Leo XIV meets Vatican cardinal behind ‘synodal papacy’ blueprint
Cardinal Koch, the 'Grand Architect' of 2024 document 'The Bishop of Rome' met with the 'Synodal Pope' Leo XIV this week.
(WM Reports) – Leo XIV has met with Cardinal Kurt Koch, the Vatican’s leading ecumenist and grand architect of a document described by M.J. McCusker as a “roadmap” to dismantling Catholic teaching on the papacy.
The meeting, announced by the Vatican on June 3, was Leo’s first audience with Koch since his election. Koch, 74, heads the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity and remains the last active Curial cardinal appointed by Benedict XVI.
Koch submitted his resignation to Francis in March, but remained in post at his request. Leo has yet to announce whether Koch will stay on.
The Synodal Papacy
Koch is the principal Vatican figure behind The Bishop of Rome, a 150-page “study document” compiled under his supervision and released in 2024.
The text, drafted with input from Protestants and Orthodox representatives, proposes a sweeping “re-interpretation” of the papacy to make it more palatable to non-Catholic Christians.
As McCusker wrote, The Bishop of Rome lays out a vision for a synodal papacy stripped of traditional claims to jurisdiction and infallibility. Under this vision, he is to serve as the figurehead of “an authentic conciliar/synodal Church,” which is to be synodal “at every level.”
Here is McCusker’s account of the trajectory indicated by Koch’s document:
Stage I. The redefinition of the Catholic understanding of the papacy
The first stage would be to undermine the scriptural and theological foundations of the papacy, and to replace Catholic doctrine with “a renewed understanding and exercise of the Petrine ministry” based on “synodality” to fulfil Francis’s vision of a “synodal Church.” (No. 5). This reform of the papacy would flow from the “commitment” of Francis to “build a synodal Church at all levels.” (No.5)
The document indicates they will carry this reinterpretation out as follows:
They will re-interpret Sacred Scripture so that it supports a “synodal” understanding of the papacy in which the pope is just a figurehead with no real authority (see Nos. 35 -39).
They will give new meanings to the concepts of “authority” and “service” so that the real authority of the papacy will be destroyed (see Nos. 40-42).
They will seek out ambiguous passages in the Church Fathers which could be deployed to provide a basis for a new understanding of the papacy (see Nos. 44-47).
They will reinterpret the infallible teaching of Vatican I on the divine institution of the papacy by means of a new “hermeneutic,” which will bring Catholic doctrine into line with the views of the Orthodox and the Protestants (see Nos. 48-56).
The same “hermeneutical approach” will be used to solve the “obstacle” of Vatican I’s infallible definitions of papal jurisdiction and papal infallibility. See (No. 57–73).
They will reinterpret Vatican I in light of (i) Vatican II (see Nos. 61, 66, 72), (ii) a reconstruction of the real “intentions” of the Council Fathers at Vatican I (see No. 62-63) and (iii) a “distinction between the text and its interpretation” which will allow them to interpret the text in a way that suits their agenda (see Nos. 64-66).
They will rehabilitate the previously condemned error that the exercise of infallibility requires the consent of the Church (see Nos. 72, 106).
Stage II. The establishment of the synodal papacy
Once the orthodox idea of the papacy has been discredited, the path will be open to establish the new “synodal papacy,” which will preside over a new inclusive church void of doctrine or discipline. All the baptized will be invited into this synodal church, without having to abandon their doctrinal errors.
The synodal papacy will have these characteristics:
It will have “a primacy of honor” only, with no real authority over Orthodox and Protestant believers who will be invited to come under its banner (see No. 76-80, 94-98).
It will preside over a church which is synodal “at every level” and will therefore no longer be subject to authority, or possess the unity of faith, worship and government which are essential marks of the Catholic Church (see Nos 81-83).
It will preside not by divine right, but simply because there is a “pragmatic argument” for “the need for a ministry of unity at the universal level” (see No. 62-68).
It will be based on the papacy of the “first millennium,” which will be considered the “decisive” model. Later definitions and developments of doctrine regarding the papacy will be ignored. (See Nos. 89-91, 99-100, 104-107).
It will shun the exercise of “juridical” authority (See Nos. 92-93).
It will replace the immediate and ordinary jurisdiction of the papacy with a mere right to appeal to the Roman See (see Nos. 101-103).
It will exercise its primacy over a new “authentic conciliar/synodal Church” (see No. 112).
The seven steps and seven characteristics outlined above are reasonable inferences from the content of the document.
By contrast, Vatican I teaches:
[I]f anyone says that blessed Peter the apostle was not appointed by Christ the lord as prince of all the apostles and visible head of the whole church militant; or that it was a primacy of honour only and not one of true and proper jurisdiction that he directly and immediately received from our lord Jesus Christ himself: let him be anathema.1
Leo XIV, Synodal Pope
Prevost’s own public statements on synodality and authority have indicated that he is endorsing and following this trajectory.
In his first Urbi et Orbi speech, he declared his desire to lead “a synodal Church, a Church that moves forward.”
In his address to the College of Cardinals, he pledged “complete commitment to the path that the universal Church has now followed for decades in the wake of the Second Vatican Council”—and emphasised a “growth in collegiality and synodality” as a central aspect of this path.
Leo’s inaugural homily (18 May) caricatured the ordinary exercise of papal authority as “autocracy” and “lording it over” others, and recast the Roman Pontiff as one who “walks alongside” the faithful. Prevost had made similar comments as Prefect of the Dicastery of Bishops.
His language in the inauguration homily closely echoes the modernist vision condemned by Pope St. Pius X.
Speaking at an audience of representatives of other religions (19 May), he said:
Aware, moreover, that synodality and ecumenism are closely linked, I would like to assure you of my intention to continue Pope Francis’ commitment to promoting the synodal nature of the Catholic Church and developing new and concrete forms for an ever stronger synodality in ecumenical relations.
Koch’s audience with Prevost places the architect of The Bishop of Rome—and thus the “synodal papacy”—in early and direct contact with the newly elected “Synodal Pope.” The meeting adds to already overwhelming evidence of Leo XIV’s alignment with the synodal trajectory inaugurated under Francis.
As Fr David Nix commented:
[I]n his opening speech from the loggia in 2025, Leo declared himself to be the pope of the “synodal church.”
I believe him.
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Honestly had no idea about this. Excellent report. Thank you. Didn’t see this anywhere else.
This is an excellent article. The contents are explosive, but not well represented by the title. I might suggest re-issuing it under a more representative title like "Leo XIV begins path to dismantling the Catholic Papacy."