Church Governance
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Cafeteria bishops
Once a term of conservative scorn aimed at progressive Catholics, “Cafeteria Catholic” has taken on new meaning — now it arguably describes bishops who selectively apply official church teaching and ignore synodal reforms they find personally inconvenient.
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Synodality — just a buzzword?
Eighty years ago, a Greek village demonstrated authentic synodality when its community chose their own presbyter after their priest died. The bishop listened, ordained the man, and a fruitful ministry flourished—a pattern rarely seen in today’s Catholic Church.
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Political science insights can help the church
Synodality represents a major cultural shift. Political science reveals how large reforms mirror society’s move from fossil fuels to renewable energy: slow, demanding and contested. Structural change requires persistence, patience and strong leadership capable of guiding communities through uncertainty and resistance with clarity and courage.
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