(ZENIT News / Rome, 10.13.2025).- In a message addressed to theologians and clergy gathered in Camaldoli, Italy, Pope Leo XIV underscored the indispensable role of bishops in guiding the Church’s synodal path, reaffirming that genuine synodality cannot exist without their leadership. The communication, delivered through Cardinal Pietro Parolin to Dom Matteo Ferrari, Prior General of the Camaldolese Benedictine Congregation, was intended for participants of the theological symposium “What Kind of Bishop in a Synodal Church?” held from October 6 to 9, 2025.
The Pontiff highlighted that walking together, listening, and engaging all baptized members is essential to the Church’s mission. Yet, he stressed that this inclusive process must coexist with the authority conferred by Christ on the episcopal college, headed by the successor of Peter. “True synodality demands the participation of all the baptized according to their vocation, but it cannot dispense with the authority entrusted to the college of bishops, with the successor of Peter at its head,” the message stated.
The four-day symposium focused on rethinking the episcopal ministry in a synodal context, aiming to clarify the balance between collegial leadership and grassroots participation. Pope Leo XIV expressed appreciation for the initiative, noting its theological and ecclesial depth, and described the bishop as a “custodian and witness of the faith.” He encouraged participants to use the study as a catalyst for renewed understanding that walking together is both the lifestyle and the mission of the Church.
The Pope’s intervention arrives amid ongoing debates over the weight of episcopal authority in synodal processes. During the recent global synod on synodality, bishops’ votes were accorded equal weight to those of non-episcopal participants, a practice that some observers, including an Orthodox bishop and the Apostolic Exarch of the Greek-Catholic Church in Greece, have warned could undermine traditional structures of governance. Similarly, the German Synodal Path has raised questions about the proper role of episcopal authority through the creation of a synodal committee, highlighting tensions between participatory processes and hierarchical oversight.
By emphasizing that synodality is not a substitute for episcopal leadership but rather a complementary path, Pope Leo XIV reaffirmed the Church’s commitment to both dialogue and doctrinal continuity. In his view, the synodal journey is most fruitful when it engages the faithful in discernment while respecting the foundational role of bishops as the guardians of faith and unity.
The Camaldoli gathering, therefore, serves as a reminder that in the Church’s evolving mission, walking together does not diminish authority—it frames it, guiding the faithful in both communal engagement and fidelity to the teachings entrusted to the episcopate.
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