(LifeSiteNews) — Heterodox Cardinal Robert McElroy has declared Pope Francis’ “enduring legacy” to be his “vision of a synodal Church” that includes “all.”

In a statement lamenting the death of Francis published by the Catholic Standard on Monday, McElroy praised Francis for newly revealing a pastoral Church approach “which is rooted first in embracing love rather than in judgment.”

The cardinal highlighted Francis’ aspiration to form a “synodal Church,” which refers to a kind of decentralization and “democratization” by which Church decision-making purportedly begins with the laity in contrast to the Church’s traditional “top-down” authority structure instituted by Christ Himself. 

“Pope Francis’s vision of a synodal Church – the people of God journeying together, nourished by Word and Sacrament, missionary in its outreach, including all and animated by the participation of all, constantly renewing itself in the light of the Gospel – stands as an enduring legacy of Pope Francis in his fidelity to the Second Vatican Council and its call to preach the Gospel in the modern world,” McElroy wrote.

By definition, the Catholic Church does not include “all” but only those who have been initiated into the Body of Christ through Baptism.

About a month ago, Francis launched a three-year implementation phase of the Synod on Synodality to be carried out by “local churches” and concluded with an ecclesial assembly in 2028. 

In accordance with Francis’ vision for a synodal Church, the implementation process will involve “synodal teams composed of priests, deacons, consecrated men and women, and laypeople, accompanied by their bishop,” Vatican News noted.

Return to Tradition podcast host Anthony Stine has remarked that the synodal Church “will functionally be a new church, a new religion,” going on to point out that Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich, who is considered papabile, has used the words “new synodal church” to describe the intended outcome of the synod.