Local Churches, Not Rome, Are the Center of Synodal Implementation, Cardinal Grech Tells FABC
Cardinal Mario Grech addressed the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences, emphasizing that the Catholic Church's synodal renewal must be driven by local churches rather than Vatican directives. He argued that local dioceses are the true centers of mission and pastoral life.
Why it matters
Reflects a significant shift in Catholic governance toward decentralization and local autonomy within the global Church.
Cardinal Mario Grech urged Asian bishops to take ownership of the Church’s synodal journey, saying its implementation will succeed through the life and mission of local Churches rather than directives from Rome. The implementation of synodality will succeed not through directives from Rome but through the life and mission of local Churches. That was the central message of Cardinal Mario Grech, Secretary General of the Synod of Bishops, as he urged Asian bishops to take ownership of the Church's synodal journey.
Addressing delegates at the 12th Plenary Assembly of the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences (FABC) in the Vanda Room of Hotel Mulia on July 24, Cardinal Grech delivered a presentation titled "Pathways for the Implementation of the Synod." He stressed that the next phase of the global synodal process places local Churches—not the Vatican—at the center of renewal.
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