The faithful have received the Holy Spirit in baptism and confirmation and are endowed with diverse gifts and charisms for the renewal and building up of the Church, as members of the Body of Christ. Discernment involves reflection and engages both the heart and head in making decisions in our concrete lives to seek and find the will of God. How can we implement Gods dream for the Church on the local level? The first image emerges from the community scene that constantly accompanies the journey of evangelization, since the preaching ministry of Jesus: everyone finds their place the crowd, the apostles, and the Lord (PD, 17-21). This diocesan phase is an opportunity for parishes and dioceses to encounter, experience, and live out the synodal journey together, thus discovering or developing synodal tools and pathways that are best suited for their local context, which will ultimately become the new style of the local Churches on the path of synodality. What space is given to participating in the ministries of lector and acolyte? On October 17, 2021, Bishop David M. OConnell, C.M., released a pastoral letter and issued a decree as he opened the Diocesan phase of the Synod with Mass at the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption. What paths are opening up for our local Church? The mission of the Church requires the entire People of God to be on a journey together, with each member playing his or her crucial role, united with each other. Synodality is not a corporate strategic exercise. For a Synodal The Synodal Process will naturally call for a renewal of structures at various levels of the Church, in order to foster deeper communion, fuller participation, and more fruitful mission. Preparatory Document for the 16th Ordinary General Assembly of WebFor a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation & Mission . They are the vital pillars of a Synodal Church. How are lay ministries and the responsibility of lay people promoted? The conversion and renewal of structures will come about only through the on-going conversion and renewal of all the members of the Body of Christ. That they may all be one (John 17:21). What difficulties and obstacles have they encountered? To assist the diocesan Bishop in this task, he is to appoint the Diocesan Contact Person or Team. - Re-read these experiences in greater depth: What joys did they bring? This rediscovery of the synodal roots of the Church will involve a process of humbly learning together how God is calling us to be as the Church in the third millennium. There is no hierarchy between them. Pope Francis has opened a synod on journeying together as a Church Beyond the diocesan phase of the current Synod, the diocesan synodal team can continue to promote and implement the path of synodality in the diocese into the future, in conjunction with the diocesan Bishop. Individuals can also contribute their consultation feedback directly to the diocese. In the same way, the Associations of the Faithful recognized by the Holy See consult their own members. Objectives of the Synodal Process 1.4The theme for this Synod: Towards a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, and Mission 1.5The Experience on the Local Level 2. For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, Mission Listening to one another is enriched by knowing each other and sharing life together. The current Synodal Process we are undertaking is guided by a fundamental question: How does this journeying together" take place today on different levels (from the local level to the universal one), allowing the Church to proclaim the Gospel? At the same time, the experience of synodality should not focus first and foremost on structures, but on the experience of journeying together to discerning the path forward, inspired by the Holy Spirit. Acts 9,2; 19,9.23; 22,4; 24,14.22). Library : For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, and What kind of feedback/response is expected in the diocesan synthesis? CBCEW Synodal Process Approaches to the Synodal Pathway Mission. Const. SHORT-TERM GOAL This global pandemic creates real logistical challenges, but also offers an opportunity to promote the revitalization of the Church at a critical time in human history, when many local Churches are facing various questions about the path forward. It can be important to allow sufficient time and suitable space for participants to share food and beverage, prolonging the experience of listening to one another in a less formal and more spontaneous exchange during break times. It will be a time to reflect on ecology and peace, life issues and migration. For a Synodal Church For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, and Mission. To raise awareness and encourage participation, wide publicity about the Synod can be carried out to communicate the significance and objectives of the Synod and how people can participate. Each diocese can discern the most conducive ways of enabling a Spirit-led synodal experience for its people, paying particular attention to those whose voices have not been heard in the past. The episcopal conferences and synods of Oriental Churches will then submit this synthesis that they assemble to the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops, which will compose the first edition of the working document (Instrumentum Laboris) on the basis of what was shared and experienced at the local level. In this sense, videos, videoconferences, Scripture reflections, and prayers can be proposed to those who contribute individually, in order to more closely unite them to the experience of synodality. These seven international meetings will in turn produce seven Final Documents that will serve as the basis for the second Instrumentum Laboris, which will be used at the Assembly of the Synod of Bishops in October 2023. These three dimensions are profoundly interrelated. FOR A SYNODAL CHURCH Each diocese, parish, or ecclesial group should not aim to cover all the questions but should discern and focus on those aspects of synodality most pertinent to its context. A Synodal Process is a time to dialogue with people from the worlds of economics and science, politics and culture, arts and sport, the media and social initiatives. The involvement of the synodal bodies of the local Churches is specifically requested, especially the Presbyteral Council and the Pastoral Council (PD, 31). You can also ask other questions, and we encourage you to do so. Holding synodal consultation meetings that bring together multiple parishes can be a good way of gathering a range of people from different socio-economic backgrounds, ethnicities, age groups, etc. Some examples of publicity materials are provided on the website. For the Synodal journey from 2021 to 2023, we propose to the following simplified version,[1] so that any group or liturgical assembly can pray it more easily. Therefore, the primary role of the diocesan Bishop in this Synodal Process is to facilitate the synodal experience of the whole People of God on the journey towards a more Synodal Church. Two or more parishes can come together to plan a series of joint synodal consultation meetings. In parishes, small Christian communities, lay movements, religious communities, and other forms of communion, women and men, young people and the elderly, we are all invited to listen to one another in order to hear the promptings of the Holy Spirit, who comes to guide our human efforts, breathing life and vitality into the Church and leading us into deeper communion for our mission in the world. Each diocese should aim for the widest participation possible, involving a variety of platforms. A synodal Church is a Church of participation and co-responsibility. The Preparatory Document and Vademecum provide information about the current Synod and offer guidelines for organizing the consultation process. Jul 28th, 2021. Excerpts from Relevant Church Documents, VIII. Further resources are available on the Synod website. This is the first responsibility of the Diocesan Contact Person(s), appointed to guide and animate the diocesan phase of the Synodal Process. Catholic Sat on Twitter A synodal Church walks forward in communion to pursue a common mission through the participation of each and every one of her members. Together, we are inspired by listening to the Word of God, through the living Tradition of the Church, and grounded in the sensus fidei that we share. Guided by the Holy Spirit, we make up the living stones through whom God builds up the Church that he desires for the third millennium (1 Peter 2:5). For a Synodal Church II. How do we promote participation in decision-making within hierarchical structures? For individual submissions to the consultation, adequate information and materials should be distributed in a timely way so that the views expressed can be included in the diocesan synthesis. These two perspectives enrich one another and are helpful for our common discernment towards deeper communion and more fruitful mission. We see throughout the Gospels how Jesus reaches out to all. For a Synodal Church We encourage you to reflect on these two images as a source of nourishment and inspiration in the Synodal Process. For a Synodal Church - United States Conference of During the consultation process, the key role of the Bishop is to listen. These regions and dioceses are called to creatively articulate the synodal processes already underway with the phases of the current Synod taking place across the entire Church. 1.1 What is the purpose of this Vademecum? Participants Guide How do we promote the active participation of all the faithful in the liturgy? WebFOR A SYNODAL CHURCH: COMMUNION, PARTICIPATION, MISSION INSTRUMENTUM LABORIS For the First Session (October 2023) TABLE OF CONTENTS Foreword The journey so far A working tool for the second phase of the synodal journey The structure of the text A. WebFor a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, and Mission FOCUS QUESTION synodal Church, in announcing the Gospel, journeys together. How is this journeying together happening today in your local Church? No one Synodal Process is going to resolve all our concerns and problems. Background for this Synod, 1.3 What is the aim of this Synod? New and creative pathways may be found for working together among parishes and dioceses in order to bring this Synodal Process to fruition. The upcoming Synod is entitled: For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, and Mission. [4] FRANCIS, Address at the Ceremony Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the Institution of the Synod of Bishops (17 October 2015). First Phase [October 2021 April 2022] in Dioceses and Bishops Conferences Leading up to the Assembly of Bishops in Synod in October 2023 Synod of Bishops The Vatican, Prayer for the Synod: Adsumus Sancte Spiritus. For a Synodal Church The Secretariat issued its preparatory document and a Vademecum (handbook) to assist local dioceses and Churches ahead of the first phase of the multi-year Synodal Process for the global Church. For a Synodal Church The seeds of division bear no fruit. Based on the documents produced at the continental level, a second edition of the Instrumentum Laboris will be elaborated for the use of the Assembly of the Synod of Bishops in October 2023 (General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops). Resources needed for the consultation process should be identified and made available, including an overall budget, physical facilities, and online platforms. The path of synodality seeks to make pastoral decisions that reflect the will of God as closely as possible, grounding them in the living voice of the People of God (ICT, Syn., 68). In creating the opportunity for listening and dialogue on the local level through this Synod, Pope Francis is calling the Church to rediscover its deeply synodal nature. It is contrary to the spirit of synodality to antagonize others or to encourage divisive conflicts that threaten the unity and communion of the Church. This is why the entire body of the faithful, anointed as they are by the Holy One, cannot err in matters of belief. If there is more than one diocesan contact person, it is recommended that at least one woman and one man be appointed. Your conversation and dialogue do not need to be limited to the following questions: In the Church and in society we are side by side on the same road. The feedback received from these local gatherings will then be compiled in an overall synthesis at the diocesan level. For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, and Mission. - Where Peter Is Homily for the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B 2021 Fr. WebThe three dimensions of the theme are communion, participation, and mission. In addition to the more formal aspects of speaking and listening to one another, it is important that gatherings have informal moments as well. Such nuanced reactions are often part of the synodal path. WebGoals & Objectives SHORT-TERM GOAL Hold listening sessions across the Archdiocese in a synodal spirit reecting on the state of the Church, journeying together. LONG-TERM GOAL Creating a more Synodal Church here in the Archdiocese of New York OBJECTIVES Listen to all No one should be excluded Dream about the Church we are called to be The synods working document, released at the Vatican on June 20, highlights three priorities for building a synodal church: communion, mission and participation. The diocesan Bishop holds a key role in listening to the People of God in his diocesan Church. However, this journey together not only unites us more deeply with one another as the People of God, it also sends us out to pursue our mission as a prophetic witness that embraces the entire family of humanity, together with our fellow Christian denominations and other faith traditions. How are teamwork and co-responsibility put into practice? Approaches to the Synodal Pathway The communion we share finds its deepest roots in the love and unity of the Trinity. In the end, this Synodal Process seeks to move towards a Church that is more fruitfully at the service of the coming of the kingdom of heaven. In addition, he can also listen by reviewing the feedback gathered from the consultations, discerning what the Holy Spirit is saying through the people entrusted to his care. The Second Vatican Council highlights that all human beings are called to the new people of God (LG, 13). Then a synthesis will be formulated by the episcopal conferences and synods of Oriental Churches, on the basis of the syntheses received from the local Churches. In responding to this question, we are invited to: - Recall our experiences: What experiences of our local Church does this question call to mind? Dialogue requires perseverance and patience, but it also enables mutual understanding. This is to be submitted to the episcopal conference by a specified date. Fr John McGowan OCD. 9) The temptation to listen only to those who are already involved in Church activities. Rather, the diocesan synthesis should be an honest report of all that was shared during the diocesan phase of the Synodal Process, representing the variety of views and perspectives of the People of God. The Church in Aotearoa New Zealand 1. Catholic Sat on Twitter For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation and Mission As a good shepherd for his flock, the Bishop is called to go before the People of God, to stand in their midst, and to follow behind, ensuring that no one is left out or gets lost. The following are particular attitudes that enable genuine listening and dialogue as we participate in the Synodal Process. WebSynod 2021 - 2023: For a synodal Church: communion, participation, and mission. On the Churchs path of synodality, these participatory bodies on the diocesan level can prove fundamental, and from here a synodal Church can begin to emerge (EC, 7). Other ecclesial bodies will also receive this Vademecum and Questionnaire (see Part 5) to take part in the consultation and can elaborate their own synthesis. This change calls for a personal and communal conversion that makes us see things as the Lord does. In April 2021, Pope Francis initiated a synodal journey of the whole People of God, to begin in October 2021 in each local Church and culminating in October 2023 in the Assembly of the Synod of Bishops. Besides developing mutual trust among participants, this could also help foster the participation of people who are more attracted by practical action rather than intellectual discussion. The heart of this stage is are the synodal consultation meetings that happen across the diocese. Nevertheless, fixating on the problems will only lead us to be overwhelmed, discouraged, and cynical. If we want to speak of a synodal Church, we cannot remain satisfied with CHECKLIST AND BACKGROUND MATERIALS For a Communities currently in the grips of the COVID-19 pandemic are likely to organize different dialogue and listening opportunities than those with high rates of recovery. o Being inclusive: A participatory and co-responsible Church, capable of appreciating its own rich variety, embraces all those we often forget or ignore. [5] FRANCIS, Address at the Ceremony Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the Institution of the Synod of Bishops (17 October 2015). It requires us to learn and exercise the art of personal and communal discernment. Fr John McGowan OCD. 4.5 The Basic Ingredients of the Synodal Experience. Webis 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. WebWorking Document Summary. for a synodal church