The Synod on Synodality
Our Faith
The Synod on Synodality, begun by Pope Francis and continued under Pope Leo XIV, has entered its Implementation Phase. Centered on prayer, listening, discernment, and faithful action, the process now runs through 2028 and will conclude with a general Ecclesial Assembly in Rome.
Its primary aim is the fuller implementation of the Second Vatican Council: a renewal of faith through the full, active, and conscious participation of all the baptized in the life of the Church.
During this phase the Diocese of Alexandria joins dioceses across the United States and the world in responding to the call to “walk together” more intentionally as disciples of Jesus Christ, attentive to one another and to the Holy Spirit. Under the guidance of Bishop Robert Marshall, the Diocese will host several synodal-style gatherings in the fall of 2026 as part of this next step.
Timeline:
Phase 1: Consultation of the People of God (2021-2023)
Phase 2: The Discernment of the Pastors (2023-2024)
Phase 3: The Implementation For a Synodal Church (2025-2028)
–Implementation Paths in local churches (June 2025- December 2026)
–Evaluation Assemblies in Dioceses (First Semester 2027)
–International Conferences (Second Semester 2027)
–Continental Evaluation Assemblies (First Quarter 2028)
–Celebration of the Ecclesial Assembly at the Vatican (October 2028)
Originally published in the Church Today, Feb. 26, 2024
Synod listening sessions to be
held across the diocese during Lent
Under the guidance of Pope Francis and in preparation for the second and final session of the ongoing Synod for the universal church, every diocese in the world has been asked to host listening sessions for the public. The Diocese of Alexandria has scheduled three sessions on the following dates:
Monday, March 4 at 6:30 p.m.
St. Joseph Church, Marksville, in the parish hall
Monday, March 11 at 6:30 p.m.
St. Joseph Catholic Center, 4400 Coliseum Blvd., Alexandria
Monday, March 18
Holy Cross Church, Natchitoches, in the parish hall.
The Synod on Synodality is a three-year process of listening and dialogue on communion, participation, and mission for the Catholic Church. It began in October 2021 and concludes in October 2024.
A synod is, by definition, an assembly of clergy and laity in the Church. This reality is rooted in the early church where broad consultation would take place involving all members of the local church, including the lay faithful. Pope Francis has revived this ancient institution in the life of the Church which has lain dormant for several centuries. The intent of this current Synod of Synodality is not to be a one-time experience but an ongoing opportunity for discernment and collectively moving the Church closer to the heart of Christ.
Listening sessions are for Catholics, practicing and non-practicing, as well as non-Catholics to express their thoughts and reflections.
These planned listening sessions are an important part of this worldwide synodal process of engagement and collective commitment by people of God to grow and journey together.
originally published in the Church Today, Sept. 26, 2022
U.S. bishops release national synthesis outlining common themes raised in synod listening sessions
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has issued the National Synthesis of the People of God in the United States of America. They synthesis marks the completion of the Diocesan Phase of the 2021-2023 Synod: For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, and Mission.
Last October, Pope Francis invited the global Catholic Church to reflect on walking together and listening to one another. This “Synod on Synodality” is a two-year process that began with local dioceses and parishes engaging in dialogue through listening sessions. Each diocese then prepared a report of what was heard at these sessions. In turn, those local reports were then sent to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and a national summary was created and sent to the Holy See on August 29, 2022.
Bishop Daniel E. Flores of Brownsville, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Doctrine, who shepherded the preparation of the synthesis, wrote, “With immense gratitude, I have the distinct honor of sharing the National Synthesis. This pivotal document is the culmination of ten months of intentional listening carried out throughout the Church in the U.S. The synodal consultations, from parishes, dioceses, and national regions express the voices of hundreds of thousands in our local churches.”
The National Synthesis represents the synodal efforts of the 178 Latin dioceses in the United States, including the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, and the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter that serves both the United States and Canada. Due to their long history of synodal practice, the Eastern Catholic Churches shared their reports directly with the Holy See.
Catholic associations, organizations, and national ministries in the United States were also invited to participate in the Synod by submitting a summary report from their listening sessions to the USCCB’s Synod Team. In all, one hundred twelve (112) submissions were received from organizations, and combined with the reports from each of the (arch)dioceses, two hundred ninety (290) documents in total were received. These contributions represent over 22,000 reports from individual parishes and other groups. There were over 30,000 opportunities to participate in the Synod through in-person and virtual listening sessions as well as online surveys. An estimated 700,000 people participated in the diocesan phase of the Synod in the United States.
Bishop Flores expressed that “The synthesis is, among other things, an expression of the common joys, hopes, and wounds the bishops have heard and are hearing from the wider body of the Church. The publication of this document is not a concluding moment, it is instead an invitation to continue to dialogue and discern, together, those matters that weigh heavily on the hearts and minds of Catholic in the U.S.”
The National Synthesis is available in both English and Spanish.
originally published in the Church Today, July 25, 2022
Diocesan Synthesis Report
The following Diocesan Synthesis Report was submitted to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, June 30, 2022, to be included in the final report in preparation for the Synod of Synodality in 2023. Through listening sessions held throughout the diocese, parishioners and others connected to the Church were asked to share their thoughts on the life and ministry of the Church. The goal of the sessions was to truly hear concerns the faithful believe are facing the Church and what challenges they are experiencing in their family, community, and parish.
For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, and Mission
Introduction
Pope Francis has requested that a three-year Synodal process take place in all dioceses throughout the world. The process includes three phases of consultation and discernment—diocesan, continental, and universal, and will conclude at the assembly of the Synod of Bishops at the Vatican in October of 2023.
This emphasis on “synodality” is a revival of one of the oldest traditions in the history of the Church. The early Church Fathers and Popes of the primitive church, the middle ages as well as into the modern period all continually emphasize the importance of local and regional synods. The Council of Nicaea (325) decreed that bishops should hold synods twice a year in their dioceses. The Council of Trent (1563) decreed that every bishop was responsible for convoking an annual synod in his diocese. During the ceremonies commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Second Vatican Council’s re-institution of the Synod of Bishops, Pope Francis expressed his desire for a Synodal path for “laity, pastors, [and] the Bishop of Rome.” As a fruit of this, a “decentralized” Synod process is being celebrated throughout the universal church, in continuity with this most ancient apostolic tradition.
The Synod process was officially opened with a Mass celebrated on October 9, 2021 in Rome by Pope Francis. Locally, Bishop Robert Marshall celebrated the opening Mass for the Diocesan phase of the Synod on October 17, 2021 in the Cathedral of St. Francis Xavier.
Bishop Marshall appointed Rev. Peter Faulk, JCD to serve as the Diocesan Coordinator of the Synodal Process. A Diocesan Steering Committee for the Synodal Process was formed and met to initiate the preparatory phase. Deanery “listening sessions” were held in each deanery over the course of a six month period as well as a virtual consultation which was available on the Diocesan website. This report is the fruit of the consultation with multiple groups from the Natchitoches, Eastern, Avoyelles, and Central Deaneries as well as the online survey.
Three salient points of emphasis emerged from the Synodal process in the Diocese of Alexandria: belonging, identity, and momentum. Very honest remarks came forward which emphasized that people want to feel connected to the Diocese.
Communion – Belonging
By means of a prayerful reading of the individual and collective responses from the listening sessions, common themes were noted. As seen in some of the quotations below, people desire a concrete sense of belonging as a rich component of their Catholic faith:
“We want to feel connected to our parish. We want unity among the parishes. Without communication, we cannot succeed. Communication is of the essence. Your race doesn’t matter. Whether you are white, black, Asian or Latino, we all want to be treated like family in the church. We want to be connected to the Diocese. We must be willing to accept the past, to communicate and to move forward.”
“Minorities are forgotten about – even in majority Catholic populations. We need more cultural diversity. Everyone needs to be more deeply involved. All different groups need to be involved in what’s happening. The church needs to go where minorities are [located]. What are our needs?”
“We want unity rather than to be compartmentalized as parishes. The ‘Come to the Table’ program was a success. We want more programs like this.”
“We often think of the Church as just a building. A building will eventually get old, crumble and decay. The church is actually the people. We need to invest in people.”
“We need more people to come to Mass. We don’t need to be the frozen chosen. It’s not the new Holy Trinity of me, myself and I. There needs to be more of an attitude of ‘I’m glad to see you’ rather than ‘you didn’t make the sign of the cross just right.’”
“We need to make the church grow. A lot of people are A.C.E.’s – meaning, they just come to church on Ash Wednesday, Christmas and Easter.”
“We need to evangelize. The Church is a family and a community. We have to take it upon ourselves and be responsible for our time. We have to have a coherent message of welcoming. The messages coming from society are very persuasive. We need new people and new families.”
Comments also came forth concerning Catholics who have left the Church due to issues linked to divorce, remarriage and the annulment process. One observer commented in this regard that “divorce has driven a wedge between the church and many people. Former Catholics populate many other denominations. Perception becomes reality. We need to find ways to welcome people who have left to return to their home. We need to find a way to say ‘we want you back in our churches.’”
“Come To the Table” was a program initiated by the Diocese of Alexandria after the close of the Covid-19 pandemic. This initiative encouraged Catholics to return to the celebration of the liturgy, in accord with safety guidelines in place at the time. It featured video testimonials on the diocesan website and yard signs.
Participation – Identity
Catholics of the Diocese expressed a deep pride in their religious heritage and wish to be active protagonists in the life and mystery of the Church. This sentiment was expressed in all of the listening sessions throughout the diocese. This love for the Church was articulated in a desire for the Church to continue to develop and grow as an institution that promotes the love of Christ to all people in both word and deed. This was expressed in the following quotations from participants in the Synodal process:
“The congregation seems to be mixed on Sundays – black, white, creole and Latino. I think the universal Church under Pope Francis is doing well to reach out to the poor and marginalized. I hope that some of this will trickle down to the dioceses and parishes. I hope also that the universal church will begin to appreciate the expertise of laymen and laywomen.”
“The Diocese encourages and supports different prayer groups and retreats within church parishes located throughout. Some of those events are listed here but this does not include all spirit filled activities of the Diocese. A.C.T.S. Retreats are held by various church parishes and are held at our retreat center, Maryhill Renewal Center in Pineville, LA. The A.C.T.S. retreats are held with the goal of encouraging evangelization and being ‘Fishers of Men.’ The retreats are spirit filled and those in attendance report feeling the Spirit in the various events throughout the retreat weekend. Also, the Diocese supports other events, i.e. the formation of the Carmelite Third Order, the Central Louisiana Magnificat group, the numerous Knights of Columbus chapters, Knights of Peter Claver chapters, vocational development and support of our seminarians through the Serra Club, support for the Catholic schools located within the Diocese, supporting our priests during these troubling times of Covid shut down, scandal and other negative maladies that they encounter. Also, the Diocese has added four certified spiritual directors as a resource for those seeking spiritual direction and guidance.”
“Our Diocese is diversified geographically, culturally and ethnically. There are people of all educational and socioeconomic means present in all of our parishes. Families and individuals are welcomed into the church by various events such as RCIA, Religious Education of children, inclusion in various events and activities of the church parishes they attend. Spanish Masses are held in the Diocese and the Saint Kateri Tekakwitha Conference office is located in our Diocese. This group hosts Masses in different parishes promoting the renewal of our faith and reaffirming our baptismal call as followers of Jesus to proclaim the good news. Some attendees wear costumes and perform dances reflecting the culture of the many tribes of indigenous people in our Diocese.”
Emphasis was also placed by many participants upon a desire to grow in understanding, appreciation and reverence for the Eucharist. It is the true Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus whom we receive and worship in every Mass. One participant noted eloquently that “the Holy Eucharist is the bread of the angels and should be treated as such.” Everything that the Church believes and does in the world is founded in and flows from Jesus in the mystery of the Eucharist. Others observed that “[we need more] education on the Most Holy Eucharist, this precious gift of our faith. We invite and encourage people to attend Mass. We evangelize by speaking to others and sharing how God has worked in our lives.”
“Through the Eucharist we are to be united and this is the focal point of our belief. One bread, one body, one Lord, and it continues… Gentile, Jew, servant, free, woman, man, doctors, lawyers, and so on. No favorites. Everyone is always welcome.” “We need to place greater emphasis on the Eucharist and making it the center of our daily lives and the center of our lives as believers in the Catholic faith.”
Some participants expressed an interest in the Tridentine Mass and were disappointed that the Holy See has placed restrictions on these celebrations. Other participants were open to women deacons, married priests and other means of greater participation.
Mission – Momentum
A constant theme which emerged throughout the consultation process was the notion of service both within the inner life of the church as well as the wider civic community.
This was communicated by the ideal of spiritual conversion and renewal within the local church which would spill over into transformation of the world through the church’s outreach efforts. This was reflected in the following comment:
“There is a need to apply the Gospel to everyday life. To apply the Bible to everyday life and experience. We seek a deeper sense of spirituality and a deeper prayer life. Not just going to Mass for cultural reasons, but out of a deeper sense of spirituality.”
A desire was also expressed with regard to preaching and the teaching of the faith through high quality homilies and formation programs:
“We want teaching beyond the homily. There was a year-long bible study conducted for a group that went on pilgrimage to the Holy Land. It was immersive. We need more programs and education like this. We want to go deeper into our faith and into the Bible.”
“Priests have many years of seminary education. We think that the laity could be formed by priests. The laity can take charge of day to day administration of the life of the parish. This could open up new avenues for priests to form the laity and deacons for ministry and for a more powerful outreach. Priests get all that education. They need to put it to work for more than just the homily.”
“The laity have so much zeal. We want to participate in the new evangelization. We need to create new and innovative ways to bring families together. To form young people. To form the catechists who teach our young people.”
“We need good formation from our priests. We want to truly understand what the Mass is and what the Eucharist is. We want to understand what the church truly represents: Christ in the world.”
A Protestant contributor stated that “there is a lot of beautiful tradition in the Catholic faith. But we must always remember that faith is about a personal relationship with God. [If I am] sitting in church and saying I’m a Christian, it is just like me sitting in my garage and saying that I’m a car. I have to have a relationship with God first. Then the traditions will take on more meaning.”
Another common theme that arose in all meetings was the desire for consistent retreats and days of renewal for adult women and men as well as youth.
Discussions about charitable outreach in the wider local community sparked enthusiastic dialogue and innovative ideas. Comments came forth concerning this area are as follows:
“We could bring meals to the sick. An elderly gentleman had surgery and the parish reached out and brought his family food and supplies. They really appreciated that. It really meant a lot to them in that moment. It was a form of laity to laity outreach.”
“We must look to the early church. We can see the importance of family ministry and spreading the faith through the life of the home. We must evangelize in our homes and then beyond the four walls of our homes and churches and into the wider community.”
“The A.C.T.S. community has the Helping Hands ministry. They assist people on Saturday mornings. They paint, do odd jobs, and help with handyman work. This is a lay ministry in our Diocese.”
“We need to meet people in their communities with the issues that they are facing. What is the Church doing to address poverty in the inner city? What are we doing to build a path forward for young people who have no training, educational or job opportunities. What are we doing to reach out to minority youth who are at risk in our local communities?”
Conclusion
The Synodal process has given fresh impetus to continue the work of renewal in the Diocese of Alexandria. The lay faithful who participated in the Synodal process and listening sessions gave a rich witness to their love of the faith and their local parishes. They expressed their love for the sacramental life of the Church as well as their love and appreciation for the clergy who serve them, both priests and deacons.
Bishop Robert W. Marshall, Jr., will continue to review the major themes surfaced in this Synodal process to determine how the Diocese of Alexandria can better serve the People of God in our region. He has already noted the need for additional attention to the liturgical celebrations – which will be a focus in the Diocese during the National Eucharistic Revival begun on Corpus Christi of this year and continuing through 2025. This will assist the Bishop in the realm of pastoral planning as the People of God in Central Louisiana look forward to the National Eucharistic Revival which will last from 2022 until 2025. As the Eucharist forms the “source and summit of the Christian life” (Lumen Gentium n. 11), a renewal of our “full, conscious and active participation” (Sacrosanctum Concilium n. 14) in the liturgy unites all the faithful and confirms our love for the Church. This empowers all of the faithful for the task of the new evangelization. As Pope Francis has stated that “In virtue of their baptism, all the members of the People of God have become missionary disciples.” (Evangelii Gaudium n. 120).
Hearing the need for more opportunities for faith formation at all levels, the Diocese is in the process of hiring a Director of Religious Education and Faith Formation. It will be the task of that office to support the work of parishes in their faith formation efforts and to encourage smaller communities to collaborate to make additional opportunities available. This office will also work toward educational programs for those interested in the Ministry of Catechist.
The desire for additional charitable involvement in the larger community will be a primary task of Catholic Charities of Central Louisiana, Inc., a newly re-established outreach of the Diocese and a partner with Catholic Charities USA. This new initiative will work to meet the needs of many in the thirteen civil parishes that comprise the Diocese.
As Bishop Marshall works with the Presbyteral Council, the Diocesan Finance Council and the many groups and ministries of the Diocese in the area of Pastoral Planning, the insights gained in this Synodal process will prove invaluable.
We, therefore, conclude the Diocesan phase of the Synodal process and lift our hearts in prayer for our Holy Father Pope Francis as he and the Bishops of the world reflect upon the results of the global Synod.
originally published in the Church Today, Feb. 21, 2022
A Synodal Church: Listening Sessions
The Diocese of Alexandria will be holding a series of listening sessions in each deanery during the next several months in response to Pope Francis’ call to engage in the Synodal Process titled “Toward a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, Mission.”
The Synod, which was announced in April 2021 by Pope Francis, officially opened with a Mass celebrated on October 9, 2021 in Rome. Locally, Bishop Marshall celebrated the opening Mass for the Diocesan phase of the Synod on October 17, 2021 in the Cathedral of St. Francis Xavier.
A Diocesan Steering Committee for the Synodal Process has also been formed and has met to begin the preparatory phase. The next phase is to hold a “listening session” in each of the four deaneries of the diocese in the coming months. The task of the listening sessions will be to discuss the eight questions featured in the Synodal Church Survey which is available on the Diocesan website.
We invite you to attend a listening session in your deanery.
These listening sessions are opportunities for church leaders to hear the voice of the lay faithful, and for the lay faithful to hear the voices of one another. The discussions will be guided by the Synodal Church Survey and will center around vigorous and full participation of the lay faithful in the totality of the life of the Church. The results of each listening session will be integrated into the final report which will be compiled by the Diocesan Steering Committee for the Synodal Process and then submitted to the Apostolic Nuncio.
Let us pray for one another as we “walk together” as missionary disciples, learning from one another.
The Deanery Listening Sessions will be held on the following dates:
• Monday, March 7, 6:00 p.m., Natchitoches Deanery
St. Anthony of Padua Church, Natchitoches
• Tuesday, March 15, 6:00 p.m., Eastern Deanery
St. Patrick Church, Ferriday
• Monday, April 4, 6:00 p.m., Avoyelles Deanery
St. Joseph Church, Marksville
• Monday, May 2, 6:00 p.m., Central Deanery
Our Lady of Prompt Succor Church, Alexandria
The eight questions to be discussed:
1. How do we as a Diocese journey together, listening to the Holy Spirit and discerning the Lord’s will?
¿Cómo caminamos juntos como Arquidiócesis, escuchando al Espíritu Santo y discerniendo la voluntad del Señor?
2. In what ways are people of all backgrounds in this Diocese truly welcomed into the life of the Church?
¿De qué manera las personas de todos los orígenes en esta Arquidiócesis son realmente bienvenidas en la vida de la Iglesia?
3. In what ways does your parish foster unity in the Church? What else might your parish do to further unity?
¿De qué manera su parroquia fomenta la unidad en la Iglesia? ¿Qué más podría hacer su parroquia para promover la unidad?
4. Are there areas of the parish, Diocese or universal Church that are in particular need of healing and/or conversion? If so, how could this be addressed?
¿Hay áreas de la parroquia, la Diócesis o la Iglesia universal que tengan una necesidad particular de sanación y / o conversión?
5. In what ways does the Church in this Diocese reach out and evangelize those on the margins?
¿De qué manera la Iglesia en esta Diócesis se acerca y evangeliza a los marginados?
6. In what ways do your parish and the Diocese promote participation of the laity in decision-making?
¿De qué manera su parroquia y la Diócesis promueven la participación de los laicos en la toma de decisiones?
7. How have scandals in the Church affected your spiritual journey and your relationship with the Church?
¿Los escándalos en la Iglesia le han hecho pensar que la Iglesia depende demasiado del liderazgo clerical?
8. In what ways is the voice of the laity respected in the Church?
¿De qué manera se respeta la voz de los laicos en la Iglesia?
originally published in the Church Today, Jan. 24, 2022
Synodality and ecumenism require walking together, says cardinals
By Carol Glatz, Catholic News Service
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — All Christians are invited to pray for unity and continue to journey together, said Cardinals Mario Grech, general secretary of the Synod of the Bishops, and Cardinal Kurt Koch, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.
Toward that end, the two offices came together to offer a prayer, which could be added to the other intentions during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity Jan. 18-25.
Inspired by the theme of this year’s Week of Prayer, “We saw the star in the East, and we came to worship him,” the prayer “offers a propitious occasion to pray with all Christians that the synod will proceed in an ecumenical spirit,” the two cardinals said in a joint news release Jan. 17.
“Conscious of our need for the accompaniment and the many gifts of our brothers and sisters in Christ, we call on them to journey with us during these two years and we sincerely pray that Christ will lead us closer to him and so to one another,” they said.
The prayer is:
“Heavenly Father, as the Magi journeyed toward Bethlehem led by the star, so by your heavenly light, guide the Catholic Church to walk together with all Christians during this time of synod. As the Magi were united in their worship of Christ, lead us closer to your Son, and so to one another, so that we become a sign of the unity that you desire for your church, and the whole creation. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.”
Cardinals Koch and Grech have been highlighting ways the local churches can implement an ecumenical dimension of the synodal process given that “synodality and ecumenism are processes of walking together,” they wrote in a joint letter dated Oct. 28, 2021, sent to bishops responsible for ecumenism within their episcopal conferences.
The Catholic Church inaugurated a synodal process, titled “For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, Mission” in October 2021. It will lead to a general assembly of the Synod of Bishops in October 2023.
Because a synodal church is a church which listens, “this listening should concern the totality of those who are honored by the name of Christian, since all the baptized participate to some degree in the sensus fidei,” Cardinals Grech and Koch wrote.
Ecumenism is an “exchange of gifts” and “one of the gifts Catholics can receive from the other Christians is precisely their experience and understanding of synodality,” they added.
Among the suggestions in the letter, the cardinals ask that dioceses reach out to the leaders of the main Christian communities in their area, inform them about the synodal process, invite them to appoint delegates to participate in the pre-synodal diocesan meetings and possibly to address the diocesan synodal assembly, organize listening sessions, and encourage them to send written reflections on the questionnaire included in the preparatory document.
The Synodal Church Survey
As Pope Francis invites all Catholics to have their voices heard leading up to 2023’s Synod of Bishops, the Diocese of Alexandria encourages everyone to share their thoughts. An eight-question survey is available on the Diocesan website at https://www.diocesealex.org.
The questions center under the theme “For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participating, and Mission.” The Diocesan Synod Committee will compile the responses into a report that will be submitted to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). The USCCB will then submit a report for the Synod of Bishops, which will adopt a final document. All dioceses across the globe are participating in the Synod.
originally published in the Church Today, Oct. 25, 2021
Taken from a transcript of Bishop Robert Marshall’s video message regarding Pope Francis’ call to synodality.
For a synodal church
Brothers and sisters in Christ,
Pope Francis recently convoked the Church of God in Synod. The word Synod and the concept of synodality may be new to you. The word itself comes from Greek and means “walking together.” As a pilgrim Church, we are reminded that we do not walk alone – we are joined on the path of discipleship by all of our brothers and sisters in faith – as well as those who are searching and who choose to walk with us. Over the centuries, the universal Church, the Church in various nations, and diocesan Churches have come together from time to time in synods to pray and to listen in dialogue with one another about the Church in general or about a particular topic or issue. Most of all, the participants in every synod commit themselves to listening to the Holy Spirit, and to discerning the will of God in their lives and in the life of the Church.
There are two things about the up-coming synod that will be different. The first difference is the topic. Pope Francis has asked us to reflect upon the concept of “synodality” itself. We are called to pray and discuss the role that listening to the Holy Spirit and discernment play in the life of our Church. The second difference, at least in our lifetimes, is that the entire Church – all of the baptized are invited to participate in this prayerful dialogue, in the process of listening to the Holy Spirit and discerning when and where our loving God is leading us.
The Holy Father has identified three characteristics that should be evident in the Church, three characteristics that should flow from our discernment – Communion, Participation, and Mission. As the Church of God, we are called to a special kind of unity with God and with our brothers and sisters called “Communion.” Indeed, we receive Holy Communion at Mass in order to become Communion, to be united to one another as the mystical Body of Christ. Just as the parts of our human body must work together so that we might breathe and walk, for example, so the Body of Christ must work together so that we might live our our discipleship and move together toward the eternal happiness of heaven.
The cooperation required to work together as the Body of Christ necessarily implies “Participation.” We are not to be idle spectators in the Church; we are called to be active participants. At each liturgical celebration, we are called to participate in thought, prayer, word, and action. As the gifts of bread and wine are placed on the altar, our joys and sorrows, our own sacrifices must join them. Further, the work of the Church in charity and evangelization is not carried out exclusively by priests, deacons, and religious sistesr and brothers, but by all of the baptized. If our faith is alive, we must share that faith by word and example, by accepting the love and mercy of Christ and by sharing those gifts with others.
The final words of our liturgical celebrations are some variation of “Go forth, the Mass is ended,” or “Ite Missa est” in Latin. We are sent forth in “Mission,” as the Latin root implies. Nourished and strengthened by our prayerful reflection on the Word of God, by our participation in the liturgy, and by our reception of Holy Communion, we are sent out to be Christ’s presence in the world, to all of those on the peripheries who have not yet encountered Christ. Each of us is sent in mission and all of us are sent in mission – together. We discern our route together, we cooperate with one another in evangelization, in charity, in faith formation.
I invite you over these next months to walk together as we listen for the Holy Spirit and discern where he is leading us.
May God bless you all.
Visit the Vatican’s website at synod.va for the preparatory document, a roadmap for diocesan participation, and various resources to aid your own prayer.
originally published in the Church Today, Oct. 25, 2021
Cardinal Dolan invites faithful to join pope on synodal path to Jesus
For his part, Cardinal Dolan described the process as one in which the pope “has asked us all to commence an examination of conscience on how we as a church are living up to the model of the church given us by Jesus.”
Specifically, he said, the “energy and direction driving the church” is rooted in the Holy Spirit rather than individuals. In addition, he added, the principles that guide the church are rooted in the Gospel and “the patrimony of the church’s settled teaching.”
He also noted that the return to God after earthly life “is most effectively accomplished precisely as a journey as we walk with and accompany each other, with Jesus as our guide.”
Finally, he said, “mercy, love, invitation, humility, joy, selfless, generous service and good example are our only tools, never harshness, condemnation or pride.”
“That seems to be synodality in a nutshell. We are loyal Catholics. The Holy Father has asked us to help him keep the church always under the direction Jesus, our good shepherd, intends,” he said.
In Cleveland, Bishop Edward C. Malesic compared the synodal process with the family Thanksgiving meal, the Magi’s journey to find the infant Jesus and the story about the two disciples encountering Jesus on the road to Emmaus.
Calling the synodal process “the largest consultation of the human family in history,” Archbishop Paul D. Etienne of Seattle said the two-year journey ahead requires dialogue, discernment and prayer as well as “listening to the word of God and the promptings of the Holy Spirit.”
“A synodal church recognizes that laypeople, too, have an important role of holding and passing on the tradition of the church. The sense of the faith that reside in the holy people of God has a valid voice in the mission of the church,” he said.
“Rather than so many people hunkering down in their own ideas and agendas, refusing to come up for air, we need the breath of the Holy Spirit to reunite us as God’s holy faithful people, to show us the way to walk together,” Archbishop Etienne told the congregation.
“Then we will be capable of seeing the world and the church through the eyes of God better, to better identify the signs of the time and interpret them through the lens of the Gospel and to better understand how to carry out the mission of Christ, the mission of the church.”
“You might say the synodal process is to help identify ways in which the Holy Spirit is already at work among us, identify what may be lacking, and who may not be at the table and who we may need to hear from in order to go forward in faith,” Bishop Raica said.
originally published in the Church Today, Sept. 27, 2021
Vatican releases guidance for dioceses to begin synodal path
By Carol Glatz
Catholic News Service
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The Vatican has issued the preparatory document and a “handbook” for dioceses as part of the global church’s preparation for the 2023 assembly of the Synod of Bishops, discussing the theme, “For a synodal church: communion, participation and mission.”
“Pope Francis invites the entire church to reflect on a theme that is decisive for its life and mission: ‘It is precisely this path of synodality which God expects of the church of the third millennium,’” the new document said.
As such, the preparatory document and its questions are “at the service of the synodal journey, especially as a tool to facilitate the first phase of listening to and consulting the people of God in the particular churches in the hope of helping to set in motion the ideas, energy and creativity of all those who will take part in the journey, and to make it easier to share the fruits of their efforts,” it said.
“The purpose of this synod is not to produce more documents. Rather, it is intended to inspire people to dream about the church we are called to be, to make people’s hopes flourish, to stimulate trust, to bind up wounds, to weave new and deeper relationships, to learn from one another, to build bridges, to enlighten minds, warm hearts, and restore strength to our hands for our common mission,” the preparatory document said.
The handbook or “vademecum” offers guidelines for bishops and those helping facilitate the synodal process locally on how they can best listen to and consult with Catholics and the wider community, particularly those on the margins of society, as well as Christians and non-Christians.
The materials were released Sept. 7 at a news conference at the Vatican and online in English and Spanish at the synod’s official website: synod.va/en.html and synod.va/es.html.
Pope Francis is scheduled to formally open the synod process at the Vatican Oct. 9-10, and the bishop of every diocese should open the process in his diocese Oct. 17. The diocesan phase runs until April.
The materials present a number of questions to help prompt reflection, input and ideas from as many people as possible.
The questions fall under 10 general themes, and people can address what is most pertinent to their situation and “share with honesty and openness about their real-life experiences, and to reflect together on what the Holy Spirit might be revealing through what they share with one another,” the document said.
Some suggested questions include: “To whom does our particular church ‘need to listen to’” and “how are the laity, especially young people and women, listened to? How do we integrate the contribution of consecrated men and women? What space is there for the voice of minorities, the discarded, and the excluded? Do we identify prejudices and stereotypes that hinder our listening? How do we listen to the social and cultural context in which we live?”
However, the basic and most fundamental question guiding the whole process is: “How does this ‘journeying together,’ which takes place today on different levels — from the local level to the universal one — allow the church to proclaim the Gospel in accordance with the mission entrusted to her; and what steps does the Spirit invite us to take in order to grow as a synodal church?” the document said.
Speaking at the Sept. 7 news conference, Cardinal Mario Grech, secretary-general of the Synod of Bishops, and others explained the main objectives and characteristics of a synodal process, which is “a spiritual process” that requires listening to the Holy Spirit as well as to each other.
“The synod will succeed or fail to the extent to which we rely on the Holy Spirit,” the cardinal said.
The cardinal urged reporters to offer “correct communication” of what the synod and synodality are about, including not painting it as “a parliament” or as different sides playing against each other “in which the one who has more strength influences or subjugates the other.”
When asked about the possibility of allowing women to vote in a Synod of Bishops, Cardinal Grech said he felt troubled by so much focus being on “the vote,” saying “it is not the vote that matters.”
What matters is the larger process that involves the entire people of God coming together to find common ground, which is not easy, he said. “So perhaps we have to insist more on how we can dialogue, converse, discern together in order to possibly reach this harmony,” find consensus and not depend so much on the votes cast during the later phase of a synod.
Xaviere Missionary Sister Nathalie Becquart, one of two undersecretaries to the Synod of Bishops, will be the first woman with a right to vote at a meeting of the Synod of Bishops. In March, when she was appointed, Cardinal Grech said permitting her to vote in a synod was “a major milestone” and was something that should not be limited to just this one institution or just to voting rights.
Myriam Wijlens, a canon lawyer and Synod of Bishops consultor, told reporters that women need to “present themselves” and speak up “courageously” during this consultation phase. It will also be important to listen to what women from non-Western cultures are saying, she added.
The handbook said even though dioceses will be asked to spend six months doing extensive outreach and consultation with as many people as possible, the synodal process “is not a mechanical data-gathering exercise or a series of meetings and debates.”
“Synodal listening is oriented toward discernment,” in which people listen to each other, to their faith tradition and to “the signs of the times in order to discern what God is saying to all of us,” it said.
Widespread participation is an important part of the diocesan process, the document said, with no one being excluded. “We must personally reach out to the peripheries, to those who have left the church, those who rarely or never practice their faith, those who experience poverty or marginalization, refugees, the excluded, the voiceless, etc.”
This will require creativity, especially in parts of the world where restrictions aimed at curbing the spread of COVID-19 are still in place, it added.
All the feedback that is generated throughout the listening process should be gathered into a “synthesis” after each gathering, followed by a “synthesis” to be written for each diocese and ultimately for each bishops’ conference.
Bishops’ conferences and the synods of the Eastern Churches will provide a synthesis of all the local feedback to the Synod of Bishops, and all of that material will be the basis for the writing of two working documents. Bishops and auditors will then gather with Pope Francis at the assembly of the Synod of Bishops in Rome in October 2023 to speak and listen to one another on the basis of the process that began at the local level.
The handbook said the synthesis “does not only report common trends and points of convergence, but also highlights those points that strike a chord, inspire an original point of view, or open a new horizon. The synthesis should pay special attention to the voices of those who are not often heard and integrate what we could call the ‘minority report,’” it said.
Bishops have an important role throughout the synodal process as “pastors, teachers and priests of sacred worship,” the handbook said. “Their charism of discernment calls them to be authentic guardians, interpreters, and witnesses to the faith of the church.”