frank Brennan. Drawing on his experience of an underground church, Tomáš calls for a deepening spirituality that goes beyond the institutional and mental borders of Christianity to meet the ‘Galilee of today’. Is the church ready for the task? Watch the discussion on the Diocese of Parramatta's YouTube channel, as part of the 'Bishop Vincent Presents' series, and leave your feedback via the Plenary Matters Facebook page. Read the National Catholic Reporter's review of Tomáš Halík’s book: 'The Afternoon of Christianity' sets stage for courageous change We’ll also post a link in future episodes to the discussion on women deacons Geraldine mentions at the end of the episode.

Christopher White, Vatican correspondent for the National Catholic Reporter, sat down with Geraldine during his recent visit to the Diocese of Parramatta to give some revealing anecdotes and insights into the synod's first assembly. While the dismantling of hierarchy may be a step still too far for some delegates, he believes the next papal enclave will be a referendum on synodality. He also told Geraldine any correspondence to the pope on matters like women deacons can be sent c/- Prefecture of the Papal Household, 00120 Vatican City State. You can watch the interview on the Diocese of Parramatta's YouTube channel, as part of the 'Bishop Vincent Presents' series. Keep up to date via the Plenary Matters Facebook page!

The synod released its letter to the People of God, while Pope Francis made his own intervention on the Church as 'God's faithful people.' Geraldine chats with Julie on her last day on the press floor about her experience observing on the ground and how synodality might be made more concrete in the coming months. On Vatican News: Synod General Assembly to People of God: 'Church must listen to everyone' Pope: I like to think of the Church as God’s faithful people Timothy Radcliffe's spiritual reflection, 'The seed germinates' On National Catholic Reporter: Francis wants the synod in every parish. Here's how to bring it to yours Interview with Susan Pascoe on The Vatican Briefing Christopher White's visit to Australia Send your feedback via the Plenary Matters Facebook page.

As the synod prepares its final documents to go out from Rome to the whole Church at the end of this week, the real work of the first assembly is only beginning. The Tablet correspondent Christopher Lamb, who covered the Plenary Council in Australia, tells Geraldine that this synod is history in the making despite some questioning its legitimacy. This episode was recorded on the floor of the press room and filmed by a PBS documentary team. We are trying to resolve the audio issues on Geraldine's end, please bear with us! Mentioned in this episode: Christopher Lamb's Tablet article, 'At synod they wept, but have they truly changed?' Archbishop Anthony Fisher's interview on the synod Timothy Radcliffe's third reflection, 'Friendship' Prof Ormond Rush's reflection on tradition at the General Congregation You can also read Br Mark O'Connor's fourth letter from the synod, 'The meaning is in the waiting'. Thanks for listening! Follow more Rome coverage on our Plenary Matters Facebook page.

Just over the halfway point of this first assembly of the synod and the tensions on the floor are no surprise, according to Australian Augustinian Fr Tony Banks. He has a unique vantage point living with five of the synod delegates right beside St Peter's Square and tells Geraldine that the emotions and personal testimonies in the room, which are reportedly disturbing some delegates, are part of the process. While the effects of synodality won't be felt for some years to come, he believes this synod is cementing the notion of a church under pressure to change. Read Loup Besmond de Senneville's article, 'Discordant voices inside the Synod' Watch Cardinal Hollerich and Fr Timothy Radcliffe speak at the opening of the final module in the Instrumentum Laboris on participation, governance and authority. You can also read Timothy Radcliffe's reflection on the woman at the well, as well as Mark O'Connor's third letter from Rome via the Diocese of Parramatta's Catholic Outlook. Follow more Rome coverage on our Plenary Matters Facebook page.

As the first full week of the synod wraps up Geraldine speaks to Br Mark O’Connor who is in Rome watching and listening on the ground. The pre-synod retreat led by Dominican priest Timothy Radcliffe set a reflective tone for the men and women who will spend the rest of October at round tables just like at Australia’s Plenary Council. While inside the synod hall delegates seem to be learning the new rules of engagement, Mark is also keeping a close eye and ear on Vatican press proceedings. Follow Plenary Matters in Rome on the Plenary Matters Facebook page. Highly recommended: • Timothy Radcliffe’s six retreat talks: Hoping against hope; At home in God and God at home in us; Friendship; Conversation on the way to Emmaus; Authority; The Spirit of Truth • Mark’s Letter One and Two from the synod • Christopher Lamb’s Tablet podcast with Austen Ivereigh • New York Times article, ‘Vatican Conference Draws All Stripes to Rome, Welcome or Not’

Google synodality, then discuss: how can Catholicism attract modern searchers? Geraldine goes back to two ‘Young and the Restless’ guests from last year, Grace Brennan and Joe Wehbe, to explore how they each think the church can better serve diverse communities. In regional Australia Grace sees a parallel between empty shopfronts and empty churches, in need of creative solutions to arrest decline. For Joe, it’s the individuals who can hold communities together and are often unaware of their influence on those around them who emerge as the true leaders. But how do people become the protagonists and not just passive recipients, as the recent World Youth Day in Portugal also showed? Plenary Matters will return in October for a new series during the synod in Rome. Further reading: Austin Ivereigh's article on World Youth Day, 'A Church with room for everyone,' La Croix Thanks for your feedback! Go to Plenary Matters Facebook page.

How does the church engage creatively with the modern world? For Richard Lennan, who did his doctorate in Austria on Karl Rahner, looking to the future to see how we should be in the present has been the project of his theological life for nearly four decades. This is the 'Gaudium et spes' approach to the world: neither naïve nor fearful about the future, but always moving ourselves towards God rather than reducing God to our place and time. Now professor at Boston College teaching the next generation of theologians, he wants church leaders to better support these lay women and men in bridging the gulf between theology and the church. He thinks Francis should hold a synod on the role of theology, which he sees as the antidote to the growing polarisation in the church and society. Further reading: Richard's new book, Tilling the Church: Theology for an Unfinished Project (Liturgical Press) Richard's article on the Plenary Council (abstract only without subscription) Massimo Faggioli on 'The great displacement of theology' in La Croix. Your feedback very welcome via the Facebook page Plenary Matters!

The restoration of women to the diaconate is the urgent issue of our time, says Dr Phyllis Zagano. How many of us even understand the essence of deacons’ roles: its emphasis on service but also its impressive history in the life of the church. The early church ordained deacons to provide vital pastoral and social services. Deacons could be made bishops and, in a few cases, even made pope! Deacons disappeared into the priesthood after the 12th century until the Second Vatican Council restored the diaconal ministry, but so far not for women. Until a woman can stand alongside the Pope in St Peter’s, proclaiming the Gospel and preaching, the church will remain silent on the dignity of all humans, Phyllis Zagano believes. Francis has introduced women into managerial functions of the church, and the issue of women’s ministerial roles, including the diaconate, is on the agenda for the synod in Rome. Could the stained glass ceiling be about to break open, restoring women to the centre of the church? Further reading: Phyllis Zagano's Commonweal article on women deacons National Catholic Reporter review of Zagano's new book Just Church: Catholic Social Teaching, Synodality and Women See also two Australian resources: Liturgy on the margins on diaconal ministry and the Australian Women Preach podcast. Thanks for listening! Let us know your thoughts via the Plenary Matters Facebook page.