"I see the danger that certain, already established agendas will determine the synodal process and control it from the outset," he told the Swiss portal "kath.ch" on Thursday. "I believe that in such processes, the editors who formulate the final documents are the deciding factor - not necessarily the Holy Spirit."
The Swiss bishop went on to say that the reality of life was being summarily used today as a further source of revelation.
Instead of introducing people to the faith, the faith is pandering to people. He even fears a split in the church "if the frustration of having failed once again with one's own agenda becomes great enough".
With regard to Pope Francis, Eleganti criticises his "authoritarian leadership style".
"He intervenes in the synodal process and steers it, for example by withdrawing important issues from the plenary assembly and delegating them to commissions that work autonomously." Synodality obviously has its limits.
"Many see a self-contradiction in the Pope's actions."
Last September, Pope Francis decided to exclude some issues from the plenary deliberations and transfer them to ten study groups. These topics include the question of the possibility of a diaconate for women, as well as changes to priestly training, the ministry of bishops and ecumenism.
Criticism of the Vatican's papal document
The auxiliary bishop also takes a critical view of the Vatican document "The Bishop of Rome", which was presented in June and proposes a new understanding of the papal office.
"What would still be acceptable for separated Christians with regard to the Petrine ministry cannot provide a criterion of truth for what Christ meant and wanted with this ministry," says Eleganti.
"As this is an infallibly defined truth, in my view it applies ecclesiologically to all the baptised. The Roman Catholic Church cannot abandon itself here by having this questioned out of love for the Christians separated from it."
In contrast, the bishop takes a positive view of the pre-conciliar Mass, as it is "not a workshop", but "expresses the centrality of God or Jesus Christ much more".
"There are very deep prayers in the Tridentine liturgy, which I really enjoy praying in terms of content."
The celebration of the form of the Mass from the time before the Second Vatican Council (1962-65) has been the subject of repeated discussions.
Pope Benedict XVI massively facilitated its celebration, Pope Francis significantly restricted it in 2021 with the motu proprio "Traditionis custodes".
Conservative and traditionalist groups feel attacked by this.
Eleganti is known for his controversial statements.
In 2020, for example, he criticised the Church's hygiene regulations against the coronavirus pandemic, and this year he was a guest at an event organised by the "Querdenker" movement.
He calls himself a vaccination sceptic.