A month-long Vatican congress wrapped up at the weekend, with participants citing a change of culture, but with sensitive subjects left unresolved — underscoring deep internal differences within the Church.

The historic General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, which for four weeks has debated key issues confronting the modern global Catholic Church, for the first time included lay members, as Pope Francis seeks to throw open its doors to "everyone".

But the 42-page document issued Saturday — intended as a roadmap before a final session of the assembly in October 2024 — will disappoint some who hoped for real change within the institution, whether allowing women as deacons, welcoming LGBTQ faithful or even allowing priests to marry.

"In a way, it was about avoiding divisions and preparing the ground for next year," one member of the Synod, who asked not to be named, told AFP. 

"Some issues need time to mature. It's a long-term vision."

Ahead of the assembly's start on 4 October, conservative bishops had warned against deviating from traditional doctrine.

Seeking to placate internal divisions, organizers hammered home its focus on "dialogue", "fraternity" and "listening" among the 365 members of the general assembly, among them 54 women, plus 100 invited experts.

Clerics and laypeople — and even the pope himself — sat side by side at round tables during the Synod, without regard to hierarchy, in what some described as a "change of mentality" sought by the Jesuit pope.

Fewer bishops in cassocks

"This is the first Synod where there were hardly any bishops in cassocks or distinctive signs," said French-German priest Christoph Theobald, a Jesuit theologian and Synod participant, who cited "a kind of fraternity" with everyone allowed to speak.

Theobald told AFP this assembly marked an evolution in the Church's structure, moving away from traditional hierarchies and more willing to consider others including those "whose lifestyle differs from what the Church preaches".

In opening the congress, 86-year-old Francis addressed the world's 1.3 billion Catholics, saying that "the Church of open doors is for everyone, everyone, everyone."

But feminist associations have long denounced the patriarchic attitudes and rigidity of the 2,000-year-old institution, and the place of women was one of the assembly's major themes. 

The final statement said there was an "urgent" need to give women decision-making roles in the Church, and called for "theological and pastoral research" into the idea of allowing women to become deacons — who are able to celebrate baptisms, marriages and funerals, but not masses.

Of all the issues that ultimately appeared in the final document, those related to women were the most contentious, garnering the most "no" votes.

"This confirms that these are open questions," Cardinal Mario Grech told reporters on Saturday night.

'Ideological colonization'

One largely ignored topic was same-sex couples, with the term "LGBTQ" not even appearing in the final document and no mention of the possibility of priests blessing the union of same-sex couples.

Another participant told AFP that while the latter idea was "very important" in the West, "some of the African representatives experience it as ideological colonization". 

At a closing Mass marking the end of the assembly on Sunday, Francis again reiterated his hope for a Church "with open doors".

Following next year's assembly, a final document will be submitted to the pope, who can decide whether or not to incorporate its findings into a papal document.