Irish Examiner view: Conservative voices prevail in Catholic Church

The concluding report from the 2023 Synod on Synodality, approved by a two-thirds majority of the voting members, fell far short of the inclusivity the Pope had aspired to

Pope Francis at the Vatican last Friday. Despite urgings from the Pope the report from the synod fell far short of the inclusivity towards the LGBT+ community than was expected. Picture: Andrew Medichini/AP

Despite urgings from Pope Francis, the report from the 2023 Synod on Synodality which concluded in Rome last weekend fell far short of the inclusivity towards the LGBT+ community than was expected. Nor did it inspire hope there would be a greater official role for women in the Catholic Church any time soon.

Prior to the opening of the synod, Pope Francis had dropped something of a theological bolt from the blue when he suggested that priests — albeit on a case-by-case basis — could bless same-sex couples if such a benediction fell short of the sacrament of marriage.