The Synod, the great assembly that began on Wednesday, October 4 in the Vatican, appears to be a battle between innovators and conservatives, an eternal clash between those who want more openness and democracy in the Church and those who fear that the wind of novelty will distort and deform the magisterium and doctrine forever, leading to a kind of "Protestantization" of Catholics. Then there are those among the synod fathers who seek to pursue a less Roman-centric ecclesial orientation. The blessing of gay couples, women priests, priestly celibacy, more democratic structures, and updates to sexual morality are the topics that will inevitably emerge behind closed doors for a month in discussions between cardinals, bishops, religious, and lay people from all over the world for a total of 474 participants, of which 365 are effective members. For the first time, there are 54 female voters. In addition to nuns and theologians, the special guests include Luca Casarini, historical leader of the no-global movement and director of the non-governmental organization Mediterranea Saving Humans.
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