Last week, two of the Study Groups set up by Pope Francis following the 2023 General Assembly of the Synod on Synodality issued their final reports. One of these, Study Group 4, had been entrusted with considering the matter of priestly formation. The Church’s synodal journey has made one thing unmistakably clear: formation in general…
A decisive policy shift on priestly formation
Pope Leo XIV, with regional representatives of synod teams, listens to and answers questions from participants in the Jubilee of Synodal Teams and Participatory Bodies in the Vatican audience hall October 24, 2025. The final reports for two Synod on Synodality study groups, on formation for the priesthood and on navigating the Church’s presence in digital spaces, were released on March 3, 2026. Photo: CNS/Vatican Media.