It’s encouraging that the church is attempting to look for solutions for its future outside its confines. As often happens institutions get trapped in their traditions which prevents them from looking outside the box for possible new trajectories. Shining the spotlight on “the scourge of clericalism“ suggests that there may have evolved another tradition parallel to the Sacred scriptures, which somehow the Body of Christ ought to be wary of. If one looks as the bare bones of the Gospel one sees Jesus entirely inclusive, and less dependent on legal prescription. Perhaps this ought to be the cue for the overall approach of the PC. One hopes that when the synod finally assembles in 2023, sitting around the table deliberating on the future church in Australia aren’t just the “clerics” making the decisions.

Any synodal council in finding a way through the current crisis needs to be represented at the table by all concerned. As things stand at the present, it seems that the decision, after the discernment process will be decided strictly by the canonicals. The demarcations between the church’s faithful - in its totality, as the whole assembly of The People Of God - makes the church as still a very fragmented family. While the human side remains boxed-in in its various corners, it places the role of the Holy Spirit outside in its own box in some out of reach heaven. This fragmentation isn’t conducive to that Holy Spirit intuition that inspires changes. The structure of the plenary council itself, segregated at the table between the canonicals who make the decision, and the laity who simply simply supply the submissions without any voting rights, is in itself a huge impediment to renewal and the necessary changes for the future church. The sense of the faithful isn’t simply how just the canonicals are inspired, but the impulse for change must come from the whole of those concerned - even at the decision making process, and not only subject to the decision of just the status quo. The idea of the future church as the People Of God, defined by VatII, must suggest an entirely inclusive church structure - as opposed to the traditional model we’ve inherited over the past fifteen hundred years. Change means moving along new trajectories and trust in the guidance of the Holy Spirit to help us adjust our methods along the way. One such radical structural change is to stop relying on Cannon Law for a change, and allow a thoroughly mixed and inclusive synod.