また、第一段階について、現地の教会（小教区と教区）と他の教会の現実に焦点を当てた「何十万もの集会が世界中で開かれ、さまざまな種類の教会の現実それに関わっているのを知ることができた」とし、「（”シノドスの道”の歩みに参加した）すべてのグループの熱意と創造性を知ることができ、心を打たれた。（”シノドスの道”の）最初の数週間から、聖霊が働いておられることは明らかでした」と語った。
＊耳を傾け、識別するプロセスは完全ではなかったー過ちからも学ぶ
また、「第一段階は、『共同体の霊的識別の極致”と理解されるべきであり、歩みに参加したさまざまなグループによって生み出されたものを合わせて、参加しなかった人たちも理解できるような形での”シノドスの道”の歩みの成果を集め、表現し、聖霊の教会への呼びかけが現地の教会でどのように理解されているかを明らかにするのが目的でした」とも述べた。
その一方で枢機卿は、「（第一段階での）耳を傾け、識別するプロセスは、確かに、完全なものではなかった」ことを認めながらも、「私たちはまた、自分の過ちからも学び、”シノドス（共働）的な教会の姿に近づこうとしていると、認識しています」と説明した。
＊小教区、教区の歩みは今後も続ける必要
枢機卿は、記者会見後のVatican Newsとのインタビューで、自分の教区、ルクセンブルク大教区での”シノドスの道”の経験について語り、自分が目指したのは、「（大司教としての）私と信徒たちの間だけでなく、信徒同士の間でも、真の対話がなされるような、幅広い意見の交換」であり、その意味で、「”シノドスの道”の歩みは、現地教会（注：小教区、教区、そして様々なグループ）のレベルで、今後も続けていく必要があります… そのような私の教区での”シノドスの道”の歩みに希望を持っており、対話が続くのを楽しみにしています」と語った。
また、ルクセンブルク教区での歩みで感動したのは、「異なる意見を持った人たちが、とてもうまく共に歩むことができたこと。歩みの過程ですごく仲良くやっていけたのは驚きだった」とし、チームの中で否定的なものはまったくなく、意見交換の中では、もちろん時々は、対立する意見もありましたが、結果について全員が賛成しました。私にとって、とても素晴らしいことでした。参加者たちは自分が持っている方向や自分が代表する立場に固執せず、全員が一緒になったのです… 聖霊の働きで、人々が一つにまとめられたのです」と強調した。
＊”多様性”を恐れず、第二段階の歩みに期待
これから始まる4大陸レベルの第二段階の展望について、教皇フランシスコが「シノダリティ（共働性）を”道”とされていることは、教皇ご自身の思いを正確に表現している」としたうえで、「それは共に歩む”道。耳を傾けること。そして、信徒の皆さんが語ることから学ぶのは、私に大きな慰めを与えてくれます」と述べた。そして、「（注：これからの歩みにおいても）私は『多様性』を恐れることはしない。人々が多様であることは当たり前のことだと思います。だが、私たちには、今経験している多様性よりもはるかに大きな一致がある。そして、私は（注：”シノドスの道”の）歩み全体に期待しており、歩みを続け、これからの第二段階に期待しています」と語った。
（翻訳・編集「カトリック・あい」南條俊二）
”歩みに出遅れた”日本の教会は、そしてアジアの教会はこれからどうするのか（「カトリック・あい」解説）
オロリッシュ枢機卿の”シノドスの道”第一段階の前向きな評価とは裏腹に、紛争や教会に対する弾圧などがあちこちで激しさを増しているアジア地域の取り組みは決して順調とはいえないようだ。日本の教会は、そうした問題はないものの、新型コロナの大感染が収まらず、現在でも、少なくない司祭、助祭あるいは信徒が感染して、通常のミサが行えない教会も数多く、信徒に力を与え、様々な工夫をして、ポスト・コロナを展望した”シノドスの道”を歩もうとする各教区の取り組みも、司教たちの指導力も、ごく一部の例外を除いて、極めて薄弱である、と言わざるを得ない状況だ。司教協議会のまとめをみても、形だけを取り繕った、という印象が否めない。
第一段階を満足な形で歩むことができなかった日本を含め、他の無理からぬ状況から取り組みが不十分なままの多くの国を抱えるアジア大陸レベルの第二段階がどのようになるのか。10月半ばにバンコクで予定されるアジア司教協議会連盟の創立50周年総会がどのように準備され、実施されるのか、今後の動きに注目したい。
以下は、オロリッシュ枢機卿のVatican News との会見の一問一答全文（英文）
Vatican News (CW): Cardinal Hollerich, thank you for your presentation this afternoon. I wanted to ask, especially after one year of synodality, of the synodal process, Pope Francis has described synodality as a process. What would you say we have learned from the past year? And do you see any changes to the process in light of the experience that we’ve had so far?
Cardinal Hollerich: So first, I am very hopeful that we quoted Pope Francis at the beginning because it’s tremendous, because what he says, in very simple sentences exactly expresses my feeling after one year of the Synodal process. He is so right in saying these things. It is a way together. It is a listening. And it gives me deep consolation to read what people say. And I am not afraid of the diversity. I think that’s normal. But we have a unity which is much bigger than the diversity we experience now. And I’m looking forward to the whole process and to continue the process and to go into the next continental phase of it. So it is… I feel very thankful to the Pope and to God, or to God and the Pope, that I could, can serve the church at this particular moment, which is something very important. We are writing church history.
Vatican News: Do you foresee any changes to the process from what you’ve already planned in light of the experience that we’ve had so far?
Cardinal Hollerich: I do not see an exact change, but I think that we have to pay attention to listen to everybody and that everybody feels he or she gets listened to. So not just the specialists, not just those who want or want to fight a church war and so on, but really listen to everybody and take people seriously. Take the answer seriously because they speak out of their normal life of what they experience, where they get hurt, where they feel happy. And how can I be a shepherd of the church if I do not know this?
Vatican News: One of the things that was very striking in your presentation, you said that we are not perfect. We have been learning things. Can you tell us… You spoke about learning from the mistakes that have happened so far. Can you give us an idea of what you’ve learned from the mistakes and challenges going forward?
Cardinal Hollerich: Yes, personally, I can say that in Luxembourg now, I… in my own diocese, I did not participate in the process because I wanted people to feel free and I had trust. Then, of course, when I got the report from the team I had instituted and then we had one large gathering and I would say, it’s not enough. Now there should have been more gatherings afterward so that the real dialogue can be established not only between me and the people present, but also among the people themselves. But I think the Synod must continue in that sense, also on the local level. I mean, there are so many things which are local, which are important. It’s not just about church politics now, but how can our communities be more full of life? How can they really serve? How can they have their mission? And in general, I felt that mission – I again take the Luxembourg example. Mission is a bit too short.
Vatican News: Will you be able in your diocese to continue that synodal process, maybe in parallel to the universal process of the Synod that’s going on now at the continental level?
Cardinal Hollerich: I shall try to do it. How much I shall succeed, I do not know because I have just 24 hours a day. But of course, we have to do it. We have to continue. And we have also the different councils. So the priest council, the pastoral council of the diocese and so on, the Bishop’s Council, and I want to constitute them all together. And they have of course not, they should not have the feeding. Now we are the important ones, but they represent the people and they should go back to the people they represent also for continuing this dialogue. I’m looking forward to it.
Vatican News: It’s very easy for journalists to focus on the negative or controversial aspects of the Synodal process. But I think we can also expect some positive advancements already early in this process. Pope Francis again has spoken about the surprises of the Spirit. Are there some positive surprises that you’ve experienced that you’d like to share with people?
Cardinal Hollerich: Yes. Already for the team I constituted. So I put two laypeople in charge, a man and a woman. I had three priests in the team and then two young ladies, youth, the students. And I choose one more conservative and one more progressive. And it was a surprise how well they got along. They had no dissent at all in the team. In their discussions, of course, sometimes, but they all supported the result. So that was for me, very beautiful. People did not follow the direction they were supposed to have or the positions they were supposed to represent, but they all found together. And of course, they met more often than the different groups. But that shows that it functions, that the Holy Spirit works and that He brings people together. And I also heard from the people in the team that they got new ideas. So how they can be more fully Christian in our life, in our society. And that’s great.
Vatican News: One final question. Do you have a word of encouragement for people going into the next phase and what the people of God as individuals, as local churches, can do to continue the process of Synodality?
Cardinal Hollerich: So the first thing, You are the holy people of God, and that is something great and you have something to say. I am a bishop. I do a lot of confirmations. We confirm young people at the age 17 normally. But I have also many, many confirmations of adults, several hundred a year who missed the opportunity. And I believe in what I do. I mean, I confer the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit works in persons and I, who conferred the Holy Spirit, I should be able to listen to Him.
