Synod on Synodality - February 20, 2022

Did you know the Catholic Church is engaged in a Synod on Synodality? Synodality is term meaning the process of fraternal collaboration and discernment. The current Synod is a two-year process of listening and dialogue which began late 2021 and will conclude in 2023. As such we are invited to reflect and answer questions which will be summarized and gathered by the bigger Church. I’d invite anyone to answer any of the questions below and reply back to me at frgreg@popolathe.org. Please be as clear and brief as possible. A great way to to do this might be to reflect on the questions with any faith-related group you are involved in. They are pretty deep questions, so God be with you!

 

Peace,

 

We stand before You, Holy Spirit, as we gather in Your name. With You alone as our guide, be at home in our hearts; teach us your ways, and how we should pursue them. We are weak and sinful; do not let us not promote disorder, but rather harmony. Do not let stubbornness or partiality forge us down the wrong path. May we find in You our unity, so that all may be led to eternal life, never straying from your paths of truth and goodness. This we ask You, who are at work in every place and time, in the communion of the Father and the Son, now and forever. Amen.

 

Give an example of our Church being a “listening” Church. What factors might hamper the Church in listening to her people? What does it mean to you to be listened to, and be heard?

 

What factors help make forthright and heartfelt communication—speaking the truth in love—more likely to occur? How might our parishes be places where all feel secure in sharing their thoughts and feelings? How prominent or effective is the voice of a Christian worldview in news, entertainment, sports and social media?

 

How do prayer, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and other liturgical celebrations inspire and guide our family life and mission in our community? How do we promote prayerful, reverent and active participation of the faithful in our liturgies? In what ways does the Real Presence of our Lord Jesus, Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity in the Eucharist nourish us and equip us for carrying out the Church’s mission in our parish/school/ministry and in our local community? How can we help people come to a deeper understanding of the Lord’s Real Presence in the Eucharist?

 

How is every baptized person called to participate in the mission of Christ’s Church? What hinders the baptized from being active in this mission?

 

What groups or individuals can you think of who may be unchurched or often forgotten, not evangelized, or not listened to? What steps do you suggest for the Church to be more accepting and welcoming?

 

How are lay ministries and the responsibility of lay people promoted? How do advisory bodies function in our parish or ministry (i.e. pastoral council, finance council, parish committees, school council, etc.)? How can we foster better collaboration?

 

What methods and processes do we use in decision-making? How can they be improved? In our decision-making, do we pray and listen to the faithful and to the Holy Spirit? How are transparency and accountability promoted at our parish or local ministry?

 

How does our parish or ministry help form and encourage people to be better disciples of Jesus, participate in the Church’s mission, and engage in the work of evangelization? How are we equipped to respond to the dynamics of the culture in which we live with Jesus’ message of truth and love?

 

What are the places and means of dialogue within our local Church? How are differences of thought or conflicts and difficulties addressed?

 

What experiences of dialogue and collaboration do we have with believers who belong to other ecclesial communities or those who have no religious affiliation? What relationships does our parish have with members of other ecclesial communities? What beliefs do we have in common?