As usual, the “suggestions” are mostly questions which lean to reform in some ways and on some levels:
4) How can we foster the participation of women, young people, minorities, and marginalized voices in discernment and decision-making processes?
It’s a good question for many circles in the world today. US politicians are old and getting older. Pro sports ownership. Legacy tours of rock and pop musicians into their seventies. No pope under the age of seventy in more than three decades. Some men, older people, and white people just don’t want to cede the stage to the people in the wings.
5) How can a clearer account of the relationship between the entirety of the decision-making process and the specific moment of decision-taking help us to better identify the responsibilities of the different actors at each stage?
That is often a matter of trust, as well as managing expectations. Some final decisions are made by the few or the one, but that doesn’t obviate a sifting through of options by a larger, trusted group.
How do we understand the relationship between decision-taking and discernment in common?
Sometimes we don’t.
A few questions about the involvement of religious. These are well-considered since monastic traditions and the processes of women religious in and out of cloisters possess much wisdom for the rest of us to utilize.
6) How can and must Consecrated men and women participate in the decision-making processes of the local Churches? What can we learn from their experience and their different spiritualities regarding discernment and decision-making processes? What can we learn from associations, movements and Lay-led groups?
Catholic Sensibility 