From the beginning of his papacy, Pope Francis has encouraged Catholics to speak boldly and to air their criticisms openly. Since, the pope initiated the three-year Synod on Synodality, critics of the process have done just that. One such critic is George Weigel, a distinguished senior fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center and the author of numerous books including his latest, To Sanctify the World: The Vital Legacy of Vatican II.

To better understand the concerns of those who are skeptical of the synod, Zac and Ashley spoke with George, who is in Rome contributing to First Thing’s “Letters from the Synod” series. They discuss:

- The confusion around what synodality really means and whether the synod is a good use of the church’s “evangelical energy”

- Whether George sees the synodal process as inherently problematic or if he’s more concerned about who is, and isn’t, in the synod hall

- Whether the synod is in accordance with the vision of church articulated at the Second Vatican Council

In Signs of the Times, Zac discusses where we are in the synod process and looks ahead to the drafting of the assembly’s final document.

Links from the show:

The Synod on Synodality at the halfway point

Letters from the Synod

Jesuitical’s synod coverage is sponsored in part by the Jesuit School of Theology at Santa Clara University.

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