/library/oar/handle/123456789/105035 2026-06-21T13:36:14Z /library/oar/handle/123456789/147563 Title: Discernment and decision-making in a synodal Church Authors: Conway, Michael A. Abstract: By now it is clear that synodality as an ecclesial reality can no longer be considered a once off event that is limited in time, confined to a particular place, and reserved to a distinct group. It is much more about a process (a journey) and a healthier way of being Church, a new style of communal life and action. You could say that it is a fundamental paradigm shift in ecclesial life that was set in motion at the Second Vatican Council and that is now being substantially renewed in the pontificate of Pope Francis. It is a way of understanding relationships within the Church that respects each person’s fundamental dignity, difference, and voice, while maintaining the structuring dimensions of a hierarchically ordered communion. It is equally a new way of understanding communication within the ecclesial body that is built on adult, open exchange in place of one-way communication. Synodality is marked by participation and dialogue in the structures of governance at all levels, even when final responsibility rests with designated office holders in the Church. Such a vision aims to empower everyone in the living conversation that is Church, where there ought to be a high degree of differentiated mutuality in decision-making. [extract] 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z /library/oar/handle/123456789/147562 Title: Synodality and integral ecology : a survey of key passages in the official documents Authors: Becquart, Nathalie Abstract: Synodality and integral ecology are two key themes of Pope Francis’s pontificate. It is, therefore, no coincidence that there has been a deep connection and intertwining between these two concepts, or practices, in the last 10 years in the Church. The special Synod for the Pan-Amazonian region is an eloquent, concrete, and profound example of this essential complementarity between ecological conversion and synodality, which was reflected in the lived experience during the days of the synod, as well as in its valuable text Querida Amazonia (QA). [extract] 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z /library/oar/handle/123456789/147371 Title: Structural reform and pastoral renewal : an ethical framework for the process of synodality Authors: Agius, Emmanuel Abstract: When I embarked on my research through printed and online literature on synodality, to my surprise I found no specific article with explicit reflections on the ethical perspectives of the synodality process. This lack of resources on this issue has encouraged rather than discouraged me to take this task earnestly in order to sift out the ethical implications of synodality endorsed in the Preparatory Document for the 16th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, the Vademecum for the Synod on Synodality, the Working Document for the Continental Stage: Enlarge the Space of your Tent (DCS), the report of the Digital Synod for the Continental Stage, the Instrumentum Laboris for the first session of the 16th Ordinary Assembly of the Synod of Bishops ( October 2023) , the document on "Synodality in the Life and Mission of the Church" published in 2018 by the International Theological Commission, and the reflections articulated by Pope Francis in his homilies, addresses, and speeches. [extract] 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z /library/oar/handle/123456789/143625 Title: Sixty years of diplomatic relations between the Holy See and Malta Authors: Attard, Stefan M.; Camilleri, Charló Abstract: The second book, ‘Sixty Years of Diplomatic Relations between the Holy See and Malta’, edited by the Dean, Rev. Prof. Stefan Attard, and the Deputy Dean, Rev. Prof. Charlo Camilleri, brings together contributions by eleven academics from our Faculty. The essays explore key aspects of Maltese identity and Church–State relations, including history, spirituality, theological formation, biblical scholarship, marriage and jurisdiction, papal and presidential discourse, public theology, cultural diplomacy, and Malta’s Mediterranean heritage. 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z