VADEMECUM

FOR THE SYNOD ON SYNODALITY

Official Handbook for Listening and Discernment in Local Churches:

Prayer for the Synod: Adsumus Sancte Spiritus

Every session of the Second Vatican Council began with the prayer Adsumus Sancte Spiritus, the first word of the original Latin, meaning, “We stand before You, Holy Spirit,” which has been historically used at Councils, Synods and other Church gatherings for hundreds of years, and is attributed to Saint Isidore of Seville (c. 560 – 4 April 636). As we embrace this Synodal Process, this prayer invites the Holy Spirit to be at work in us so that we may be a community and a people of grace. 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.

Introduction

What is the purpose of this Vademecum?

This Vademecum is designed as a handbook that accompanies the Preparatory Document at the service of the synodal journey. The two documents are complementary and should be read in tandem with one another. In particular, the Vademecum offers practical support to the Diocesan Contact Person(s) (or team), designated by the diocesan Bishop, to prepare and gather the People of God so that they can give voice to their experience in their local Church. This worldwide invitation to all the faithful is the first phase of the XVI Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, whose theme is “For a Synodal Church: communion, participation and mission.”

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. 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.

This handbook is offered as a guide to support each local Church’s efforts, not as a rulebook. Those who are responsible for organizing the process of listening and dialogue at the local level are encouraged to be sensitive to their own culture and context, resources, and constraints, and to discern how to implement this diocesan synodal phase, guided by their diocesan Bishop. We encourage you to take useful ideas from this guide, but also to have your own local circumstances as your starting point. New and creative pathways may be found for working together among parishes and dioceses in order to bring this Synodal Process to fruition. This Synodal Process need not be seen as an overwhelming burden that competes with local pastoral care. Rather, it is an opportunity to foster the synodal and pastoral conversion of each local Church so as to be more fruitful in mission.

Many regions already have established processes for engaging with the faithful at the level of their parishes, movements, and dioceses. We are conscious that there are a number of countries where the local Church has initiated a synodal conversation of its own, including the Ecclesial Assembly in Latin America and the Caribbean, the Plenary Council in Australia, and the synodal journeys in Germany and Ireland. There are also many diocesan synods that have taken place all over the world, including several that are currently underway. 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. For certain other regions, the experience of this Synodal Process is new and uncharted territory. Our
intention is that the resources offered through this Vademecum might providehelpful tools at the service of all, by proposing good and fruitful practices that can be adapted along the way as we journey together. In addition to this handbook, the Vademecum includes: a) online liturgical, biblical, and prayer resources, as well as b) more detailed methodological suggestions and tools, c) examples from recent synodal exercises, and d) a Glossary of Terms for the
Synodal Process.

It is especially important that this listening process happen in a spiritual setting that supports openness in sharing as well as hearing. For this reason, you are encouraged to root the local experience of the Synodal Process in meditation on Scripture, the liturgy, and prayer. In this way, our journey of listening to one another can be an authentic experience of discerning the voice of the Holy Spirit. Authentic discernment is made possible where there is time for deep reflection and a spirit of mutual trust, common faith, and a shared purpose.

The Preparatory Document reminds us of the context in which this Synod is taking place – a global pandemic, local and international conflicts, growing impact of climate change, migration, various forms of injustice, racism, violence, persecution, and increasing inequalities across humanity, to name a few. In the Church, the context is also marked by the suffering experienced by minors and vulnerable people “due to sexual abuse, the abuse of power, and the abuse of conscience perpetrated by a significant number of clerics and consecrated persons.” (FRANCIS, Letter to the People of God (20 August 2018). With all this being said, we find ourselves at a crucial moment in the life of the Church and the world. The COVID-19 pandemic has made existing inequalities explode. At the same time, this global crisis has revived our sense that we are all in the same boat, and that “one person’s problems are the problems of all” (FT, 32). The context of the COVID-19 pandemic will surely affect the unfolding of the Synodal Process. 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.

In the midst of this context, synodality represents the path by which the Church can be renewed by the action of the Holy Spirit, listening together to what God has to say to his people. 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.

What is Synodality? Background for this Synod

By convening this Synod, 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.” (FRANCIS, Address for the ceremony commemorating the 50th anniversary of the institution of the Synod of Bishops (17 October 2015)). Following in the wake of the renewal of the Church proposed by the Second Vatican Council, this common journey together is both a gift and a task. By reflecting together on the journey that has been made so far, the diverse members of the Church will be able to learn from one another’s experiences and perspectives, guided by the Holy Spirit (PD, 1). Enlightened by the Word of God and united in prayer, we will be able to discern the processes to seek
God’s will and pursue the pathways to which God calls us – towards deeper communion, fuller participation, and greater openness to fulfilling our mission in the world. The International Theological Commission (ITC) describes synodality this way:

‘Synod’ is an ancient and venerable word in the Tradition of the Church, whose meaning draws on the deepest themes of Revelation […] It indicates the path along which the People of God walk together. Equally, it refers to the Lord Jesus, who presents Himself as ‘the way, the truth and the life’ (Jn 14,6), and to the fact that Christians, His followers, were originally
called ‘followers of the Way’ (cf. Acts 9,2; 19,9.23; 22,4; 24,14.22).

First and foremost, synodality denotes the particular style that qualifies the life and mission of the Church, expressing her nature as the People of God journeying together and gathering in assembly, summoned by the Lord Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit to proclaim the Gospel. Synodality ought to be expressed in the Church’s ordinary way of living and working.

In this sense, synodality enables the entire People of God to walk forward together, listening to the Holy Spirit and the Word of God, to participate in the mission of the Church in the communion that Christ establishes between us. Ultimately, this path of walking together is the most effective way of manifesting and putting into practice the nature of the Church as the pilgrim and missionary People of God (PD, 1).

The entire People of God shares a common dignity and vocation through Baptism. All of us are called in virtue of our Baptism to be active participants in the life of the Church. 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. As the Church embarks on this synodal journey, we must strive to ground ourselves in experiences of authentic listening and discernment on the path of becoming the Church that God calls us to be.

What is the aim of this Synod? Objectives of the Synodal Process

The Church recognizes that synodality is an integral part of her very nature. Being a synodal Church finds expression in ecumenical councils, Synods of Bishops, diocesan Synods, and diocesan and parish councils. There are many ways by which we experience forms of “synodality” already across the Church. Yet being a synodal Church is not limited to these existing institutions. Indeed, synodality is not so much an event or a slogan as a style and a way of being by which the Church lives out her mission in the world. 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. A synodal Church walks forward in communion to pursue a common mission through the participation of each and every one of her members. The
objective of this Synodal Process is not to provide a temporary or one-time experience of synodality, but rather to provide an opportunity for the entire People of God to discern together how to move forward on the path towards being a more synodal Church in the long-term.

One of the fruits of the Second Vatican Council was the institution of the Synod of Bishops. While the Synod of Bishops has taken place up until now as a gathering of bishops with and under the authority of the Pope, the
Church increasingly realizes that synodality is the path for the entire People of God. Hence the Synodal Process is no longer only an assembly of bishops but a journey for all the faithful, in which every local Church has an integral
part to play. The Second Vatican Council reinvigorated the sense that all the baptised, both the hierarchy and the laity, are called to be active participants in the saving mission of the Church (LG, 32-33). 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. Thus the teaching authority of the Pope and the bishops is in dialogue with the sensus fidelium, the living voice of the People of God (cf. Sensus Fidei in the Life of the Church, 74). 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). It is noted that collaborating with theologians – lay, ordained, and religious – can be a helpful support in articulating the voice of the People of God expressing the reality of the faith on the basis of lived experience.

While recent Synods have examined themes such as the new evangelization, the family, young people, and the Amazon, the present Synod focuses on the topic of synodality itself.

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? and what steps is the Spirit inviting us to take in order to grow as a synodal Church? (PD, 2)

In this light, the objective of the current Synod is to listen, as the entire People of God, to what the Holy Spirit is saying to the Church. We do so by listening together to the Word of God in Scripture and the living Tradition of the Church, and then by listening to one another, and especially to those at the margins, discerning the signs of the times. In fact, the whole Synodal Process aims at fostering a lived experience of discernment, participation, and co-responsibility, where a diversity of gifts is brought together for the Church’s mission in the world.

In this sense, it is clear that 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 (PD, 32). Thus the objective of this Synodal Process is not only a series of exercises that start and stop, but rather a journey of growing authentically towards the communion and mission that God calls the Church to live out in the third millennium.

This journey together will call on us to renew our mentalities and our ecclesial structures in order to live out God’s call for the Church amid the present signs of the times. Listening to the entire People of God will help the Church to make pastoral decisions that correspond as closely as possible to God’s will (ITC, Syn., 68) The ultimate perspective to orient this synodal path of the Church is to serve the dialogue of God with humanity (DV, 2) and to journey together the kingdom of God (cf. LG, 9; RM, 20). 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.

The theme of this Synod, For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, and Mission

In the ceremony to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the institution of the Synod of Bishops in October 2015, Pope Francis declared that “the world in which we live, and which we are called to love and serve, even with its contradictions, demands that the Church strengthen cooperation in all areas of her mission.” This call to cooperate in the mission of the Church is addressed to the entire People of God. Pope Francis made this clear when he issued a direct invitation to all the People of God to contribute to Church efforts towards healing: “every one of the baptised should feel involved in
the ecclesial and social change that we so greatly need. 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.

KEY WORDS FOR THE SYNODAL PROCESS

The theme of the Synod is “For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, and Mission.” The three dimensions of the theme are communion, participation, and mission. These three dimensions are profoundly interrelated. They are the vital pillars of a Synodal Church. There is no hierarchy between them. Rather, each one enriches and orients the other two. There is a dynamic relationship between the three that must be articulated with all three in mind.

Communion: By his gracious will, God gathers us together as diverse peoples of one faith, through the covenant that he offers to his people. The communion we share finds its deepest roots in the love and unity of the Trinity. It is Christ who reconciles us to the Father and unites us with each other in the Holy Spirit. 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. We all have a role to play in discerning and living out God’s call for his people.

Participation: A call for the involvement of all who belong to the People of God – laity, consecrated and ordained – to engage in the exercise of deep and respectful listening to one another. This listening creates space for us to hear the Holy Spirit together, and guides our aspirations for the Church of the Third Millennium. Participation is based
on the fact that all the faithful are qualified and are called to serve one another through the gifts they have each received from the Holy Spirit. In a synodal Church the whole community, in the free and rich diversity of its members, is called together to pray, listen, analyse, dialogue, discern and offer advice on making pastoral decisions which correspond as closely as possible to God’s will (ICT, Syn., 67-68). Genuine efforts must be made to ensure the inclusion of those at the margins or who feel excluded.

Mission: The Church exists to evangelize. We can never be centred on ourselves. Our mission is to witness to the love of God in the midst of the whole human family. This Synodal Process has a deeply missionary dimension to it. It is intended to enable the Church to better witness to the Gospel, especially with those who live on the spiritual, social, economic, political, geographical, and existential peripheries of our world. In this way, synodality is a path by which the Church can more fruitfully fulfil her mission of evangelization in the world, as a leaven at the service of the coming of God’s kingdom.

The Experience on the Local Level

The first phase of the Synodal Process is a listening phase in local Churches. Following an opening celebration in Rome on Saturday, October 9, 2021, the diocesan phase of the Synod will begin on Sunday, October 17, 2021. To assist the initial phase of the synodal journey, the General Secretary of the Synod of Bishops, Cardinal Mario Grech, wrote to each Bishop in May 2021, inviting him to appoint a contact person or team to lead the local listening phase. This person or team is also the liaison between the diocese and parishes, as well as between the diocese and the episcopal conference. Local Churches are asked to provide their responses to their episcopal conference to enable aggregation of ideas prior to the deadline of April 2022. In this way, episcopal conferences and the synods of Oriental Churches can in turn provide a synthesis to the Synod of Bishops. This material will be synthesised as the basis for the writing
of two working documents (known as the Instrumentum Laboris). Finally, the Assembly of the Synod of Bishops will be held in Rome in October 2023.

As stated in the Preparatory Document (no. 31):

The purpose of the first phase of the synodal journey is to foster a broad consultation process in order to gather the wealth of the experiences of lived synodality, in its different articulations and facets, involving the Pastors and the Faithful of the [local] Churches at all the different levels, through the most appropriate means according to the specific local
realities: the consultation, coordinated by the Bishop, is addressed “to the Priests, Deacons and lay Faithful of their [local] Churches, both individually and in associations, without overlooking the valuable contribution that consecrated men and women can offer” (EC, 7). The contribution of the participatory bodies of the [local] Churches is specifically requested, especially that of the Presbyteral Council and the Pastoral Council, from which “a synodal Church [can truly] begin to take shape. (”FRANCIS, Address at the Ceremony Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the Institution of the Synod of Bishops (17 October 2015)).

Equally valuable will be the contribution of other ecclesial entities to which the Preparatory Document [and this Vademecum] will be sent, as well as that of those who wish to send their own contribution directly. Finally, it will be of fundamental importance that the voice of the poor and excluded also find a place, not only that of those who have some role or responsibility within the [local] Churches.

Religious communities, lay movements, associations of the faithful, and other ecclesial groups are encouraged to participate in the Synodal Process in the context of the local Churches. However, it is also possible for them, and for any group or individual that does not have an opportunity to do so at the local level, to contribute directly to the General Secretariat as stated in Episcopalis Communio (art. 6 on the Consultation of the People of God):

§1. The consultation of the People of God takes place in the particular Churches, through the Synods of Bishops of the Patriarchal Churches and the Major Archbishoprics, the Councils of Hierarchs and the Assemblies of Hierarchs of the Churches sui iuris and through the Episcopal Conferences. In each particular Church, the Bishops carry out the consultation of the People of God by recourse to the participatory bodies provided for by the law, without excluding other methods that they deem appropriate.

§2. The Unions, the Federations and the male and female Conferences of Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life consult the Major Superiors, who in their turn may approach their own Councils and other members of the Institutes and Societies in question.

§3. In the same way, the Associations of the Faithful recognized by the Holy See consult their own members.

§4. The dicasteries of the Roman Curia offer their contribution, taking account of their respective particular areas of competence.

§5. The General Secretariat of the Synod may identify other forms of consultation of the People of God. Each listening phase will be adapted to local circumstances. People in remote communities with limited internet access are likely to have a different involvement than those in urban settings. 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. Whatever the local circumstances, the Diocesan Contact Person(s) are encouraged to focus on maximum inclusion and participation, reaching out to involve the greatest number of people possible, and especially those on the periphery who are often excluded and forgotten. Encouraging the widest participation possible will help to ensure that the syntheses formulated at the levels of dioceses, episcopal conferences, and the whole Church capture the true realities and lived experience of the People of God. Because this engagement of the People of God is foundational, and a first taste of the experience of synodality for many, it is essential that each local listening exercise be guided by the principles of communion, participation, and mission that inspire this synodal path. The unfolding of the Synodal Process at a local level must also involve:

• Discernment through listening, to create space for the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
• Accessibility, in order to ensure that as many people as possible can participate, regardless of location, language, education, socio-economic status, ability/disability, and material resources.
• Cultural awareness to celebrate and embrace the diversity within local communities.
• Inclusion, making every effort to involve those who feel excluded or marginalized.
• Partnership based on the model of a co-responsible Church.
• Respect for the rights, dignity, and opinion of each participant.
• Accurate syntheses that truly captures the range of critical and appreciative perspectives of all responses, including views that are expressed only by a minority of participants.
• Transparency, ensuring that processes of invitation, involvement, inclusion, and aggregation of input are clear and well communicated.
• Fairness, ensuring that participation in the listening process treats each person equally, so that every voice can be duly heard.

The Diocesan Contact Person(s) are encouraged to tap into the richness of the lived experience of Church in their local context. Throughout the diocesan phase, it is helpful to keep in mind the principles of the Synodal Process and the need for some structure to the conversation, so that it can be synthesised and effectively inform the writing of the working documents (Instrumentum Laboris). We aim to be attentive to how the Spirit speaks through the People of God.

The Suggested tools for reflecting, sharing, and responding to the questions of the Synod

The following are some tools for reflecting, sharing, and responding to the questions of the Synod. Some of these tools are particularly suitable for children, youth, and people who prefer approaches that are simple and easy to relate to.

Narrative approach: Telling or writing one’s own faith story and journey with the Church

One’s life story. People can be invited to tell their story, their view of faith, the way they have sought to take their place in the Church. During the diocesan or national synthesis, care should be taken not to read these stories as simple testimonies, but to hear what paths they open up for the local churches.

A text that drives exchanges. We can invite a small group of people to write a joint text; then other groups of people react to this text and comment on it from their own daily lives. This way of doing things can be applied to hearing one another’s life stories, which can be shared with groups of other people. All these words can also open the eyes of other Christians on the mission of the Church and its capacity to “reach everyone.”

Finding the right words. Participants can be invited to say what the Church evokes in them, or to name the words that designate what it takes to “walk together with Jesus” (a possible translation of synodality), and then which words are opposed to “walking together”; they can then be invited to explain why they evoked this or that word. The participants can then choose which words are the most significant and the most apt to convey the group’s message.

Using images and artistic creation

Communicating through images. Presented with various images, people are invited to find those that best capture what walking together in the Church means to them. Participants can then share why they chose that particular image. On the basis of these exchanges, a joint text can be written.

An individual or shared artistic creation. People are invited to draw an image of the Church in which they walk together, and they are asked to comment on their drawing. People can also make an artistic creation together, as a way of visually representing the Church or their place in it. In any case, once the work has been created, participants are invited to share about what they have created; their comments can then be transmitted as well as their creative works.

Writing together. Participants are invited to write a story, a poem, a prayer, a psalm, or a songon the theme of “walking together with Jesus” or “walking together in the Church.” This piece of writing may be intended to update selected passages from the Gospels or the Acts of the Apostles. What they write can be passed on as it is. It can also be proclaimed during synodal celebrations (for example, if it is a song, it can become a dance for the synodal celebration). Acting it out. A group of participants can write a short play that expresses what it means to “walk together” in the Church, why it is important, why it is difficult, etc. This story can then be acted out and performed at a Synodal assembly.

Scriptural approach

Gospel sharing. The Word of God inspires and enlightens our journey together, giving us food to share with one another on the way. Participants are invited to comment on the attitudes of the characters and to react to them; they may be asked if a particular gesture or word of Jesus reminds them of, or sheds light on, something in their daily lives. We can then look for how a particular Gospel passage renews our way of living in the Church. For example, we can read Mk 10:46-52, observing the attitude of the different characters, what it evokes of the Church as we know it, and then how Jesus allows the excluded Bartimaeus to walk forward with everyone. We can likewise pray over Luke 24:13-35, seeing Jesus transform the disciples’ disappointment into missionary joy and dynamism on the road to Emmaus, as he made their hearts burn within them, walking with them on the way.
(Cf. Note of the Centre Sèvres on the Voice of the Poor)

Links and other suggested resources

General Secretariat for the Synod of Bishop’s website for the Synod on Synodality. To access click here.

Synod on Synodality’s resource website. To access click here.

Diocesan links and other resources for the Synodal Pathway
(Please let us know of any updated links and resources)

• Armagh Prays
• Synod 2016
• Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin
• Diocese of Derry
• Diocese of Dublin 

Conversation in the Spirit

A conversation in the Spirit focuses on the quality of one’s capacity to listen as well as the quality of the words spoken. This means paying attention to the spiritual movements in oneself and in the other person during the conversation, which requires being attentive to more than simply the words expressed. This quality of attention is an act of respecting, welcoming, and being hospitable to others as they are. It is an approach that takes seriously what happens in the hearts of those who are conversing. There are two necessary attitudes that are fundamental to this process: active listening and speaking from the heart.

The aim of conversations in the Spirit is to create an atmosphere of trust and welcome, so that people can express themselves more freely. This helps them to take seriously what happens within them as they listen to others and speak. Ultimately, this interior attentiveness makes us more aware of the presence and participation of the Holy Spirit in the process of sharing and discernment. The focus of a conversation in the Spirit is on the person to whom we are listening, on ourselves, and what we are experiencing at a spiritual level. The fundamental question
is: “What is happening in the other person and in me, and how is the Lord working here?”

a) Active Listening

• Through active listening, the goal is to try and understand others as they are. We listen not only to what the other person says, but also to what he or she means and what he or she might be experiencing on a deeper level. This means listening with a heart that is open and receptive.
• This way of listening is “active” because it involves paying attention to more than one level of expression of the other. In order to do so, one must participate actively in the listening process.
• We listen to the other while he or she is speaking, and do not focus on what we are going to say afterwards.
• We welcome, without judgment, what the other person says, no matter what we think about the person or what they have said. Each person is an expert on his or her own life. We must listen in a way that is “more disposed to giving a good interpretation to what the other says than condemning it as false” (Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius, no. 22).
• We must believe that the Holy Spirit speaks to us through the Conversation in the Spirit other person.
• Welcoming without prejudice is a deep way of welcoming the other in his or her radical uniqueness.
• Active listening is letting oneself be influenced by the other and learning from the other.
• Active listening is demanding because it requires humility, openness, patience, and involvement, but it is an effective way of taking others seriously.

b) Speaking from the Heart

• This means sincerely expressing oneself, one’s experience, one’s sentiments and thoughts.
• It involves speaking about one’s own experience and what one truly thinks and feels.
• We take responsibility not only for what we say, but also for what we feel.
• We do not blame others for what we feel.
• We share the truth as we see it and as we live it, but do not impose it.
• Speaking from the heart is offering a generous gift to the other, in return for being actively listened to.
• This process is greatly enriched by a regular personal practice of prayerful self-examen. Without a habit of discernment and knowledge of oneself and how God is present in one’s life, one cannot actively listen or speak from the heart.

In summary, what are the desired attitudes for a conversation in the Spirit?

• Listen actively and attentively.
• Listen to others without judgment.
• Pay attention not only to the words, but also to the tone and feelings of the one who is speaking.
• Avoid the temptation of using the time to prepare what you will say instead of listening.
• Speak intentionally.
• Express your experiences, thoughts, and feelings as clearly as you can.
• Listen actively to yourself, mindful of your own thoughts and feelings as you speak.
• Monitor possible tendencies to be self-centred when speaking.

Synodal Listening Sessions with Young People

Facilitator’s Guide

The Synodal Journey an Introduction

On October 9-10th in Rome Pope Francis launched the theme of the 2023 Synod of Bishops – For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, Mission.  This Synod, which examines what life is like in the Church at this moment in time, is unlike any synod that has gone before and involves the largest consultation with the lay faithful in Church history.   Importantly the current Synodal process asks questions about how we make decisions, how we create community and how welcoming are we are? Importantly it asks us to consider if we provide opportunities for all to participate in the mission of the Church, and bring the love of Christ into every corner of the world? 

Pope Francis asks the entire Church to journey together over the next two years and in introducing this new method of preparing for the gathering of Bishops at the Synod in 2023 ensures that this Synod is not just another meeting with oral presentations and written reports but the beginning of a new way of being Church.

The diocesan phase of the Synod was introduced in every parish across the Archdiocese of Armagh on October 17^th.  This is an important part of consultations that are happening across the world and marks the beginning of a wider conversation and consultation process that will take place in Ireland over the coming years.

We live in a period of great change and the journey we step out on offers opportunities to reflect on how we are currently operating as a Church.  The conversations we have now will resonate for a long time and it is important that young people are given the opportunity to express their experiences of Church and articulate their sense of what they think the Holy Spirit is asking of us here and now.

NB: The timeline for the Irish Synodal Pathway can be found at https://synod.ie/timeline/

Getting Started

In Christus Vivit, the post synodal exhortation that followed the Synod on Youth in October 2018, Pope Francis tells us that “Youth is more than simply a period of time; it is a state of mind.” And that “an institution as ancient as the Church can experience renewal and a return to youth at different points in her age-old history” (CV 34).  Young people have a vibrancy and energy that is coupled to a deep sense of justice, for this reason it is important that they are at the centre of our Synodal conversations for their voices and the freshness of their ideas can become catalysts for the “renewal” and a “return to youth” that Pope Francis calls for at this time. 

 

During this Synodal process Pope Francis asks for the widest and deepest consultation, one where each person speaks with Parrhesia, that is, with courage and freedom.   It can be difficult for young people to muster the courage to speak, and we must empower them to speak truthfully throughout this process. It is also important that safe environments are created to assist them. We therefore offer the following to for consideration when planning your gathering or facilitated listening:

• Planning: Ensuring that all resources needed are in place before your gathering. (Either in person or online)
• Scheduling: Ensure that you have allocated sufficient time for your conversations.
• Representation: Ensure that participants are broadly representative of all sectors of the Church and that a voice is given to marginalized communities and groupings.
• Know your community or group and their culture, adjust for language, disability etc.
• Make sure the language you use reflects your community, is accessible to young people and that it is culturally appropriate.
• Ensure that young people can ask questions of clarification if necessary.
• Given the nature of the conversations prepare for issues relating to pastoral care and safeguarding.  Know the protocol for reporting any disclosures that occur, ensuring that young people are not negatively impacted by the conversations.

Please check with your Group, School, Parish or Diocese for safeguarding policy, processes and reporting structures.

Facilitating Listening Sessions with Young People

Many young people come from different contexts and share their thoughts and opinions through different mediums.   For this reason, we offer three options for facilitating conversations that are designed to hear the thoughts and sentiments of young people across the Church.  

1. Individual Input: Graffiti Wall Exercise (Virtual or in Person)
2. Paired Conversation (Two young People)
3. Facilitated Group Conversation

Each option should last no more that 1 ½ hours and should share the following elements:

• A Group Agreement.
• Prayer.
• Pope Francis’ Synodal Vision.
• Synodal common ground activity.
• The opportunity to share freely their experiences and thoughts about the Church (in their parish, school or in the Archdiocese of Armagh
• Closing prayer or reflection. 

Desired Outcomes of the Listening Exercises

• To have a basic understanding of what Pope Francis’ vision of Synodality is.
• To freely share their experiences of the Church in a safe and positive environment.
• To experience what it is like to share their thoughts in an environment where others hold different points of view.
• To experience what it is like to be truly listened to.

 

Option 1: Individual Input: Graffiti Wall Exercise (Virtual or in Person)

Option 1 is the use of a facilitated Graffiti Wall Exercise.  This option is useful if you have young people who are reluctant to share in a group setting.  Graffiti walls give young people the freedom to express themselves in a ways and spaces they might not otherwise. For some, this freedom comes from the accessibility of a graffiti wall and for others it allows young people with language and other significant difficulties the opportunity to share their experiences in a safe and accessible manner.

This activity can be conducted both in person and virtually.  If you are planning on using all the activities contained in the prescribed programme, please allow 1 ½ hours for this conversation. 

See Appendix 7 for Materials and resources needed for this conversation.

Group Agreement It is important that the facilitator asks participants to agree that personal information shared during the conversation will be confidential and that no one should disclose personal information about other people by using names or other identifying features.  Remind each young person to share what they are comfortable sharing.  Ask that all young people show their agreement by raising their hand.

It is also important that you encourage young people to speak to you or a member of your staff/community/group after the conversation if they have more they want to say or something extra they want to share in private.

Remember the conversation may trigger some memories both positive and negative, and that you have a pastoral responsibility all who take part.

Outline of Graffiti Wall Exercise (Conversation Length 1 ½ Hour)

 Opening Prayer/Reflection (5 minutes)

Each facilitator is encouraged to open the conversation with the Adsumus Prayer.   The Holy Spirit is central to the conversations over the coming months, and it is important to note that every session of the Second Vatican Council began with the prayer Adsumus Sancte Spiritus.  The Prayer is as follows:

Adsumus Prayer

 We stand before You, Holy Spirit, as we gather together in Your name. With You alone to guide us, make Yourself at home in our hearts; Teach us the way we must go and how we are to pursue it.

We are weak and sinful; do not let us promote disorder. Do not let ignorance lead us down the wrong path nor partiality influence our actions. Let us find in You our unity so that we may journey together to eternal life and not stray from the way of truth and what is right.

All this we ask of You, who are at work in every place and time, in the communion of the Father and the Son, forever and ever. Amen.

The first word of the Latin original meaning, “We stand before You, Holy Spirit,” which has been historically used at Councils, Synods and other Church gatherings for hundreds of years, being attributed to Saint Isidore of Seville (c. 560 – 4 April 636).  As we embrace this new way of being Church and the synodal path, this prayer invites the Holy Spirit to operate within us so that we may be a community and a people of grace.

Sharing Pope Francis Synodal Vision (10 minutes)

 Facilitators are encouraged to use one of the video resources below to highlight Pope Francis vision for a Synodal Church and frame the conversation that the young people will engage in.

• Archbishop Eamon Martin speaks about the Synodal Pathway https://youtu.be/qQnKu7cmEg

• Rahai video entitled “Synod on Synodality- All You Need to Know. https://youtu.be/I5lAktuejwo

• Fr Eamonn Fitzgibbon explains the Irish Synodal Pathway. https://youtu.be/qQnKu7cGmEg

• Dr Jessie Rogers speaks about the Spirituality of Synodality. https://youtu.be/98kn-DUZYgA

The video by Rahai is included in the PowerPoint resources that accompany this guide and facilitators are encouraged to use this or substitute the one most appropriate to their context.

 Common Ground Activity (20 minutes)

Set-up: If conducting the activity in person stand in a large standing circle, if conducting virtually ask everyone to switch their camera to gallery view so they can see each participant.

Instructions: Let everyone know that their thoughts and input is valuable and ask them to share freely what their experiences of Church have been.  

Read the following statements one at a time and ask participants (if in person) to step into the circle if the statement is true for them, then to step back out. Explain that there are no right or wrong answers, just an opportunity to reflect on their own experiences and opinions. If this is being conducted online, then you can ask the young people to clearly raise their hand if the statement is true for them. 

Emphasize that participating in this activity is voluntary – so even if the statement is true for them, they don’t have to step in or raise their hand if they don’t want to. Everyone gets to decide when they step into the circle or raise their hand. Ask participants to pay attention to their thoughts and feelings about stepping into or not stepping into the circle for each statement.

Step into the circle if . . .

• You believe that the Church journeys with people in their daily lives.
• You believe that the Church listens to you, your family, and your friends.
• You believe we live in a community that is inclusive and where all are made welcome.
• You have witnessed or experienced the joy of being part of a parish community and parish life.
• You are concerned that many people all around the world and indeed here in Ireland do not have opportunities and equality.
• You believe we can all work together in the Church to make relationships safer and healthier and our communities the compassionate and peaceful ones Jesus asks of them.
• You believe that we all interconnected and that by building on that common ground we can make a difference as a Church.
• You are curious about building the Synodal Church that Pope Francis talks about but are not sure what you can do.
• You believe that young people need to lead the movement in our Church to create compassionate communities rooted in respect, equity, and justice.
• You believe the world can be a better place and that the Church has a strong role in making it so.

Ask the young people to remain in the circle for short discussion.

 Discuss these questions

1. Which statements were hardest to answer?
2. Which statements had the most consensus or most people in the circle or with their hands up?
3. How did it feel when you chose to step in?
4. How did if feel when you chose to stay out?
5. Which statements made you feel most powerful or hopeful?

NB:  you may wish to have another person observing the activity and recording the conversation.

Graffiti Wall Exercise (30 Minutes)

In Person Set up:

Three flip chart sheets of paper should be hung around the room with one of the statements below written at the top of each piece of paper. For this activity, you will need a clock or watch with a second hand or a stopwatch.

1. What memory or experience of the Catholic Church do you value or cherish most in your life?
2. How can our Church be a welcoming and inclusive community?
3. How can each one of us be listened to more effectively and encouraged to participate in decision-making in the Church?
4. What inspires you in the life of your parish or school community to bring the love of Christ into the world? What discourages you?

Instructions: Explain the activity and then divide the group into three smaller groups, ask that each group ensures that each person can offer some thoughts. Assign each group to one of the pieces of paper and provide a marker to each group. During the first rotation, give each group 5 minutes to write or draw all the ideas that they can come up with to answer the question at the top of their paper. At the end of five minutes, ask groups to rotate to the next flip chart paper. During the second rotation, give each group 5 minutes to do the same thing (repeat this step twice more, giving the students 10 minutes for the final two questions). Ask the young people to read what the groups before them wrote, before they write and to avoid writing what has already been written.

Online Set up:

Use breakout groups for the activity.  It is important that you have another facilitator to look after the IT requirements for the session and facilitators to chair the breakout groups.  Pre-allocate groups before the session begins. To facilitate online you may use either a Padlet Wall or a Google Doc to allow for sharing.  Again, these should be prepared prior to the session, the links to each shared with participants along with Group details.  With a GoogleDoc you can insert the questions listed below and participants can access and insert responses synchronously.

1. What memory or experience of the Catholic Church do you value or cherish most in your life?
2. How can our Church be a welcoming and inclusive community?
3. How can each one of us be listened to more effectively and encouraged to participate in decision-making in the Church?
4. What inspires you in the life of your parish or school community to bring the love of Christ into the world? What discourages you?

Instructions: Explain the activity, divide the group into three smaller groups, ask that each group gives everyone the chance to offer some thoughts. Assign each group to one of the questions prior to entering breakout rooms and outline the order in which they should complete the questions. Each group will have 30 minutes to respond to all questions and a message will be transmitted to the room asking them to respond to the next question. 

Group Discussion After Breakout Groups end.  (15 minutes)

Ask the young people to offer any closing thoughts they would like to give.  You may wish to ask the young people:

“Are there any closing remarks you would like to offer to Pope Francis as we journey to the 2023 Synod on Synodality?”

 Closing Prayer/Reflection (5 minutes)

This session will close with a prayer of your choice

Links to digital resources required for facilitating Graffiti Wall Listening Activity

• PowerPoint: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1RBGfXz1mkZOPiQKKS98NuMn-Xc8Ftxem?usp=sharing
• Common Ground and Graffiti Wall response sheets can be found at the following link:  https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1kbj4tjBeCTnDU1XBAGK2M_YDgQnBHIGv?usp=sharing

Option 2: Paired Conversation (Virtual or in Person)

Opening Prayer/Reflection (5 minutes)

As with option 1 each facilitator is encouraged to open the conversation with the Adsumus Prayer.  You may wish to speak into the background to the prayer.

Adsumus Prayer

 We stand before You, Holy Spirit, as we gather together in Your name. With You alone to guide us, make Yourself at home in our hearts; Teach us the way we must go and how we are to pursue it.

We are weak and sinful; do not let us promote disorder. Do not let ignorance lead us down the wrong path nor partiality influence our actions. Let us find in You our unity so that we may journey together to eternal life and not stray from the way of truth and what is right.

All this we ask of You, who are at work in every place and time, in the communion of the Father and the Son, forever and ever.Amen.

 Sharing Pope Francis Synodal Vision (10 minutes)

 As with option 1 facilitators are encouraged to use the video resources prepared to highlight Pope Francis vision for a Synodal Church and frame the conversations that young people will engage in.  See option 1 for respective links.  The video by Rahai is included in the PowerPoint resources that accompany this guide and facilitators are encouraged to use this or substitute the one most appropriate to their context.

 Common Ground Activity (20 minutes)  See option one for instructions on how to conduct the “Common Ground Activity”.

Paired Conversations (50 minutes)

Instructions: Participants pair off to discuss the four questions posed in the Archdiocese of Armagh. One person in the pair talks for 5 minutes, while the second listens, then they reverse talking and listening roles. Explain that you will read the question aloud, then again at the five-minute mark.  The participants are asked to repeat this process for all four questions and to note down their responses on the form provided, using additional paper if required.

1. What memory or experience of the Catholic Church do you value or cherish most in your life?
2. How can our Church be a welcoming and inclusive community?
3. How can each one of us be listened to more effectively and encouraged to participate in decision-making in the Church?
4. What inspires you in the life of your parish or school community to bring the love of Christ into the world? What discourages you?

 Closing Prayer/Reflection (5 minutes)

This session will close with a prayer of your choice

Links to digital resources required for facilitating Graffiti Wall Listening Activity

• PowerPoint: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1RBGfXz1mkZOPiQKKS98NuMn-Xc8Ftxem?usp=sharing
• Common Ground and Paired Conversation response sheets can be found at the following link:  https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1kbj4tjBeCTnDU1XBAGK2M_YDgQnBHIGv?usp=sharing

Option 3: Facilitated Group Conversation (In Person or Online)

Opening Prayer/Reflection (5 minutes)

As with option 1 each facilitator is encouraged to open the conversation with the Adsumus Prayer.  You may wish to speak into the background to the prayer.

Adsumus Prayer 

We stand before You, Holy Spirit, as we gather together in Your name. With You alone to guide us, make Yourself at home in our hearts; Teach us the way we must go and how we are to pursue it.

We are weak and sinful; do not let us promote disorder. Do not let ignorance lead us down the wrong path nor partiality influence our actions. Let us find in You our unity so that we may journey together to eternal life and not stray from the way of truth and what is right.

All this we ask of You, who are at work in every place and time, in the communion of the Father and the Son, forever and ever. Amen.

 Sharing Pope Francis Synodal Vision (10 minutes)

 As with option 1 facilitators are encouraged to either use their choice from the video resources prepared to highlight Pope Francis vision for a Synodal Church and frame the conversation that the young people will engage in.  See option 1 for respective links.  The video by Rahai is included in the PowerPoint resources that accompany this guide and facilitators are encouraged to use this or substitute the one most appropriate to their context.

 Common Ground Activity (20 minutes)  See option one for instructions on how to conduct the “Common Ground Activity”.

Facilitated Group Conversation (50 minutes)

It is suggested that this activity should have no more that 15 participants to aid the quality of the conversation.  After completing the Common Ground Activity participants are asked to form a continuous seated circle, place two chairs back-to-back in the centre of the circle.  Explain that one chair is allocated to the speaker and the other is allocated to the person wishing to speak next.  

Only those seated in the middle of the circle on the two seats are permitted to speak, those in the outer circle must listen to those speaking.  Synodal listening is different to mere auditory listening and facilitators could suggest that the young people try to “listen with all their senses” so that they can develop a deep sense of what the other persons point of view is and how this might reflect what God wants for our Church. The two seats must not be empty at any time (except when one person leaving the circle after speaking) and anyone can enter the speaking circle, take a chair and offer some thoughts.

The facilitator might ask the young people to think about the “Common Ground” activity they have just completed and think about the Synod questions on the PPT and tell the others:

• What struck them?
• What have they had difficulty with?

The facilitator should also place the questions posed on a PowerPoint in the room and ask the young people to speak into any question that is particularly important to them.  All should be encouraged to speak freely, and it is important to have an additional facilitator in the room to record responses.

Whilst this works best in person it is possible to modify it for use in an online gathering.  Questions should be circulated prior to the online conversation, and it may be necessary to modify the activity to mediate the difficulties of working online.

Links to digital resources required for facilitating Graffiti Wall Listening Activity

• PowerPoint: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1RBGfXz1mkZOPiQKKS98NuMn-Xc8Ftxem?usp=sharing
• Common Ground and Paired Conversation response sheets can be found at the following link:  https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1kbj4tjBeCTnDU1XBAGK2M_YDgQnBHIGv?usp=sharing

Concluding Notes

We would like to take the opportunity to thank each school, parish, and group in advance for your efforts to facilitate conversations with young people.  The conversations we will have over the coming months and years are some of the most important to be held in recent times.  It is important therefore that young people are involved and integrated in a meaningful way. Therefore, the next step for all schools, communities and other groups is to bring our young people together and collate their responses and reflections to the questions posed.   

The responses should be anonymous, and facilitators are asked to place these responses in an envelope and return them immediately after the gathering to the Diocesan Office, Ara Coeli, Cathedral Road, Armagh, BT61 7QY by Monday, February 28th.  The envelope should be marked Universal Synod.  Alternatively collated responses can be submitted electronically via Google Form links provided in the appendix below.

A gathering of representatives of every community and group across the Archdiocese will be held at the end of April to discuss the questions and responses agreeing a representative document that will be passed on, through the Irish Episcopal Conference, to the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops in Rome in August 2022.  

Notes: Synodal Listening with Young People

Responses to the Synod Questions

Graffiti Wall, Paired Conversation,  and Facilitated Conversation Activity

1. What memory or experience of the Catholic Church do you value or cherish most in your life?

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. How can our Church be a welcoming and inclusive community?

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

3. How can we be listened to more effectively and encouraged to participate in decision-making processes in the Church?

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4.  What inspires you in the life of your parish community to bring the love of Christ into the world? What discourages you?

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

National Synthesis

Between October 2021 and May 2022, faith-based conversations and consultations took place across the island of Ireland and, on 29th May, dioceses and groups submitted a synthesis document to the Bishops’ Conference. These submissions were reviewed in a spirit of prayer and discernment over the weekend of Pentecost (June 2022) by members of a National Steering Committee and the emerging themes were presented to representatives of these dioceses and groups at an assembly in Athlone on 18th June. Following the assembly, a further period of prayer and discernment began and the synthesis from the Catholic Church in Ireland was prepared for submission to the Synod office in Rome. The National Synthesis, Synthesis of the Consultation in Ireland for the Diocesan Stage of the Universal Synod 2021 – 2023, is now available in both English and Irish as a resource for further outreach, deeper reflection, and to gain greater insights.

To access the booklets please click here

WORKING DOCUMENT FOR THE CONTINENTAL STAGE

“Enlarge the space of your tent” (Is 54:2)

“Have among yourselves the same attitude that is also yours in Christ Jesus, Who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness” (Phil. 2:5-7)

Introduction

1. The Synod is on: one year after the opening of the synodal journey, we can enthusiastically affirm this! During this first part of the consultative phase, millions of people all over the world have been involved in the Synod’s activities: some by participating in the meetings at the local level, some by collaborating in the animation and coordination of the activities at the different levels, and some by offering the support of their prayers: “We also express our gratitude to the contemplative nuns who accompanied their people in prayer and continue to pray for the fruits of the Synod of Synodality” (EC Peru). All of these people who got involved are the real protagonists of the Synod!

2. They set in motion urged on by a desire to respond to the basic question guiding the entire process: “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?” (Preparatory Document, no. 2).

3. Along the way they experienced the joy of meeting as brothers and sisters in Christ, sharing what resonated within them from listening to the Word, and reflecting together on the future of the Church based on the impetus of the Preparatory Document (PD). This has nourished the desire for an increasingly synodal Church: synodality has ceased to be an abstract concept for them and has become a concrete experience; they have tasted its flavor and want to continue to do so. “‘Through this process we have discovered that synodality is a way of being Church – in fact, it is the way of being Church’. ‘The Holy Spirit is asking us to be more synodal’” (EC England and Wales).

4. Their experience has been translated into words, in the contributions that the different communities and groups have sent to the Dioceses. These submissions were synthesized and transmitted to the Episcopal Conferences, and in turn, from the outline contained in the PD, the Episcopal Conferences drafted a report that was sent to the General Secretariat of the Synod.

5. Globally, participation exceeded all expectations. In all, the Synod Secretariat received contributions from 112 out of 114 Episcopal Conferences and from all the 15 Oriental Catholic Churches, plus reflections from 17 out
of 23 dicasteries of the Roman Curia besides those from religious superiors (USG/UISG), from institutes of consecrated life and societies of apostolic life, and from associations and lay movements of the faithful. In addition, over a thousand contributions arrived from individuals and groups as well as insights gathered through social media thanks to the initiative of the “Digital Synod.” These materials were distributed to a group of experts: bishops, priests, consecrated men and women, lay men and lay women, from all continents and with very diverse disciplinary expertise. After reading the reports, these experts met for almost two weeks together with the writing group, composed of the General Relator, the Secretary General of the Synod, the Undersecretaries and various officials of the Synod Secretariat, plus members of the Coordinating Committee. This group was finally joined by the members of the General Council. Together they worked in an atmosphere of prayer and discernment to share the fruits of their reading in preparation for the drafting of this Document for the Continental Stage (DCS).

6. The quotations that punctuate the DCS try to give an idea of the richness of the materials received, letting the voices of the People of God from all parts of the world speak as much as possible on their own terms and find resonance. They are not to be interpreted as endorsing the positions of any particular area of the globe, nor as simply representing geographical variety, although care has been taken to ensure a certain balance in terms of source provenance. Rather, these quotes were chosen because they express in a particularly powerful, beautiful or precise way sentiments expressed more generally in many reports. However, it is clear that no single document could condense the depth of faith, vitality of hope and energy of charity that overflow from the contributions received. Behind them one glimpses the power and richness of the experience that the different Churches have had by setting out and opening themselves to the diversity of voices that have taken the floor. Enabling this encounter and dialogue is the meaning of the synodal journey, whose ultimate purpose is not to produce documents but to open horizons of hope for the fulfilment of the Church’s mission.

7. It is within this journey, which is far from reaching its conclusion, that this DCS is situated and finds its meaning. In view of the Continental Stage of the synodal journey, the Document organizes around a small number of nuclei the
hopes and concerns of the People of God from across the globe. In this way, it provides an opportunity for the local Churches to listen to each other’s voices in view of the Continental Assemblies in 2023. Their task will be to draw up a list of priorities, upon which the First Session of the XVI Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, which will be held from 4 to 29 October 2023, will carry out their discernment.

8. Clarifying the DCS’s function also allows us to focus on what it is not: it is not a conclusive document, because the process is far from being finished; it is not a document of the Church’s Magisterium, nor is it the report of a sociological survey; it does not offer the formulation of operational indications, goals and objectives, nor a full elaboration of a theological vision. Nonetheless it is theological in the sense that it is loaded with the exquisitely theological treasure contained in the experience of listening to the voice of the Spirit enacted by the People of God, allowing its sensus fidei to emerge. But it is also a theological document in the sense that it is orientated to the service of the Church’s mission: to proclaim Christ who died and rose again for the salvation of the world.

9. To avoid misunderstandings in its reading, it is essential to keep in mind the particular nature of the DCS, as well as its structure. The Document opens with a chapter that offers more than a simple account of ‘what happened’, presenting a narrative of the synodality experienced so far, with the consultation of the People of God in the local Churches and the discernment of the Pastors in the Episcopal Conferences: it profiles the synodal experience, presents the difficulties encountered and the most significant fruits gathered, identifying the cornerstones of what constitutes an authentic collective experience of the Christian faith. In this way it does not provide a definition of synodality in the strict sense – for this you can refer to the PD or the materials listed on the Synod website (www.synod.va) – but expresses the shared sense of the experience of synodality lived by those who took part. What emerges is a profound re-appropriation of
the common dignity of all the baptized. This is the authentic pillar of a synodal Church and the theological foundation of a unity which is capable of resisting the push toward homogenization. This enables us to continue to promote and make good use of the variety of charisms that the Spirit with unpredictable abundance pours out on the faithful.

10. The second chapter presents a biblical icon, the image of the tent with which chapter 54 of the book of Isaiah opens. This image and narrative represents a key to an interpretation of the contents within the DCS in the light of the Word, placing them in the arc of God’s promise that becomes a vocation for his People and his Church: “Enlarge the space of your tent!”

11. This tent is a space of communion, a place of participation, and a foundation for mission. In turn, the third chapter articulates the key words of the synodal journey connecting them with the fruits of listening to the People of God. It does so by gathering them around five generative tensions that are intertwined with one another:

1. listening as openness to welcome: this starts from a desire for radical inclusion – no one is excluded – to be understood in a perspective of communion with sisters and brothers and with our common Father; listening appears here not as an instrumental action, but as the assumption of the basic attitude of a God who listens to his People, as the following of a Lord whom the Gospels constantly present to us in the act of listening to the people who come to him along the roads of the Holy Land; in this sense listening is already mission and proclamation;

2. our outgoing drive toward mission. This is a mission that Catholics recognize as needing to be carried out with brothers and sisters of other confessions and in dialogue with believers of other religions, transforming human actions of care into authentically spiritual experiences that proclaim the face of a God who cares to the point of giving his own life so that we may have it in abundance;

3. carrying out the mission requires assuming a style based on participation, this corresponds to the full assumption of co- responsibility of all the baptized for the one mission of the Church arising from the common baptismal dignity;

4. the construction of concrete possibilities for living communion, participation and mission through structures and institutions inhabited by people properly formed and sustained by a living spirituality;

5. the liturgy, especially the Eucharistic liturgy, the source and summit of Christian life, which brings the community together, making communion tangible, enables the exercise of participation, and nourishes the momentum toward mission with the Word and the Sacraments.

12. Finally, the fourth chapter offers a glimpse toward the future by appealing to two levels both of which are indispensable for proceeding along the path: the spiritual level that seeks to orientate us towards a horizon of missionary synodal conversion, and the methodological one that traces our next steps for the Continental Stage.

13. The DCS will be understandable and useful only if it is read with the eyes of the disciple, who recognizes it as a testimony to the path of conversion toward a synodal Church. This means a Church that learns from listening how to renew its evangelizing mission in the light of the signs of the times, to continue offering humanity a way of being and living in which all can feel included as protagonists. Along this path, the lamp to our steps is the Word of God, which offers the light with which to reread, interpret and express the experience that has been lived.

14. Together we pray:
Lord, you have gathered all your People in Synod.
We give you thanks for the joy
experienced by those who decided to set out
to listen to God and to their brothers and sisters during this year,
with an attitude of welcome, humility, hospitality and siblinghood.
Help us to enter these pages as on “holy ground.”
Come Holy Spirit: may you be the guide of our journey together!

 

1. The experience of the synodal journey

15. The reports sent by Churches across the world give voice to the joys, hopes, sufferings and wounds of Christ’s disciples. In their words we hear resonate what lies at the heart of all humanity. They express the desire for a Church that walks with Christ under the guidance of the Spirit to fulfil its mission of evangelization. “Our current ‘synod’ experience has awakened in the lay faithful the idea of, and a desire to, get involved in the life of the Church, in its engagement with the world today, and in its pastoral work on the ground” (EC Canada).

1.1 “The fruits, the seeds, the weeds of synodality”

16. The first part of the synodal journey has produced abundant fruit, new seeds that promise new growth, and above all, an experience of joy in challenging times: “Largely, what emerges from the fruits, seeds and weeds of synodality are voices that have great love for the Church, voices that dream of a Church of credible witnesses, a Church that is inclusive, open and welcoming Family of God” (EC Zimbabwe). Haiti speaks for many: “Despite the continuous cases of kidnapping and violence recorded, the reports of the Dioceses express the joy of those who were able to actively participate in this first phase of the Synod” (EC Haiti). This is a joy that many have asked be extended and
shared with others. The Diocese of Ebibeyín (Equatorial Guinea) echoes this: “this synodal experience has been one of the most rewarding that many have been able to experience in their Christian lives. From the first moment the work of the Synod began to the point where we are now, there is great enthusiasm among the People of God.” Among the fruits
of the synod experience, several summaries highlight the strengthened feeling of belonging to the Church and the realisation on a practical level that the Church is not just priests and bishops: “While sharing the fundamental question: ‘How is this journeying together happening today in your particular Church?’ it was noted that people could realize the true nature of the Church and in that light, they were able to see the situation of their Particular Church” (EC Bangladesh).

17. Widespread appreciation was given to the method of spiritual conversation which allowed many to look honestly at the reality of Church life and name the lights and shadows. This honest appraisal bore immediate missionary fruits. “There is a strong mobilization of the People of God, the joy of coming together, of walking together and of speaking freely. Some Christians who felt hurt and who had distanced themselves from the Church came back during this consultation phase” (EC Central African Republic). Many emphasised that this was the first time the Church had asked for their opinion and they wish to continue this journey: “Meetings in the spirit of the synodal method, in which all
members of the congregation or community can openly and honestly express their opinion, as well as meetings with various groups outside the Church, should continue. This kind of cooperation should become one of the ‘unwritten laws’ of the Church culture, so as to foster rapprochement between Church members and groups in society, thus creating a readiness of people for deeper dialogue” (EC Latvia).

18. However, there has been no shortage of challenges, which the reports do not hide. Some are related to the coincidence of the consultative phase with the pandemic; others stem from the difficulty of understanding what synodality means, the need for a greater effort to translate and enculturate the materials, the failure to organize synodal gatherings in some local contexts, or resistance to the basic proposal. There is no shortage of very clear expressions of rejection:
“I distrust the Synod. I think it has been called to bring about further change to Christ’s teachings and wound his Church further” (individual submission from the UK). Quite frequently, the fear has been expressed that the emphasis on synodality could push the Church toward adopting mechanisms and procedures that depend on a democratic-type majority principle. Among the difficulties a scepticism about the real efficacy or intent of the synodal process should be noted: “Some expressed doubts about the outcome of the synodal process due to their perception of the Church as a rigid institution unwilling to change and modernize itself, or due to a suspicion that the synodal outcome had been predetermined” (EC Canada).

19. Numerous reports mention the fears and resistance on the part of the clergy, but also the passivity of the laity, their fear of expressing themselves freely, and the struggle to understand and articulate the priests’ and bishops’ role within the synodal dynamic: “In this process there was also resistance, lack of participation, communities that did not join. This may have been partly due to the novelty of the challenge, since many communities are not accustomed to this way of living the Church. It was also due to the fact that some leaders and pastors did not assume the animating and guiding role that corresponded to them. Several diocesan reports complain about the lack or weak involvement of priests” (EC Chile). In many cases, the synodal process and materials reveal that there is a widespread perception of a separation between priests and the rest of the People of God: “Consultations in dioceses and at national level have shown that the relationship between priests and the faithful is difficult in many places. On the one hand, there is criticism of a perceived distance between clergy and laity, in some places priests are even experienced as an obstacle to a fruitful community. At the same time, the challenges for priests are named: the shortage of priests and also the increasing loss of volunteers lead to exhaustion; also, priests do not always feel heard, some see their ministry questioned. What makes a good priest? How can parish life be an enriching experience for everyone involved? Why do fewer and fewer men feel a vocation? These questions need to be discussed” (EC Austria).

20. An obstacle of particular relevance on the path of walking together is the scandal of abuse by members of the clergy or by people holding ecclesial office: first and foremost, abuse of minors and vulnerable persons, but also abuse of other kinds (spiritual, sexual, economic, of authority, of conscience). This is an open wound that continues to inflict pain on victims and survivors, on their families, and on their communities:
“There was ongoing reference to the impact of the clergy sexual abuse crisis and the Church’s response […]. For many, the aftermath of this is still a powerful, unresolved issue. There was a strong urgency to acknowledge the horror and damage, and to strengthen efforts to safeguard the vulnerable, repair damage to the moral authority of the Church and rebuild trust. Some Dioceses reported that participants wished for them publicly to acknowledge and atone for past abuses” (EC Australia). Careful and painful reflection on the legacy of abuse has led many synod groups to call for a cultural change in the Church with a view to greater transparency, accountability and co-responsibility.

21. Furthermore, in too many countries the synodal way has crossed paths with the wars that stain our world with blood, “giving free reign to fanaticism of all kinds and to persecutions, even massacres. Sectarian and ethnic incitements were noted, which degenerated into armed and political conflicts, often bloody” (Maronite Church). Particularly painful are those situations in which Christians, including Catholics, live in countries at war with each other. Even in these fragile situations which intensify an encounter with the Cross and Resurrection, Christian communities have been able to take up the invitation addressed to them to build experiences of synodality, to reflect on what it means to walk together, and express a desire to continue to do so: “Concerning the tragedy of the genocide against the Tutsi that has so divided the Rwandan people, one should better deepen the theme of communion with a view to an authentic healing of the collective memory. This Synod has given us a better understanding that the pastoral of unity and reconciliation must continue to be a priority” (EC Rwanda).

1.2 Our common baptismal dignity

22. Practices of lived synodality have constituted “a pivotal and precious moment to realize how we all share a common dignity and vocation through our Baptism to participants in the life of the Church” (EC Ethiopia). This foundational reference to baptism – not as an abstract concept but as a felt identity – immediately brings into focus the link between the synodal form of the Church and the possibility of fulfilling its mission: “there was a growing understanding that it is important for all who have received the blessing of baptism to walk together, sharing and discerning the guidance of the Holy Spirit who calls them. There was a deep realization that in the synodal Church walking together is the way to become a missionary Church” (EC Japan). Many local Churches within contexts that see the presence of numerous Christian denominations place particular stress on the baptismal dignity of all Christian sisters and brothers, and the common mission in service of the Gospel. A synodal process is incomplete without meeting brothers and sisters from other confessions, sharing and dialogue with them, and engaging in common actions. The reports express a desire for deeper ecumenical encounter, and the need for formation to support this work.

23. The reports present the synod process as an experience of novelty and freshness: “People of God remarked on the uniqueness of speaking freely and being heard in organized conversations that were open-ended and attentive with guidance of the Holy Spirit. They spoke of how, after decades of church going, they had been asked to speak
for first time” (EC Pakistan). Another image refers to an experience of liberation and new life: the eggshell shattering as new life unfurls its wings.

24. Elsewhere, expressions emerge that evoke rather the idea of distance between family members and a desired return, the end of a collective alienation from one’s identity as a synodal Church. To use a biblical image, one could say that the synodal journey marked the first steps of the return from an experience of collective exile, the consequences of which affect the entire People of God: if the Church is not synodal, no one can really feel fully at home.

2. Listening to the Scriptures

25. It is to a people living the experience of exile that the prophet addresses words that help us today to focus on what the Lord is calling us to through the experience of lived synodality: “Enlarge the space of your tent, spread out your tent cloths unsparingly, lengthen your ropes and make firm your pegs” (Is 54:2).

26. To the people in exile the prophet’s words evokes the experience of the exodus, when they dwelt in tents, and announces the promise of the return to the land, a sign of joy and hope. To prepare, it is necessary to enlarge the tent, acting on the three elements of its structure. The first is the tent cloth, which protect from the sun, wind and rain, delineating a space of life and conviviality. They need to be spread out, so that they can also protect those who are still outside this space, but who feel called to enter it. The ropes that hold the cloths together are the second structural element of the tent. They must balance the tension needed to keep the tent from drooping with the softness that cushions movement caused by the wind. That is why if the tent expands, the ropes must be stretched to maintain the right tension. Finally, the pegs are the third element: they anchor the structure to the ground and ensure its solidity, but remain capable of moving when the tent must be pitched elsewhere.

27. Listened to today, these words of Isaiah invite us to imagine the Church similarly as a tent, indeed as the tent of meeting, which accompanied the people on their journey through the desert: called to stretch out, therefore, but also to move. At its centre, stands the tabernacle, that is, the presence of the Lord. The tent’s hold is ensured by the sturdiness of its pegs, that is, the fundamentals of faith that do not change but can be moved and planted in ever new ground, so that the tent can accompany the people as they walk through history. Finally, in order not to sag, the structure of the tent must keep in balance the different forces and tensions to which it is subjected: a metaphor that expresses the need for discernment. This is how many reports envision the Church: an expansive, but not homogeneous dwelling, capable of sheltering all, but open, letting in and out (cf. Jn. 10:9), and moving toward embracing the Father and all of humanity.

28. Enlarging the tent requires welcoming others into it, making room for their diversity. It thus entails a willingness to die to self out of love, finding oneself again in and through relationship with Christ and one’s neighbor: “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit” (Jn. 12:24). The fruitfulness of the Church depends on accepting this death, which is not, however, an annihilation, but an experience of emptying oneself in order to be filled by Christ through the Holy Spirit, and thus a process by which we receive richer relationships, deeper ties to God and each other. This is the place of grace, and of transfiguration. For this reason, the apostle Paul recommends, “Have among yourselves the same attitude that is also yours in Christ Jesus, Who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness” (Phil. 2:5-7). It is under this condition that the members of the Church, each and all together, will be able to cooperate with the Holy Spirit in fulfilling the mission assigned by Jesus Christ to his Church: it is a liturgical, Eucharistic act.

3. Towards a missionary synodal Church

29. The biblical imagery of the tent relates to other images that appear in numerous reports: that of the family and that of home, the place to which people wish to belong, and to which they wish to return. “The Church-home does not have doors that close, but a perimeter that continually widens” (EC Italy). The dynamic of home and exile, of belonging and exclusion, is felt as a tension in the reports. One noted “Those who feel at home in the Church feel the absence of those who don’t” (EC Ireland). Through these voices, we hear the dream of “a global and synodal Church that lives unity in diversity. God is preparing something new, and we must collaborate” (USG/UISG).

30. The submissions are encouraging because they avoid two of the main spiritual temptations facing the Church in responding to diversity and the tensions it generates. The first is to remain trapped in conflict, such that our horizons shrink and we lose our sense of the whole, and fracture into sub-identities. It is an experience of Babel and not Pentecost, well recognizable in many features of our world. The second is to become spiritually detached and disinterested in the tensions involved, continuing to go our own way without involving ourselves with those close to us on the journey. Instead, “the call is to live better the tension of truth and mercy, as Jesus did […]. The dream is of a Church that more fully lives a Christological paradox: boldly proclaiming its authentic teaching while at the same time offering a witness of radical inclusion and acceptance through its pastoral and discerning accompaniment” (EC England and Wales).

31. The vision of a Church capable of radical inclusion, shared belonging, and deep hospitality according to the teachings of Jesus is at the heart of the synodal process: “Instead of behaving like gatekeepers trying to exclude others from the table, we need to do more to make sure that people know that everyone can find a place and a home here” (remark by a parish group from the USA). We are called to go to every place, especially outside the more familiar territories, “leaving the comfortable position of those who give hospitality to allow ourselves to be welcomed into the existence of those who are our companions on the journey of humanity” (EC Germany).

3.1 Listening that becomes welcoming

32. In this journey, the Churches have realised that the path to greater inclusion – the enlarged tent – is a gradual one. It begins with listening and requires a broader and deeper conversion of attitudes and structures, as well as new approaches to pastoral accompaniment; it begins in a readiness to recognise that the peripheries can be the place where a call to conversion resounds along with the call to put the Gospel more decisively into practice. Listening requires that we recognize others as subjects of their own journey. When we do this, others feel welcomed, not judged, free to share their own spiritual journey. This has been experienced in many contexts, and for some this has been the most transformative aspect of the whole process. The synodal experience can be read as a path of recognition for those who
do not feel sufficiently recognised in the Church. This is especially true for those lay men and women, deacons, consecrated men and women who previously had the feeling that the institutional Church was not interested in their faith experience or their opinions.

33. The reports also reflect on the difficulty of listening deeply and accepting being transformed by it. They highlight the lack of communal processes of listening and discernment, and call for more training in this area. Furthermore, they point to the persistence of structural obstacles, including: hierarchical structures that foster autocratic tendencies; a clerical and individualistic culture that isolates individuals and fragments relationships between priests and laity; sociocultural and economic disparities that benefit the wealthy and educated; and the absence of “in-between” spaces that foster encounters between members of mutually separated groups. Poland’s report states “Not listening leads to misunderstanding, exclusion, and marginalization. As a further consequence, it creates closure, simplification, lack of trust and fears that destroys the community. When priests do not want to listen, making excuses, such as in the large number of activities, or when questions go unanswered, a sense of sadness and estrangement arises in the hearts of the lay faithful. Without listening, answers to the faithfuls’ difficulties are taken out of context and do not address the essence of the problems they are experiencing, becoming empty moralism. The laity feel that the flight from sincere listening stems from the fear of having to engage pastorally. A similar feeling grows when bishops do not have time to speak and listen to the faithful.”

34. At the same time, the reports are sensitive to the loneliness and isolation of many members of the clergy, who do not feel listened to, supported and appreciated: perhaps one of the least evident voices in the reports is that of priests and bishops, speaking for themselves and of their experience of walking together. A particularly attentive listening must be offered to enable ordained ministers to negotiate the many dimensions of their emotional and sexual life. The need to ensure appropriate forms of welcome and protection for the women and eventual children of priests who have broken the vow of celibacy, who are otherwise at risk of suffering serious injustice and discrimination, is also noted. An option for young people, people with disabilities and the defence of life

35. There is universal concern regarding the meagre presence of the voice of young people in the synod process, as well as increasingly in the life of the Church. A renewed focus on young people, their formation and accompaniment is an urgent need, also as a way to implement the conclusions of the previous Synod on “Young People, the Faith and Vocational Discernment” (2018). On that occasion, it was precisely young people who brought out the need for a more synodal Church in view of the transmission of the faith today. The “Digital Synod” initiative is a significant attempt to listen to young people and offers new insights for the proclamation of the Gospel. Antilles’ report states, “Since our young people experience a high degree of alienation, we need to make a preferential option for the young.”

36. Numerous reports point to the lack of appropriate structures and ways of accompanying persons with disabilities, and call for new ways of welcoming their contribution and promoting their participation: in spite of its own teachings, the Church is in danger of imitating the way society casts them aside. “The forms of discrimination listed – the lack of listening, the violation of the right to choose where and with whom to live, the denial of the sacraments, the accusation of witchcraft, abuse – and others, describe the culture of rejection towards persons with disabilities. They do not arise by chance, but have in common the same root: the idea that the lives of persons with disabilities are worth less than others” (Report of the special synodal consultation of persons with disabilities by the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life).

37. Equally prominent is the commitment of the People of God to the defence of fragile and threatened life at all its stages. For example, for the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, it is part of synodality to “study the phenomenon of female migration and offer support to women of different age groups; to pay special attention to women who decide to have an abortion due to fear of material poverty and rejection by their families in Ukraine; to carry out educational work among women who are called upon to make a responsible choice when going through a difficult time in their lives, with the aim of preserving and protecting the lives of unborn children and preventing abortion; to care for women with post-abortion syndrome.”

Listening to Those who Feel Neglected and Excluded
38. The reports clearly show that many communities have already understood synodality as an invitation to listen to those who feel exiled from the Church. The groups who feel a sense of exile are diverse, beginning with many women and young people who do not feel their gifts and abilities are recognised. Within these groups, that among themselves are highly heterogeneous, many feel denigrated, neglected, misunderstood. Longing for a home also characterises those who, following the liturgical developments of the Second Vatican Council, do not feel at ease. For many, the experience of being seriously listened to is transformative and a first step towards feeling included. On the other hand, it was a source of sadness that some felt that their participation in the synod process was unwelcome: this is a feeling that requires understanding and dialogue.

39. Among those who ask for a more meaningful dialogue and a more welcoming space we also find those who, for various reasons, feel a tension between belonging to the Church and their own loving relationships, such as: remarried divorcees, single parents, people living in a polygamous marriage, LGBTQ people, etc. Reports show how this demand for welcome challenges many local Churches: “People ask that the Church be a refuge for the wounded and broken, not an institution for the perfect. They want the Church to meet people wherever they are, to walk with them rather than judge them, and to build real relationships through caring and authenticity, not a purpose of superiority” (EC USA). They also reveal uncertainties about how to respond and express the need for discernment on the part of the universal Church: “There is a new phenomenon in the Church that is absolutely new in Lesotho: same-sex relationships. […] This novelty is disturbing for Catholics and for those who consider it a sin. Surprisingly, there are Catholics in Lesotho who have started practising this behaviour and expect the Church to accept them and their way of behaving. […]
This is a problematic challenge for the Church because these people feel excluded” (EC Lesotho). Those who left ordained ministry and married, too, ask for a more welcoming Church, with greater willingness to dialogue.

40. Despite the cultural differences, there are remarkable similarities between the various continents regarding those who are perceived as excluded, in society and also in the Christian community. In many cases their voice has been absent from the synod process, and they appear in reports only because others speak about them, lamenting their exclusion: “As the Bolivian Church, we are saddened that we have not been able to effectively reach out to the poor on the peripheries and in the most remote places” (EC Bolivia). Among the most frequently mentioned excluded groups are: the poorest, the lonely elderly, indigenous peoples, migrants without any affiliation and who lead a precarious existence, street children, alcoholics and drug addicts, those who have fallen into the plots of criminality and those for whom prostitution seems their only chance of survival, victims of trafficking, survivors of abuse (in the Church and beyond), prisoners, groups who suffer discrimination and violence because of race, ethnicity, gender,
culture and sexuality. In the reports, all of them appear as people with faces
and names, calling for solidarity, dialogue, accompaniment and welcome.

3.2 Sisters and brothers for mission
41. The Church is the bearer of a proclamation of fullness of life: “I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly” (Jn10:10). The Gospels present the fullness of life and the fullness of the Kingdom of God not as separate realities or spheres of action, but always as dynamically intertwined movements. The Church’s mission is to make Christ present in the midst of His People through reading the Word, the celebration of the Sacraments and through all actions that care for the wounded and suffering. “It is necessary for all of us in the Church to enter into a process of conversion in order to respond to this need, which would imply proposing the kerygma as the fundamental proclamation and listening to Christ crucified and risen for us. […] Hence the importance of returning to the essence of Christian life and of our first love, and returning to our roots as the first communities; that is to say, where all things were held in common” (EC Costa Rica).

42. Fulfilling our mission we grow to the measure of our Christian vocation. ‘Enlarging our tent’ is at the heart of this missionary activity. Therefore, a Church that practises synodality offers a potent Gospel witness to the world: “The Holy Spirit is pushing for the renewal of our strategies, commitments, dedication and motivation so that we can walk together
and reach those who are farhest away: by spreading the Word of God with enthusiasm and joy, by putting our talents, gifts and skill to use, by accepting the new challenges and by producing cultural changes in the light of the Gospel and the life of the Church” (EC Venezuela). Contained in the reports is the dream of such a Church: one deeply involved with the world’s challenges, and capable of responding to these through concrete transformations. “The world needs a ‘Church that goes forth’, that rejects the division between believers and non-believers, that looks at humanity and offers it more than a doctrine or a strategy, an experience of salvation, a ‘coup of gift’ that responds to the cry of humanity and nature” (EC Portugal).

The Church’s mission in today’s world.
43. Synodality is a call from God to walk together with the whole human family. In many places, Christians live in the midst of people of other faiths or non-believers and are engaged in a dialogue formed in the exchanges of everyday life and common living: “A social climate of dialogue is cultivated with those who practice traditional African religion, too, and with every other person or community, whatever religious denomination they belong to” (EC Senegal, Mauritania, Cape Verde and Guinea Bissau). However, the reports indicate that there is still a long way to go in terms of social, cultural, spiritual and intellectual exchange and collaboration.

44. The wounds of the Church are intimately connected to those of the world. The reports speak of the challenges of tribalism, sectarianism, racism, poverty, and gender inequality within the life of the Church, as well as the world. Uganda echoes many other countries in noting that in the structures of the Church “the rich and the educated are listened to more than others”. The Philippines report notes that “many of the underprivileged and those who were marginalised in society felt that they are also left out in the Church”. Other reports note the influence that ethnic discrimination and a culture based on tribalism has on the life of ecclesial communities. These realities form not just the background context of our mission but also define its focus and purpose: the message of the Gospel that the Church is charged to proclaim must also convert the structures of sin that hold humanity and creation captive.

45. The People of God express a deep desire to hear the cry of the poor and that of the earth. In particular, the reports invite us to recognize the interconnectedness of social and environmental challenges and to respond to them by collaborating and forming alliances with other Christian confessions, believers of other religions and all people of good will. This call for renewed ecumenism and interfaith engagement is particularly strong in regions marked by greater vulnerability to socio-environmental damage and more pronounced inequalities. For example, many African and Pacific Rim reports call on Churches around the world to recognize that addressing socio-environmental challenges is no longer optional: “It is our desire to protect this part of God’s creation, as the wellbeing of our people depends on the ocean in so many ways. In some of our countries the major threat is the ocean as changes in climate have drastic outcomes for the actual survival of these countries” (EC Pacific).

46. Some reports also noted the importance of the role of the Church in the public sphere, particularly in relation to processes of peace-building and reconciliation. In heavily divided societies this is often seen as a crucial part of mission. Other reports called for the Church to be more confident in contributing to debate and action for justice in the public sphere. The desire was for greater formation in the Church’s social teaching. “[O]ur Church is not called to confrontation, but to dialogue and cooperation on all levels […].Our dialogue cannot be an apologetic dialogue with useless arguments, but a dialogue of life and solidarity” (Catholic Armenian Church).

47. A further theme common to many reports is the weakness of deep ecumenical engagement and the desire to learn how to breathe new life into the ecumenical journey, starting with concrete, daily collaboration on common concerns for social and environmental justice. A more united witness among Christians and between faith communities is expressed as an ardent desire.

Walking together with all Christians.
48. The call to ecumenism is not, however, merely aimed at common social engagement. Many reports emphasize that there is no complete synodality without unity among Christians. This begins with the call for closer communion between Churches of different rites. Since the Second Vatican Council, ecumenical dialogue has made progress: “In the real life of the Central African Republic, ‘living together’ between Christians of different confessions is self-evident. Our neighbourhoods, our families, our mortuary places, our workplaces are real places of ecumenism” (EC Republic of Central Africa). However, many ecumenical issues related to synodal structures and ministries in the Church are still not well-articulated. The reports also note that there is an ‘ecumenism of martydom’ where persecution continues to unite Christians. The reports request greater attention to divisive realities, for example the question of sharing the Eucharist.

49. The reports also point to the sensitive phenomenon of the growth in the number of inter-church and interfaith families, with their specific needs in terms of accompaniment. Revitalizing the commitment to dialogue and accompaniment as a witness in a fragmented world requires targeted formation that increases confidence, capacity and motivation for ecumenical and interreligious dialogue among bishops, priests, consecrated women and men, lay men and women. “Although the Catholic Church in India has attempted to foster ecumenical and inter-religious dialogue, there is a feeling that the mission in this realm is minimal. The dialogue efforts drew only a handful of elites and remained mostly as cerebral exercises limited to the realm of ideas and concepts rather than becoming a movement of the
masses and becoming also a dialogue of life, love and action at the base, by getting people of various faiths and ideologies to discern, plan and work together for common causes” (EC India).

Cultural contexts
50. Numerous reports highlight the importance of recognizing that the Church fulfills its mission of proclaiming the Gospel within specific cultural contexts, and is influenced by profound and rapid social changes. The factors vary, but create significant challenges for participation and shape the reality of the Church’s mission. Legacies of sectarianism, tribalism, ethno-nationalisms – differently expressed and experienced in diverse places -share the same characteristic threat: to narrow the Church’s expression of its catholicity.

51. Many local Churches express concern about the impact of a lack of trust and credibility resulting from the abuse crises. Others point to individualism and consumerism as critical cultural factors: “Every day we can feel that even in our country the proclamation of the Gospel is challenged by growing secularization, individualism and indifference to the institutional forms of religion” (EC Hungary). Malta’s report, like many others, underscores how historical entanglements between Church and political power continue to have an effect on the mission context. Many Churches feel they face all these cultural challenges simultaneously, but wish to grow more and more confidentin proclaiming the Gospel in “a
consumerist society that has failed to ensure sustainability, equity or life satisfaction” (EC Ireland). Others experience a pluralism of positions within themselves: “Southern Africa is also impacted by the international trends of secularisation, individualisation, and relativism. Issues such as the Church’s teaching on abortion, contraception, ordination of women, married clergy, celibacy, divorce and remarriage, Holy Communion, homosexuality, LGBTQIA+ were raised up across the Dioceses both rural an urban. There were of course differing views on these and it is not possible to give a definitive community stance on any of these issues” (EC South Africa). Many reports express particular regret and concern for the pressures experienced by families and the resulting impact on intergenerational relationships and faith transmission. Many Asian reports ask for better accompaniment and formation for families, as they negotiate changing cultural conditions.

52. In some contexts, the witness of the faith is lived to the point of martyrdom. There are countries where Christians, especially young people, face the challenge of systematic forced conversion to other religions. There are many reports that emphasize the insecurity and violence with which persecuted Christian minorities must contend. In such cases, walking together with people of other faiths, instead of retreating behind the wall of separation, requires the courage of prophecy.

Cultures, religions and dialogue
53. An essential element of a synodal Church, one which still needs significant deepening and better understanding, is the call to a more meaningful inter-cultural approach. This approach begins by walking together with others, appreciating cultural differences, understanding those particularities as elements which help us to grow: “The encounter between the Catholic Church in Cambodia and the Buddhist Monks and lay Cambodian Buddhists ‘creates a new culture.’ All our activities affect each other and affect the whole world. We may differ in religion, but we all seek the common good” (EC Laos and Cambodia). It is the Churches that represent a small minority in the context in which they live that experience this most intensely: “For example [there is] what we might call the ‘porosity’ of our Churches, whose line of demarcation with civil society is paradoxically less marked than elsewhere […]. There is no problem of doing things ‘inside’ or ‘outside’ the Church. We are an outgoing Church by definition, because we are always ‘in the home of others’ and this has taught us listening, flexibility, and creativity in forms, language, and practices” (EC North African Region- CERNA).

54. However, even when we come to acceptance or even appreciation of the other, the journey is still incomplete. The Church’s intercultural approach aims at the horizon to which Christ calls us: the Kingdom of God. In the embrace of an enriching diversity, we can find our deeper unity and the opportunity to cooperate with God’s grace: “We should also take heed of the thoughts and ideas of the extended family and companions in the journey; non-Catholics, Politicians and non-believers. These are voices in our neighbourhood we cannot afford to avoid lest we miss out God’s whispers through them!” (EC Zimbabwe). This constitutes a witness within a world that struggles to see diversity in unity as a true vocation: “The community[…] must take greater account of diversity, aspirations, needs and ways of living the faith. The universal Church must remain the guarantor of unity, but Dioceses can inculturate the faith locally: decentralization is necessary” (Archdiocese of Luxembourg).

55. In a good number of reports, there is a call to better recognize, engage, integrate, and respond to the richness of local cultures, many of which have worldviews and styles of action that are synodal. People express a desire to promote (and in some cases recover and deepen) local culture, to integrate it with faith, and to incorporate it into the liturgy. “In this context, Christians are called to offer their own contribution starting from their own vision of faith in order to enculturate it in the new cultural contexts […]. This diversity of approaches should be seen as the implementation of a model of interculturality, where the different proposals complement and enrich each other, going beyond that of multiculturality, which consists in the simple juxtaposition of cultures, closed within their perimeters” (Contribution of
the Pontifical Council for Culture).

56. In many cases, the reports call especially for attention to the situation of indigenous peoples. Their spirituality, wisdom, and culture have much to teach. We need to reread history together with these peoples, to draw inspiration from those situations in which the Church’s action has been at the service of their integral human development, and to ask forgiveness for the times when it has instead been complicit in their oppression. At the same time, some reports highlight the need to reconcile the apparent contradictions that exist between cultural practices or traditional beliefs and the teachings of the Church. On a more general level, the practice of synodality – communion, participation and mission – needs to be articulated within local cultures and contexts, in a tension that promotes discernment and generativity.

3.3 Communion, participation, and co-responsibility
57. The mission of the Church is realized through the lives of all the baptised. The reports express a deep desire to recognise and reaffirm this common dignity as the basis for the renewal of life and ministries in the Church. They affirm the value of all vocations in the Church, and above all, invite us to follow Jesus, returning to his style and way of exercising power and authority as a means of offering healing, reconciliation and liberation.
“It is important to build a synodal institutional model as an ecclesial paradigm of deconstructing pyramidal power that privileges unipersonal managements. The only legitimate authority in the Church must be that of love and service, following the example of the Lord” (CE Argentina).

Beyond clericalism
58. The tone of the reports is not anti-clerical (against priests or the ministerial priesthood). Many express deep appreciation and affection for faithful and dedicated priests, and concerns about the many demands that they face. They also voice the desire for better formed, better accompanied and less isolated priests. They signal the importance of ridding the Church of clericalism so that all its members, including priests and laity, can fulfil a common mission. Clericalism is seen as a form of spiritual impoverishment, a deprivation of the true goods of ordained ministry, and a culture that isolates clergy and harms the laity. This culture separates us from the living experience of God and damages the kinship relations of the baptised, producing rigidity, attachment to legalistic power and an exercise of authority that is power rather than service. Clericalism can be as much a temptation for lay people as clergy., as the report from the Central African Republic underlines: “some parish priests behave like ‘order-givers’, imposing their will without listening to anyone. Lay Christians do not feel they are members of the People of God. Initiatives that are too ‘clericalistic’ should be deplored. Some pastoral workers, clerics and lay, sometimes prefer to surround themselves with those who share their opinions and stay away from those whose convictions are hostile and in disagreement with them.”

59. Although frank in their diagnosis of the problem, the reports are not hopeless. They express a deep and energetic desire for renewed forms of leadership – priestly, episcopal, religious and lay – that are relational and collaborative, and forms of authority capable of generating solidarity and co-responsibility: “The tasks of the authorities include encouraging, involving, leading and facilitating participation in the life of the Church […] and delegating part of the responsibilities” (EC Slovakia). Lay people, religious and clerics desire to put their talents and abilities at the disposal of the Church, and to do so they call for an exercise of leadership that enables them to be free. The reports express gratitude for those leaders who already exercise their role in these ways.

Rethinking women’s participation
60. The call for a conversion of the Church’s culture, for the salvation of the world, is linked in concrete terms to the possibility of establishing a new culture, with new practices and structures. A critical and urgent area in this regard concerns the role of women and their vocation, rooted in our common baptismal dignity, to participate fully in the life of the Church. A growing awareness and sensitivity towards this issue is registered all over the world.

61. From all continents comes an appeal for Catholic women to be valued first and foremost as baptised and equal members of the People of God. There is almost unanimous affirmation that women love the Church deeply, but many feel sadness because their lives are often not well understood, and their contributions and charisms not always valued. The Holy Land report notes: “Those who were most committed to the synod process were women, who seem to have realised not only that they had more to gain, but also more to offer by being relegated to a prophetic edge, from which they observe what happens in the life of the Church;” and continues: “In a Church where almost all decision-makers are men, there are few spaces where women can make their voices heard. Yet they are the backbone of Church communities, both because they represent the majority of the practising members and because they are among the most active members of the Church.” The Korean report confirms: “Despite the great participation of women in various Church activities, they are often excluded from key decision-making processes. Therefore, the Church needs to improve its awareness and institutional aspects of their activities” (EC Korea). The Church faces two related challenges: women remain the majority of those who attend liturgy and participate in activities, men a minority; yet most decision-making and governance roles are held by men. It is clear that the Church must find ways to attract men to a more active membership in the Church and to enable women to participate more fully at all levels of Church life.

62. In every area of their lives, women ask the Church to be their ally. This includes addressing the social realities of impoverishment, violence and diminishment faced by women across the globe. They call for a Church at their side, and grater understanding and support in combating these forces of destruction and exclusion. Women participating in the synodal processes desire both Church and society to be a place of flourishing, active participation and healthy belonging. Some reports note that the cultures of their countries have made progress in the inclusion and participation of women, progress that could serve as a model for the Church. “This lack of equality for women within the Church is seen as a stumbling block for the Church in the modern world” (EC New Zealand).

63. In different forms, the problem is present across cultural contexts and concerns the participation and recognition of laywomen as well as women religious. The report from Superiors of Institutes of Consecrated Life notes: “Sexism in decision-making and Church language is prevalent in the Church… As a result, women are excluded from meaningful roles in the life of the Church, discriminated against by not receiving a fair wage for their ministries and services. Women religious are often regarded as cheap labour. There is a tendency – in some Churches – to exclude women and to
entrust ecclesial functions to permanent deacons; and even to undervalue religious life without the habit, without regard for the fundamental equality and dignity of all baptised Christian faithful, women and men” (USG/UISG).

64. Almost all reports raise the issue of full and equal participation of women: “The growing recognition of the importance of women in the life of the Church opens up possibilities for greater, albeit limited, participation in Church structures and decision-making spheres” (EC Brazil). However, the reports do not agree on a single or complete response to the question of the vocation, inclusion and flourishing of women in Church and society. After careful listening, many reports ask that the Church continue its discernment in relation to a range of specific questions: the active role of women in the governing structures of Church bodies, the possibility for women with adequate training to preach in parish settings, and a female diaconate. Much greater diversity of opinion was expressed on the subject of priestly ordination for women, which some reports call for, while others consider a closed issue.

65. A key element of this process concerns the recognition of the ways in which women, especially women religious, are already at the forefront of synodal practices in some of the most challenging social situations we face. The contribution submitted by the Union of Superiors General and the International Union of Superiors General notes: “There are seeds of synodality where we break new ground in solidarity: securing a future of racial and ethnic justice and peace for black, brown, Asian and Native American brothers and sisters (United States); connecting in depth with indigenous and native sisters and brothers (Americas); opening new avenues of presence of religious sisters in diverse movements; alliance with like-minded groups to address key social issues (such as climate change, refugees and asylum seekers, homelessness), or issues of specific nations.” In these contexts, women seek collaborators and can be teachers of synodality within wider Church processes.

Charisms, vocations and ministries
66. Responsibility for the synodal life of the Church cannot be delegated, but must be shared by all in response to the gifts the Spirit bestows on the faithful. “One group in Lae Diocese commented about the synodality in their parish: ‘In our parish pastoral council meeting, we see that we take the opinion/suggestion of all the people and also of woman before taking decision which will affect the life of all people in our parish.’ Another parish commented: ‘When we want to do anything in our parish, we meet together, take the suggestions of everyone in the community, decide together and carry out the decisions together’” (EC Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands). However, there is no shortage of expressions
of difficulty in actually practicing co-responsibility: “As bishops we recognize that the ‘baptismal theology’ promoted by the Second Vatican Council, the basis of co-responsibility in mission, has not been sufficiently developed, and therefore the majority of the baptized do not feel a full identification with the Church and even less a missionary co-responsibility. Moreover, the leadership of current pastoral structures, as well as the mentality of many priests, do not foster this co-responsibility. Likewise, religious men and women, as well as lay apostolic movements, often remain subtly or openly on the margins of diocesan dynamics. Thus, the so-called ‘committed laity’ in parishes (who are the least numerous) end up being overburdened with intra-ecclesial responsibilities that exceed their strength and exhaust their time” (EC Mexico).

67. This desire for co-responsibility becomes grounded first of all in the key of service to the common mission, that is, with the language of ministeriality. As the Italian report says, “The experience made […] has helped to rediscover the co-responsibility that comes from baptismal dignity and has let emerge the possibility of overcoming a vision of Church built around ordained ministry in order to move toward a Church that is ‘all ministerial,’ which is a communion of different charisms and ministries.” The theme of ministry as central to the life of the Church, and the need to articulate the unity of mission with the plurality of ministries, emerges from the consultation of the People of God. Recognizing and promoting it “is not here an end in itself, but an enhancement in the service of mission: different actors, equal in dignity, complementary to be a sign, to make credible a Church that is sacrament of the Kingdom” (EC Belgium).

68. Many reports refer to practices for the recognition and promotion of ministries, which enable an effective entrustment by the community: “The promotion of lay ministries and the assumption of responsibilities takes place through the election or appointment of the faithful who are considered to possess the requisites laid down” (EC Mozambique). In this way, each ministry becomes a structural and structuring element of community life: “The assumption of responsibility is guaranteed by the mandate received and the principle of subsidiarity. Catechists are instituted and have a special status in the Church Family of God. […] Some of them are ‘instituted’ as Community Leaders, especially in rural areas where the presence of priests is rare” (EC RD Congo). There is no shortage of questions regarding spaces for the possible exercise of lay ministry: “Many groups would like to see greater participation of the laity, but the margins for maneuver are unclear: what concrete tasks can the laity perform? How is the responsibility of the baptized articulated with that of the parish priest?” (EC Belgium).

69. In some contexts, there is a need to consider the variety of charisms and ministries that emerge in an organized form within associations, lay movements and new religious communities. Attention is needed to their specificities, and also to safeguarding the harmony within each local Church. When it enters into the concrete life of the Church, the theme of ministeriality inevitably meets with the question of its institutionalization. This raises the question of the structures through which the life of the Christian community unfolds.

70. In the Catholic Church, the charismatic gifts freely bestowed by the Holy Spirit, which help ‘rejuvenate’ the Church, are inseparable from the hierarchical gifts which are linked to the Sacrament of Orders in its various degrees. A great challenge of synodality that emerged during the first year is the harmonisation of these gifts, without pitting them against each other, under the guidance of the pastors, and thus without opposing the Church’s charismatic and institutional dimensions.

3.4 Synodality takes shape
71. The synodal journey has brought out a number of tensions, made explicit in the preceding paragraphs. We should not be afraid of them, but articulate them in a process of constant communal discernment, so as to harness them as a source of energy without them becoming destructive: only in this way will it be possible to continue walking together, rather than each going their own way. This is why the Church also needs to give a synodal form and way of proceeding to its own institutions and structures, particularly with regard to governance. Canon law will need to accompany this process of structural renewal creating the necessary changes to the arrangements currently in place.

72. However, to function in a truly synodal way, structures will need to be inhabited by people who are well-formed, in terms of vision and skills: “The entire synodal exercise was one of active participation at diverse levels. For this process to continue, a change of mindset and a renewal of existing structures are needed” (EC India). This new vision will need to be supported by a spirituality that will sustain the practice of synodality, avoiding reducing this reality to technical-organizational issues. Living this vision, as a common mission, can only happen through encounter with the Lord and listening to the Spirit. For there to be synodality, the presence of the Spirit is necessary, and there is no Spirit without prayer.

Structures and institutions
73. In terms of global-local tension– which in ecclesial language refers to the relationships of local Churches among themselves and with the universal Church – the dynamic of the synodal process places before us a novelty that is constituted precisely by the Continental Stage that we are currently living. Apart from a few regions characterized by a particular historical dynamic, so far the Church lacks established synodal practices at the continental level. The introduction of a specific Continental Stage in the process of the Synod does not constitute a mere organizational ploy, but corresponds to the dynamics of the incarnation of the Gospel which, taking root in areas characterised by a certain cultural cohesion and homogeneity, produces ecclesial communities with particular features, linked to the traits of each culture. In the context of a world that is both globalised and fragmented, each continent, because of its common historical roots, its tendency towards socio-cultural commonality and the fact that it presents the same challenges for the mission of evangelisation, constitutes a privileged sphere for stirring up a synodal dynamic that strengthens links between the Churches, encourages the sharing of experiences and the exchange of gifts, and helps to imagine new pastoral options.

74. Moreover, the dynamic of synodality challenges the Roman Curia itself: “It is necessary to recall the collaboration with the other Dicasteries of the Roman Curia, with which we consult regularly […]. It is felt, however, that in this area more means should be found to encourage the growth of a more synodal practice and spirit to be implemented in the Roman Curia, as desired by the Holy Father with the new Apostolic Constitution Praedicate Evangelium” (Contribution of the Secretariat of State – Section for Relations with States and International Organisations).

75. Episcopal Conferences are also questioning what synodality means for them: “The bishops too have prayed and debated the question: ‘How to make an Episcopal Conference more synodal? And how to live it in a more synodal way?’” (EC Paraguay). For example, “While maintaining their collegiality and freedom of decision-making that is devoid of any kind of pressure, the Episcopal Conferences should include representatives of the clergy and laity of the various dioceses in their debates and meetings, in the name of synodality” (Contribution of the Secretariat of State – Section for the Diplomatic Staff of the Holy See).

76. During the Continental Stage, Episcopal Conferences will be able to experience a new role, related not only to the promotion of communion within themselves, but also of dialogue between Churches linked by geographical and cultural proximity. In addition, the Continental Stage, through the proposed ecclesial and episcopal assemblies, will offer the opportunity to work out in grounded and practical terms how to articulate ecclesial synodality and episcopal collegiality. It will also offer the chance to reflect on ways to improve the harmony between the ordinary ways of exercising episcopal ministry and the assumption of a fully synodal style, a point on which some reports register a certain lack of energy. Revisiting the experience gained during the Continental Stage will help discern how to proceed more smoothly.

77. Far more than the Latin Church, the Oriental Churches offer a wealth of synodal structures, which are called to renewal today: “The ancient synodal structures and ecclesial processes existing in the Syro- Malabar Church (Prathinidhiyogam, Palliyogam and Desayogam) express the synodal nature of the Church at the local, regional and universal levels, and are useful for forming us to synodality. They are at the service of the parishes and communities, which discover collaborative exercise of the pastoral ministries to move forward by listening to the Holy Spirit. Moreover, there are some new initiatives and attempts which try to empower the synodal structures of the Church” (Syro-Malabar Catholic Church).

78. The dynamic of co-responsibility, with a view to and in service of the common mission and not as an organizational way of allocating roles and powers, runs through all levels of Church life. At the local level, it calls into question the bodies of participation already envisaged at the various levels and with the specificities proper to the various rites, and those that may possibly be appropriate to set up in service to a strengthened synodal dynamic: “it was discussed to have structure and organization which sincerely reflects the spirit of synodality” (EC Korea). These are first and foremost
pastoral councils, called to be increasingly institutional places of inclusion, dialogue, transparency, discernment, evaluation and empowerment of all. In our time they are indispensable. Economic, diocesan and parish councils should then be added, taking note also of the episcopal and presbyteral councils around the bishop. Many reports show the need for these bodies to be not only consultative, but places where decisions are made on the basis of processes of communal discernment rather than on the majority principle used in democratic regimes.

79. In different parts of the world, transparency is seen as an essential practice for a Church growing into a more authentic synodality: “The Catholic Church needs to become more open and transparent, everything is done in secret. Parish Council agendas and minutes are never published, financial committee decisions never discussed or balance sheets shared” (individual observation from UK). Transparency will propel toward true accountability of all decision-making processes, including the criteria used for discernment. A style of leadership anchored in a synodal way of proceeding will produce trust and credibility: “On some issues, the exercise of authority is effectively collegial, through consultation with the bodies embedded in the various structures of administration, management and pastoral animation […]. But it is sometimes sad to note that in our Catholic Church there are bishops, priests, catechists, community leaders …, who are very authoritarian. […] Instead of serving the community, some serve themselves with unilateral decisions, and this hinders our synodal journey” (EC Chad). In addition, many reports note the need to involve people with adequate professional competence in the management of economic and governance issues.

80. All Church institutions, as fully participatory bodies, are called to consider how they might integrate the call to synodality into the ways in which they exercise their functions and their mission, renewing their structures and procedures. A special case in point is represented by universities and academic institutions, which will be able to develop research addressing questions of synodality, helping to innovate in the design of educational and formation programmes. In particular, theological faculties will be able to deepen the ecclesiological, Christological and Pneumatological insights that synodal experiences and practices bring.

81. The adoption of an authentically synodal style also challenges consecrated life, beginning precisely with those practices that already emphasize the importance of the participation of all members in the life of the community to which they belong: “Synodality in consecrated life affects discernment and decision-making. Although communal discernment has been practised in our Institutes, there is room for improvement. Membership in a body requires participation. […] A shared desire is the establishment – both in the life of the Church and in the consecrated life – of a circular (participative) and less hierarchical and pyramidal style of governance” (USG/UISG).

Formation
82. The overwhelming majority of reports indicate the need to provide for formation in synodality. Structures alone are not enough: there is a need for ongoing formation to support a widespread synodal culture. This formation must articulate itself in relationship to the local context so as to facilitate synodal conversion in the way participation, authority and leadership are exercised in view of more effectively fulfiling the common mission. It is not simply a matter of providing specific technical or methodological skills. Formation for synodality intersects all dimensions of Christian life and can only be “an integral formation that includes personal, spiritual, theological, social and practical dimensions. For this, a community of reference is essential, because one principle of ‘walking together’ is the formation of the heart, which transcends concrete knowledge and embraces the whole of life. It is necessary to incorporate in the Christian life
a continuous and permanent formation to put synodality into practice, to mature and grow in faith, to participate in public life, to increase the love and participation of the faithful in the Eucharist, to assume stable ministries, to exercise real co-responsibility in the governance of the Church, to dialogue with other Churches and with society in order to bring those who are far away closer in a spirit of fraternity” (EC Spain). This training will have to be addressed to all members of the People of God: “For the realization of the said elements of synodality, there is an urgent need for the education and
formation programmes for clergy and lay people for developing a shared understanding of synodality that is so vital for journeying together in the local Churches” (EC Myanmar). In this way, the perspective of synodality will converge with catechesis and pastoral care, helping to keep them anchored in a mission perspective.

83. However, the need for more specific formation in listening and dialogue is also emphasised, for example through the establishment of synodality agents and teams. Many reports point to the need to ensure formation in synodality for those who will be called to assume leadership roles, especially priests: “Though long, seminary formation is geared toward preparing the clergy for a priestly lifestyle and devoid of forming them for pastoral coordination. The formation and training on working together, listening to one another and participation in the mission together is essential in priestly formation” (EC Sri Lanka).

Spirituality
84. A culture of synodality, which is indispensable for animating structures and institutions, requires adequate formation, and, above all, needs to be nurtured by familiarity with the Lord and the capacity to listen to the voice of the Spirit: “spiritual discernment must accompany strategic planning and decision-making, so that each project is welcomed and accompanied by the Holy Spirit” (Greek Melkite Catholic Church). For this we must grow in a synodal spirituality that is based on attention to interiority and conscience. “In personal spirituality and in the message of the Church, the joy of the risen Christ must prevail and not the fear of a God who punishes” (EC Czech Republic).

85. As has already been stressed many times, a synodal Church first of all needs to deal with the many tensions that emerge from encountering diversity. Therefore, a synodal spirituality can only be one that welcomes differences and promotes harmony, and draws from the tensions the energies to continue on the journey. To achieve this, it will have to move from accentuating the individual dimension to the collective dimension: a spirituality of “we,” which can enhance the contributions of each person.

86. The first year of the synodal journey has already offered stimulating experiences in this direction, through the proposed method of spiritual conversation. This method has enabled the People of God to savor the flavor of an interpersonal encounter around the Word of God and the varied resonances it arouses in the heart of each person. In addition to making it an ordinary practice in the life of the Church, as is demanded by many, this method must evolve in the direction of communal discernment, particularly within the bodies of participation. This entails a greater effort to integrate the spiritual dimension within the ordinary life of ecclesial institutions and of their governance structures, articulating discernment within decision- making processes. Prayer and silence cannot remain extraneous to these processes, as if it were a preamble or an appendix.

87. Christian spirituality is expressed in different ways, related both to the multiplicity of traditions between East and West and to the variety of charisms in consecrated life and ecclesial movements. A synodal Church is built around diversity, and the encounter between different spiritual traditions can be a formative “gymnasium” insofar as it is capable of promoting communion and harmony, contributing to overcoming the polarizations that many Churches experience.

3.5 Synodal life and liturgy
88. The reports emphasise in many ways the deep link between synodality and liturgy: “In ‘walking together’, prayer, devotion to Mary as a missionary disciple listening to the Word, lectio divina and liturgical celebration inspire the purpose of belonging” (EC Colombia). Roots that reach deep

89. The Eucharist is already, in itself, the ‘source and summit’ of the Church’s synodal dynamism. “Liturgical celebration and prayer are experienced as a force for uniting and mobilizing human and spiritual energies.The prevailing opinion is that prayer fosters joy of life and a purpose of community, because it is seen as a point of reference, a place of strength and an oasis of peace. […] the contributions underscore two modalities to be developed in view of a synodal journey: the unity of the community and the joy of life. This journey would pass through the great liturgical gatherings (pilgrimages…), to nourish popular piety, renew faith, nourish the feeling of belonging, and thus better accompany Christians so that they witness to the Gospel of charity in the face of communitarianism and ‘identity withdrawal’ which are more and more visible and aggressive” (EC Burkina Faso e Niger).

90. In countries in diverse areas of the world “the bond of many baptised people with the Church passes above all through the phenomenon of popular religiosity. […] Many people consider it a sign of belonging to the Church; for this reason, we must promote and evangelise [it], with a view to a more intense participation and a conscious incorporation into Christian life” (EC Panama).

Managing tensions: renewal and reconciliation
91. Many reports strongly encourage the implementation of a synodal style of liturgical celebration that allows for the active participation of all the faithful in welcoming all differences, valuing all ministries, and recognising all charisms. The synodal listening of the Churches records many issues to be addressed in this direction: from rethinking a liturgy too concentrated on the celebrant, to the modalities of active participation of the laity, to the access of women to ministerial roles. “While being faithful to the tradition, its originality, antiquity, and uniformity, let us try to make the liturgical celebration more alive and participatory of all the community of believers; priests, laity, youth and children, reading the signs of the time with sound discernment. The young people are trying to have a space in the liturgy with songs and it is positive” (EC Ethiopia).

92. The current experience of the Churches, however, records knots of conflict which need to be addressed in a synodal manner, such as discerning the relationship to preconciliar rites: “Division regarding the celebration of the liturgy was reflected in synodal consultations. ‘Sadly, celebration of the Eucharist is also experienced as an area of division within the Church.

The most common issue regarding the liturgy is the celebration of the pre- Conciliar Mass.’ The limited access to the 1962 Missal was lamented; many felt that the differences over how to celebrate the liturgy ‘sometimes reach the level of animosity. People on each side of the issue reported feeling judged by those who differ from them’” (EC USA). The Eucharist, sacramentof unity in love in Christ, cannot become a reason for confrontation, ideology, rift or division. Moreover, with direct impact on the life of many Churches, there are elements of tension specific to the ecumenical sphere, such as the sharing of the Eucharist. Finally, there are problems related to the modalities of faith inculturation and interreligious dialogue, which also affect the forms of celebration and prayer.

93. The reports do not fail to point out the main shortcomings of the actual celebratory praxis, which obscure its synodal effectiveness. In particular, the following are emphasized: the liturgical protagonism of the priest and the risk of the passivity of the wider liturgical community; poor preaching, including the distance between the content of the sermon, the
beauty of faith and the concreteness of life; and the separation between the liturgical life of the assembly and the family network of the community. The quality of homilies is almost unanimously reported as a problem: there is a call for “deeper homilies, centered on the Gospel and the readings of the day, and not on politics, making use of accessible and attractive language that refers to the lives of the faithful” (Maronite Church).

94. A particular source of suffering are those situations in which access to the Eucharist and to the other Sacraments is hindered or prevented by a variety of causes: there is a strong demand to find solutions to these forms of sacramental deprivation. For example, communities living in very remote areas are cited, or the use of charging fees for access to celebrations, which discriminates against the poorest. Many summaries also give voice to the pain of not being able to access the Sacraments experienced by remarried divorcees and those who have entered into polygamous marriages.There is no unanimity on how to deal with these situations: “Access to Holy Communion is denied to the divorced and remarried, and they expressed hurt at this exclusion. Some expressed the view that the Church should be more flexible, but others felt this practice should be upheld” (EC Malaysia).

A synodal style of celebrating
95. At the same time, the synod process represented an opportunity to experience anew the diversity in forms of prayer and celebration, increasing the desire to make it more accessible in the ordinary life of communities. The French report gives voice to three aspirations: “the first […] concerns the diversification of liturgies to the benefit of celebrations of the Word, that is, moments of prayer that place meditation on biblical texts at the centre. The second, less frequent, recalls the importance of pilgrimages and popular piety. The third calls for a renewed liturgical formation, to address a problem reported by many reports, namely the incomprehensibility of the language normally used by the Church” (EC France). Some regions raise the question of the reform of the liturgy, even in the Oriental Churches where it is profoundly linked to the identity of the Church: “In our Church, a liturgical reform is opportune, so as to re-read in the light of the Holy Spirit the action and participation of the People of God in God’s work in our time” (Greek-Melkite Church).

96. Many Churches also emphasise the importance of habitually linking liturgical celebration with the various forms of dialogical sharing and fraternal conviviality. “Conviviality and fraternity were always part of the experience [of synod meetings]. In every meeting, from the initial one to the subsequent consultations in parishes and pastoral structures, there was salu-salo (sharing of food). Many pointed out how the [synodal] meetings positively influenced the celebration of the liturgies” (EC Philippines).

97. The variety of ritual traditions of liturgical prayer, as well as the symbolic forms with which diverse cultures express themselves, is considered by all to be an asset. A renewed love for spirituality, a commitment to care for the beauty and the synodal style of celebration all support the radiance of a missionary Church: “All the contributions received speak of celebrations as spaces that can offer inspiration and help to live the faith in personal, family, professional life, in the neighborhood and in the community itself” (EC Uruguay).

4. The next steps

Looking to the future of the synodal process requires considering two very different time horizons. The first is the long-
term horizon, in which synodality takes the form of a perennial call to personal conversion and reform of the Church. The second, clearly at the service of the first, is the one that focuses our attention on the events of the Continental Stage that we experiencing.

4.1 A journey of conversion and reform

In the reports, the People of God express a desire to be less a Church of maintenance and conservation and more a Church that goes out in mission. A connection emerges between deepening communion through synodality on the one hand and strengthening mission on the other: being synodal leads into renewed mission. As the Spanish report says: “we believe that communion must lead us to a permanent state of mission: meeting and listening to each other, dialogue, reflection, discernment together are all actions with positive effects in themselves, but they are not understandable if they are not directed at pushing us to go beyond ourselves and our communities of reference in order to carry out the mission entrusted to us as Church.”

The People of God have found joy in walking together and express the desire to continue doing so. How to do this as a truly global Catholic community is something that still needs to be fully discovered: “To walk in a synodal way, by listening to one another, participating in mission, and engaging in dialogue, has possibly an ‘already and not yet’ dimension, it is there, but much more to be done. The laity are capable, talented and willing to contribute more and more, provided they are given opportunities. Further surveys and studies at the parish level can open up more avenues where the contributions of the laity can be immense and the result would be more vibrant and flourishing Church, which is the goal of synodality” (EC Namibia). We are a learning Church, and to be so we need continuous discernment to help us read the Word of God and the signs of the times together, so as to move forward in the direction the Spirit is pointing us.

4. The next steps

At the same time, walking together as the People of God requires us to recognize the need for continual conversion, individual and communal. On the institutional and pastoral level, this conversion translates into an equally continuous reform of the Church, its structures and style, in the wake of the drive for continuous ‘aggiornamento,’ the precious legacy of the Second Vatican Council to which we are called to look as we celebrate its 60th anniversary.

In the journey of conversion and reform, we are supported by the gifts we have received during the first year of the synodal journey, beginning with what Jesus shows us in the Gospels. The free and gratuitous attention to the other, which is the basis of listening, is not a limited resource to be jealously guarded, but an overflowing source that does not run out, but grows the more we draw from it.

Listening and dialogue are the way to access the gifts that the Spirit offers us through the multifaceted variety of the one Church: of charisms, of vocations, of talents, of skills, of languages and cultures, of spiritual and theological traditions, of different forms of celebrating and giving thanks. The reports do not call for uniformity, but ask that we learn to grow in a sincere harmony that helps the baptised fulfil their mission in the world by creating the bonds necessary to walk together joyfully.

The message of our synodal way is simple: we are learning to walk together, and sit together to break the one bread, in such a way that each is able to find their place. Everyone is called to take part in this journey, no one is excluded. To this we feel called so that we can credibly proclaim the Gospel of Jesus to all people. This is the path we seek to continue on in our next Continental Stage.

4.2 Methodology for the Continental Stage
This Document for the Continental Stage (DCS) invites us to take a further step in this spiritual journey “for a synodal Church: communion, participation and mission” and constitutes its point of reference: “Just as the experience of the disciples at Emmaus was only the beginning of their new mission, our synodal process is only a first step” (EC Russian Federation). The continental level constitutes an opportunity to live synodality, which we are still learning to grasp and which we are now invited to practise concretely.

The DCS, which gathers and restores to the local Churches, what the People of God from around the world said in the first year of the Synod, is meant to guide us and enable us to deepen our discernment, keeping in mind the basic question that animates the entire process: “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?” (PD, no. 2).

The DCS is thus the privileged instrument through which the dialogue of the local Churches among themselves and with the universal Church can take place during the Continental Stage. To pursue this process of listening, dialogue and discernment, the reflection will focus on three questions:

– “After having read and prayed with the DCS, which intuitions resonate most strongly with the lived experiences and realities of the Church in your continent? Which experiences are new, or illuminating to you?”

– “After having read and prayed with the DCS, what substantial tensions or divergences emerge as particularly important in your continent’s perspective? Consequently, what are the questions or issues that should be addressed and considered in the next steps of the process?”

– “Looking at what emerges from the previous two questions, what are the priorities, recurring themes and calls to action
that can be shared with other local Churches around the world and discussed during the First Session of the Synodal
Assembly in October 2023?”

Key stages in the process
Each Continental Assembly is called to put in place a discernment process on the DCS that is appropriate to its local context, and draft a Final Document to account for it. The Final Documents of the seven Continental Assemblies will be used as the basis for drafting the Instrumentum Laboris, which will be completed by June 2023.

The vast majority of Episcopal Conferences that responded to the consultation sent by the General Secretariat of the Synod want representatives from the entire People of God to be involved in the Continental Stage. It is therefore asked that all Assemblies be ecclesial and not merely episcopal, ensuring that their composition adequately represents the variety of the People of God: bishops, presbyters, deacons, consecrated women and men, laymen and women. With
respect to the participants in the Continental Assemblies, it is important to pay special attention to the presence of women and young people (laymen and laywomen, consecrated men and women in formation, seminarians); people living in conditions of poverty or marginalization, and those who have direct contact with these groups and persons; fraternal delegates from other Christian denominations; representatives of other religions and faith traditions; and some people with no religious affiliation. Furthermore, bishops are invited to meet at the end of the Continental Assemblies to collegially reread the lived synodal experience from the perspective of their specific charism and role. In particular, they are asked to identify appropriate ways to carry out their task of validating and approving the Final Document, ensuring that it is the fruit of an authentically synodal journey, respectful of the process that has taken place and faithful to the diverse voices of the People of God in each continent.

The process leading from the publication of this DCS to the drafting of the Instrumentum Laboris will be marked by the following steps:

1. The DCS will be sent to all diocesan bishops; each of them, together with the diocesan synodal team that coordinated the first phase, will arrange an ecclesial process of discernment on the DCS, starting with the three questions indicated above in no. 106. Each local Church will thus have the opportunity to listen to the voice of the other Churches, gathered in the DCS, and to respond to it from its own experience.

2. With the involvement of its synodal team, each Episcopal Conference has the task of collecting and synthesizing in
the form most appropriate to its own context the reflections around the three questions coming from the individual Dioceses.

3. The reflection and discernment of each Episcopal Conference will then be shared within the Continental Assembly, according to the modalities identified by the Continental Task Force.

4. In planning the conduct of each specific Continental Assembly, it may be useful to reflect on how to use the widespread
and much-appreciated method of “spiritual conversation” (see Vademecum, Appendix B, no. 8), which can facilitate the involvement of all in discernment. In particular, its three phases should be emphasized: the taking of the floor by each participant, the resonance of listening to others, and the discernment of the fruits by the group. As already highlighted in the Methodological Guidelines, it will be important to ensure the participation in the Continental Assemblies of bishops, priests, deacons, lay men and women, consecrated men and women, as well as people capable of expressing the views of those on the margins.

5. Each Continental Assembly will draft its own Final Document of a maximum of about twenty pages confronting the three questions from its own specific context. The Final Documents are to be submitted by each Continental Task Force to the Synod Secretariat by March 31, 2023. Based on the Final Documents of the Continental Assemblies, the Instrumentum laboris will be drafted by June 2023.

Published by the General Secretariat of the Synod Via della Conciliazione, 34 – Vatican City, October 2022
www.synod.va

Synodality (A resource from the Diocese of Limerick)

Opening Prayer

We stand before You, Holy Spirit, as we gather together in
Your name.

With You alone to guide us, make Yourself at home in our
hearts;

Teach us the way we must go and how we are to pursue it.
We are weak and sinful; do not let us promote disorder.

Do not let ignorance lead us down the wrong path nor
partiality influence our actions.

Let us find in You our unity so that we may journey together
to eternal life and not stray from the way of truth and what
is right.

All this we ask of You, who are at work in every place and
time, in the communion of the Father and the Son, forever
and ever.

Amen.

Walking the path together…

Synod – seeks ‘to inspire people to dream about the church we are called to be’

Every diocese is asked to take part – “Special care should be taken to involve those who may risk being excluded …

The focus is not just on problems, but on signs of hope, and challenges.

 

Travelling the Synodal Path in Dioceses

Summary of what is envisaged in the diocesan phase

This first stage of the Synodal Process provides the foundation for all the other phases that follow. More than simply responding to a questionnaire, the diocesan phase is meant to offer as many people as possible a truly synodal experience of listening to one another and walking forward together, guided by the Holy Spirit.

The Spirit of God, who illuminates and brings to life this journey together, is the same Spirit who is at work in the mission that Jesus entrusted to his apostles. The Holy Spirit works through all the generations of disciples who hear God’s Word and put it into practice. The Spirit sent by Christ does not only confirm the continuity of the Gospel of Jesus, but illuminates the ever- new depths of the Word of God and inspires the decisions necessary to sustain the Church’s journey and invigorate her mission (cf. John 14:25-26; 15:26-27; 16:12-15) (PD, 16).

The Preparatory Document outlines two “images” from Scripture to inspire our journey of building a synodal Church. 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). The second image refers to the experience of the Holy Spirit in which Peter and the early community recognize the risk of placing unjustified limits on sharing the faith (PD, 22-24). We encourage you to reflect on these two images as a source of nourishment and inspiration in the Synodal Process.

The Gospel witnesses to Jesus’ constant approach of reaching out to people who are excluded, marginalized, and forgotten. A common trait throughout Jesus’ ministry is that faith always emerges when people are valued: their plea is heard, they are aided in their difficulty, their availability is appreciated, their dignity is confirmed by God’s gaze and restored within the community. As Peter was changed by his experience with Cornelius, so too we must allow ourselves to be transformed by what God is inviting us to. Through the Synodal Process, God leads us on the common path of conversion by what we experience with one another. God reaches us through others and he reaches others through us, often in surprising ways.

In order for this to happen, it is necessary to make significant efforts to involve the highest number of people possible in a meaningful way. This is the Summary of what is envisaged in the diocesan phase first responsibility of the Diocesan Contact Person(s), appointed to guide and animate the diocesan phase of the Synodal Process. Superficial or scripted input that does not accurately and richly represent the experience of the people will not be helpful, nor that which does not express the full range and diversity of experiences.

In this sense, the diocesan phase should begin by finding the most effective ways of achieving the widest participation possible. 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.

The heart of the synodal experience is listening to God through listening to one another, inspired by the Word of God. We listen to each other in order to better hear the voice of Holy Spirit speaking in our world today. This can take place over the course of one gathering, but we strongly encourage that several gatherings take place to allow for a more interactive atmosphere of sharing as people get to know each other, trust one another, and feel that they can speak more freely thus making it a truly synodal experience of journeying together. In addition to the more formal aspects of speaking and listening to one another, it is important that gatherings have informal moments as well. Pilgrimages, group activities, artistic expressions, and even coffee breaks can help to foster a sense of community through the experience of sharing life with one another.

How these meetings take place will depend on your local circumstances. Several parishes can join together, as well as ministries such as pastoral health care or Catholic education, religious communities, lay movements, and ecumenical groups.

Stimulus questions are suggested in the Questionnaire below (Part 5) to initiate and facilitate this experience of sharing and listening. The aim is not to answer all of the questions, but to choose those that are most relevant in your local context. You can also ask other questions, and we encourage you to do so. As a general guide, give more emphasis to the types of questions that evoke personal stories and real-life experiences rather than “doctrinal” statements. See Part 5 for some examples.

The feedback received throughout the listening process should be gathered into a “synthesis.” As explained in the roadmap below, a synthesis should be written any time there is a gathering in the diocese to respond to the questions outlined in this Vademecum (Part 5). At the same time, a synthesis will be written for each diocese, and ultimately for each episcopal conference. The goal of these syntheses, at any level, is not to produce a generic summary of everything that was said or to carry out an academic exercise. Rather, the synthesis is an act of discernment in choosing and writing what will contribute to the next stage of the Synodal Process, by being sent to the diocese (in the case of consultation within the diocese) and eventually the episcopal conference (in the case of the synthesis written by the diocese). In this sense, 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.” The feedback should
not only underline positive experiences but also bring to light challenging and negative experiences in order to reflect the reality of what has been listened to. Something of the experience of the local gathering should be conveyed in the feedback: the attitudes of the participants, and the joys and challenges of engaging together in discernment.

The feedback received from these local gatherings will then be compiled in an overall synthesis at the diocesan level. The synthesis that each diocese will elaborate at the end of this work of listening and discernment will constitut its concrete contribution to the journey of the whole People of God. It can also serve as a helpful document for identifying next steps in the journey of the local Church on the path of synodality. To facilitate the subsequent phases of the Synodal Process, it is important to condense the fruits of prayer and reflection into a maximum of ten pages. Other texts can be attached to the diocesan synthesis in order to support or accompany its contents.

The synthesis of each diocese or eparchy will then be transmitted to the episcopal conferences and synods of Oriental Churches. In turn, these bodies will draft their own synthesis with the same spirit of discernment as described above, on the basis of the diocesan/eparchial syntheses that they have received. 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.

The Role of the Bishop in the Synodal Process

Synodality does not exist without the pastoral authority of the College of Bishops, under the primacy of the Successor of Peter, as well as the pastoral authority of each diocesan Bishop in the diocese entrusted to his care. The ministry of Bishops is to be pastors, teachers, and priests of sacred worship. Their charism of discernment calls them to be authentic guardians, interpreters, and witnesses to the faith of the Church. In and from the local Churches exists the one unique Catholic Church. The fullness of the Synodal Process can only truly exist with the involvement of the local Churches, requiring the personal involvement of the diocesan Bishop. “In virtue of this catholicity, each part contributes its own gifts to other parts and to the entire church, so the whole and each of the parts are strengthened by the common sharing of all things and by the common effort to achieve fullness in unity”. The diversity of the local Churches and their context and culture bring different gifts to the whole, enriching the entire Body of Christ. This is key to understanding the Church’s path of synodality.

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. The diocesan Bishop holds a key role in listening to the People of God in his diocesan Church. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the Bishop can discern the most fruitful processes for listening to the People of God in his diocese, along the path of synodality undertaken by the entire Church. To assist the diocesan Bishop in this task, he is to appoint the Diocesan Contact Person or Team. Together, they can prayerfully discern. The Bishop is encouraged to take an active role in the diocesan phase of this Synodal Process. His involvement should foster open dialogue amidst the diversity of the People of God.

The Bishop can seek feedback and participation wherever helpful in the organization process. The Bishop is invited to communicate with the respective bodies, organizations, and structures in the diocese, including the Diocesan Pastoral Council, the Presbyteral Council, parishes, religious communities, lay movements, various pastoral ministries (such as in schools and hospitals), and diocesan commissions to encourage their participation in the Synodal Process and to request their help as is fitting. Under the authority of the Bishop, the Diocesan Contact Person(s) can communicate directly with the coordinators in parishes and other local communities to prepare and facilitate the consultation process.

At the same time, the Bishop can ensure that appropriate resources are set aside, including financial, logistical, technical, and personnel resources. The Bishop also has a role in encouraging the involvement of diverse groups. The Role of the Bishop in the Synodal Process and individuals so that the Synodal Process can be a truly collaborative effort, drawing on the wide participation of the faithful and reaching the full diversity of the People of God: priests, deacons, consecrated men and women, and the laity. Diocesan structures that already aim at exercising synodality can be a vital support in this regard, particularly the Diocesan Pastoral Council, the Presbyteral Council, Parish Pastoral Councils, etc.

A personal letter or even a video can be created in which the Bishop invites and encourages everyone in the diocese to participate in the process of listening, dialogue, and consultation. It is recommended that the diocesan phase of the Synodal Process open and close with a liturgical celebration, over which the Bishop can preside.

During the consultation process, the key role of the Bishop is to listen. Though the personal involvement of the diocesan Bishop in the listening process may take many forms, he is encouraged to take part and be attentive to the voice of the faithful. Besides participating in local listening sessions across the diocese, the Bishop may convene ad-hoc small community gatherings of his own if he wishes to do so, inviting representatives from a cross-section of the diocese, especially those at the peripheries. 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. On a regular basis, the Bishop should meet with the Diocesan Contact Person(s) to review progress of the consultation and address any challenges faced. Care should be taken to ensure that the presence of the Bishop and clergy does not have
the inadvertent effect of stifling authentic and unfettered input by the faithful, especially in circumstances where there has been scandal, or simply because of cultural deference.

Finally, the Bishop convokes a Diocesan Pre-Synodal Meeting to culminate the diocesan phase, and works with the Diocesan Contact Person(s) to organize it. This gathering should seek wide representation from across the diocese with the aim of coming together to pray, listen, reflect, and discern the synodal path along which God’s Spirit is calling the whole diocese. The Bishop can then review the diocesan synthesis in collaboration with the Diocesan
Contact Person(s) before it is submitted to the episcopal conference. It is very important to note that the diocesan synthesis is not intended to reflect positively or negatively on the diocesan Bishop. 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.

Understandably, embarking on this consultation process will evoke a range of feelings among pastoral leaders, from excitement and joy to anxiety, fear, uncertainty, or even scepticism. Such nuanced reactions are often part of the synodal path. Bishops can acknowledge the mix of reactions arising in the diocese, while also encouraging openness to the Holy Spirit who often works in surprising and refreshing ways. 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 Role of Priests and Deacons in the Synodal Process

The ministry of priests and deacons has two vital points of reference: on one hand, the diocesan Bishop; and on the other hand, the people entrusted to their pastoral care. Thus the clergy present in the local Church provide a helpful point of connection between the Bishop and those they serve. This gives priests and deacons a key role in journeying together in the midst of the People of God, united with the Bishop and at the service of the faithful. They are able to communicate to the people on behalf of the Bishop, and they are also able to communicate from the people to the Bishop. They are agents of communion and unity in building up the Body of Christ, helping the faithful to journey together, walking forward with one another in the midst of the Church. The clergy are likewise heralds of renewal, attentive to the evolving needs of their flock, and pointing out how the Holy Spirit is opening new pathways. Finally, they are men of prayer who promote a genuinely spiritual experience of synodality, so that the People of God can be more attentive to the Holy Spirit and listen together to the will of God.

In this sense, priests and deacons have a crucial role to play in accompanying the entire People of God on the path of synodality. Their efforts towards promoting and putting in practice a more synodal way of being the Church of Christ are of vital importance. Priests and deacons can raise awareness about the synodal nature of the Church and the meaning of synodality in the parishes, ministries, and movements that they serve. Priests and deacons are also called to support, encourage, promote, and enable the unfolding of the diocesan phase of the Synodal Process in the local Church. They do so through the participatory bodies that are already established across the diocese, such as the Diocesan Pastoral Council, the Presbyteral Council, and Parish Pastoral Councils. The involvement of the “synodal” bodies of the local Churches is specifically requested, especially the Presbyteral Council and the Pastoral Council (PD, 31). On the Church’s 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).

At the same time, priests and deacons can find new and creative ways of fostering an authentically synodal experience among the lay faithful, in The Role of Priests and Deacons in the Synodal Process connection with the initiatives of the diocesan Bishop and the Diocesan Contact Person(s) that are designated for this Synodal Process. It is worth noting that the consultation undertaken by the diocesan phase of the Synodal Process is coordinated by the diocesan Bishop and addressed “to the priests, deacons and lay faithful of their [local] Churches, both individually and in associations, without overlooking the valuable contribution that consecrated men and women can offer” (EC, 7).

The Preparatory Document tells us that in the ministry of Jesus, “The election of the apostles is not the privilege of an exclusive position of power and separation but the grace of an inclusive ministry of blessing and fellowship. Thanks to the gift of the Spirit of the Risen Lord, they are to guard the place of Jesus, without replacing him: not to put filters on his presence, but to make it easy to encounter him” (PD, 19). So too all the clergy, endowed with the sacred gifts and charisms received through their ordination, have a critical role to play in ensuring that this synodal experience is an authentic encounter with the Risen Christ, grounded in prayer, nourished by the celebration of the Eucharist, and inspired by listening to the Word of God.

The Roadmap (Sample Steps for the Diocesan Phase)

The tasks involved in carrying out the listening and dialogue phase within each diocese will vary depending on local factors, but the general approach will involve the following steps:

1. Appointing the Diocesan Contact Person(s)

Each diocese should select one or two individuals to serve as the Diocesan Contact Person(s). Appendix A provides details of the responsibilities and desired qualities of these contact persons. Ideally, two co-leaders are appointed as a model of co-responsibility. If there is more than one diocesan contact person, it is recommended that at least one woman and one man be appointed. These may be voluntary or remunerated positions, and might be undertaken by person(s) already working within the diocese. Diocesan Contact Persons can be priests, religious, or lay people. Dioceses can reflect on the possible role of the Diocesan Contact Person(s) in continuing to serve the path of synodality in the diocese up to October 2023 and beyond.

2. Setting up a diocesan synodal team

The Diocesan Contact Person(s) will likely need to work with the collaboration of a core team, which can either be assembled through an open process of people expressing their interest, or by appointment of the diocesan Bishop. Members of the diocesan synodal team are likely to comprise representatives from parishes, movements, diocesan ministries, and religious The Roadmap (Sample Steps for the Diocesan Phase) communities. They can be convened as an advisory and working body for the Diocesan Contact Person(s). 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.

3. Discerning the path for your diocese

The Preparatory Document and Vademecum provide information about the current Synod and offer guidelines for organizing the consultation process. These documents are to be applied differently in diverse contexts, depending on the current realities and challenges in the local Church and in society, as well as any concurrent or recent synodal processes occurring in the diocese. A prayerful reflection can be made with these documents to discern the key areas of focus for the diocese.

4. Planning the participatory process

Each diocese should aim for the widest participation possible, involving a variety of platforms. These could include parish-level meetings, inter-parish gatherings, school-based groups, local associations, online platforms, special language groupings, and suitable means of reaching those who have been distant from the Church. Ideally, there would be opportunities for diverse groups to listen to one another. Resources needed for the consultation process should be identified and made available, including an overall budget, physical facilities, and online platforms. Solidarity can be organized between dioceses to provide financial assistance and human resources as needed.

5. Preparing group coordinators for the synodal consultation meetings

The diocesan synodal team can work through coordinators to carry out the synodal consultation meeting across the diocese. For example, the synodal consultation within a parish can be overseen by a coordinator in that parish, working with a parish team. All coordinators will need to be briefed on the spirit, objectives, and attitudes of the Synodal Process, and should have access to relevant resources including this Vademecum and the Synod website. The coordinators can then discern and plan the most appropriate processes for their particular groups, in communication with the diocesan synodal team.

6. Providing an orientation workshop for the diocesan synodal team and local coordinators

Since the level of understanding and experience regarding synodality likely differs across the diocese, formation workshops can be provided to give people an orientation about synodality and equip them with basic skills for synodal processes. Such skills would include carrying out synodal consultation meetings, and this basic formation is in itself a valuable outcome of the current Synodal Process. Appendix B provides an outline of how a typical synodal consultation meeting can be conducted. What is most crucial is adopting suitable methods that facilitate attentive listening, genuine sharing, and a communal spiritual discernment. Further resources are available on the Synod website.

7. Communicating to everyone

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. Some examples of publicity materials are provided on the website.

8. Implementing, monitoring, and guiding the synodal consultation process

Once ready, the synodal consultation process begins. The heart of this stage is are the synodal consultation meetings that happen across the diocese. A diocesan liturgical celebration can be organized to open the diocesan phase and invoke the Holy Spirit to guide the whole process. Throughout the diocesan phase, the Diocesan Contact Person(s) should keep in regular contact with group coordinators of the synodal consultation meetings across the dioceses so as to monitor progress, provide support where needed, and facilitate the exchange of ideas, best practices, and emerging feedback. A date should be specified for the submission of the consultation feedback, which can follow the guidelines for the diocesan synthesis as described below.

9. Diocesan Pre-Synodal Meeting

It is strongly recommended that the consultation process in the diocese culminate in a Diocesan Pre-Synodal Meeting that includes a liturgical celebration. A wide representation from across the diocese should be invited to take part with the aim of coming together to pray, listen, reflect, and discern the synodal path along which God’s Spirit is calling the whole diocese. Appendix C provides suggestions for organizing this meeting.

10. Preparing and submitting the diocesan synthesis

Finally, a diocesan synthesis should be prepared based on all the collated feedback from across the diocese as well as the proceedings of the Pre- Synodal Meeting. Appendix D provides a suggested outline. This is to be submitted to the episcopal conference by a specified date. Once finalized, the synthesis should be communicated to the public in the diocese. The Diocesan Contact Person(s) should maintain their appointment throughout the Synod process at least until the Assembly of the Synod of Bishops in October 2023, and their role can continue beyond this date. In the successive phases of the present Synod, they will be a liaison point for the episcopal conferences and continental gatherings, and can help the diocese remain engaged in the Synodal Process. Where needed, they can also ensure a smooth transition towards the implementation of any suggestions raised during the consultation in the diocese. After all, this Synodal Process is not the end but a new beginning.

The Basic Ingredients of the Synodal Experience

The steps listed above in Part 4.4 are to be used as guidelines. Ultimately, the diocesan phase involves similar “ingredients” as the Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, such as the one that will occur in Rome in October 2023. These elements are: a liturgical celebration to begin, gathering in a large assembly, small group meetings, moments of silence and prayer, informal conversations, shared experiences (such as pilgrimages, artistic expressions, and experiences with those who are vulnerable, handicapped persons, and the elderly), and a liturgical celebration to conclude. These basic ingredients of synodality can be easily adapted to your local circumstance to foster a fruitful synodal experience in your local Church, keeping in mind the principles, attitudes, and pitfalls outlined above in Part 2.

 

Resources for organizing the Synodal Process

Methodology for the Diocesan Synodal Process

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. There is advice and resources
on how to go about this on the Synod website.

As mentioned above, individuals and groups are encouraged to participate in the Synodal Process through their local Church. However, it is also possible for individuals and groups to contribute directly to the General Secretariat of
the Synod of Bishops (EC, 6).

Within each local Church, gatherings should be set up in a way that promotes the most fruitful synodal experience in the local context. Ideally more than one of these “synodal consultation meetings” would be organized for the same group of participants so they can go deeper and dialogue more richly. Alternatively, new groupings can be organized so that more people get to listen to and engage with a wider diversity of views and experiences.

Individuals can also contribute their consultation feedback directly to the diocese. 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. Communal experiences of the Synodal Process are to be encouraged over individual contributions, since they better manifest the synodal spirit of walking together. In this sense, videos, video conferences, Scripture reflections, and prayers can be proposed to those who contribute individually, in order to more closely unite them to the experience of synodality.

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. Two or more parishes can come together to plan a series of joint synodal consultation meetings. They can focus their sharing around a common relevant experience, such as the challenges they face as Christians, being Church amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, or something connected to their context. An inter-parish organizing team can be formed.

We also encourage you to integrate the theme of synodality and this Synodal Process of consultation into local or diocesan gatherings and meetings.

The Informal Dimension of the Synodal Process

Listening to one another is enriched by knowing each other and sharing life together. It can be very helpful to share a common activity before starting to meet and dialogue with one another.

Some examples of activities that can be done together include a pilgrimage, social or charitable outreach, or simply sharing a meal with each other. 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.

This approach follows Jesus’ example of gathering His disciples to share a meal, walk together, or simply spend time with each other. 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. This may open the door to a more fruitful participation of people who feel less comfortable in formal meetings, as well as give some opportunities to more freely clarify certain points.

Taking part in physical, cultural, social, and charitable activities can contribute to building communion among the participants, renewing the Church through new experiences of fraternity with one another.

The Main Question for Consultation

This Synod poses the following fundamental question: A synodal Church, in announcing the Gospel, “journeys together.” How is this “journeying together” happening today in your local Church? What steps does the Spirit invite us to take in order to grow in our “journeying together”? 

In responding to this question, we are invited to:
– Recall our experiences: What experiences of our local Church does this question call to mind?
– Re-read these experiences in greater depth: What joys did they bring? What difficulties and obstacles have they encountered? What wounds did they reveal? What insights have they elicited?
– Gather the fruits to share: Where in these experiences does the voice of the Holy Spirit resound? What is the Spirit asking of us? What are the points to be confirmed, the prospects for change, the steps to be taken? Where do we register a consensus? What paths are opening up for our local Church?

To help people explore this fundamental question more fully, the following themes highlight significant aspects of “lived synodality”  In responding to these questions, it is helpful to remember that “journeying together” occurs in two deeply interconnected ways. First, we journey together with one another as the People of God. Next, we journey together
as the People of God with the entire human family. These two perspectives enrich one another and are helpful for our common discernment towards deeper communion and more fruitful mission.

The questions accompanying each of the following ten themes can be used as a starting point or helpful guideline. Your conversation and dialogue do not need to be limited to the following questions:

1. COMPANIONS ON THE JOURNEY
In the Church and in society we are side by side on the same road. In our local Church, who are those who “walk together”? Who are those who seem further apart? How are we called to grow as companions? What groups or individuals are left on the margins?

2. LISTENING
Listening is the first step, but it requires an open mind and heart, without prejudice. How is God speaking to us through voices we sometimes ignore? How are the laity listened to, especially women and young people? What facilitates or inhibits our listening? How well do we listen to those on the peripheries? How is the contribution of consecrated men and women integrated? What are some limitations in our ability to listen, especially to those who have different views than our own? What space is there for the voice of minorities, especially people who experience poverty, marginalization, or social exclusion?

3. SPEAKING OUT
All are invited to speak with courage and parrhesia, that is, in freedom, truth, and charity. What enables or hinders speaking up courageously, candidly, and responsibly in our local Church and in society? When and how do we manage to say what is important to us? How does the relationship with the local media work (not only Catholic media)? Who speaks on behalf of the Christian community, and how are they chosen?

4. CELEBRATION
“Walking together” is only possible if it is based on communal listening to the Word and the celebration of the Eucharist. How do prayer and liturgical celebrations actually inspire and guide our common life and mission in our community? How do they inspire the most important decisions? How do we promote the active participation of all the faithful in the liturgy? What space is given to participating in the ministries of lector and acolyte?

5. SHARING RESPONSIBILITY FOR OUR COMMON MISSION
Synodality is at the service of the mission of the Church, in which all members are called to participate. Since we are all missionary disciples, how is every baptised person called to participate in the mission of the Church? What hinders the baptised from being active in mission? What areas of mission are we neglecting? How does the community support its members who serve society in various ways (social and political involvement, scientific research, education, promoting social justice, protecting human rights, caring for the environment, etc.)? How does the Church help these members to live out their service to society in a missionary way? How is discernment about missionary choices made and by whom?

6. DIALOGUE IN CHURCH AND SOCIETY
Dialogue requires perseverance and patience, but it also enables mutual understanding. To what extent do diverse peoples in our community come together for dialogue? What are the places and means of dialogue within our local Church? How do we promote collaboration with neighbouring dioceses, religious communities in the area, lay associations and movements, etc.? How are divergences of vision, or conflicts and difficulties addressed? What
particular issues in the Church and society do we need to pay more attention to? What experiences of dialogue and collaboration do we have with believers of other religions and with those who have no religious affiliation? How does the Church dialogue with and learn from other sectors of society: the spheres of politics, economics, culture, civil society, and people who live in poverty?

7. ECUMENISM
The dialogue between Christians of different confessions, united by one baptism, has a special place in the synodal journey. What relationships does our Church community have with members of other Christian traditions and denominations? What do we share and how do we journey together? What fruits have we drawn from walking together? What are the difficulties? How can we take the next step in walking forward with each other?

8. AUTHORITY AND PARTICIPATION
A synodal church is a participatory and co-responsible Church. How does our Church community identify the goals to be pursued, the way to reach them, and the steps to be taken? How is authority or governance exercised within
our local Church? How are teamwork and co-responsibility put into practice? How are evaluations conducted and by whom? How are lay ministries and the responsibility of lay people promoted? Have we had fruitful experiences of synodality on a local level? How do synodal bodies function at the level of the local Church (Pastoral Councils in parishes and dioceses, Presbyteral Council, etc.)? How can we foster a more synodal approach in our participation and
leadership?

9. DISCERNING AND DECIDING
In a synodal style we make decisions through discernment of what the Holy Spirit is saying through our whole community. What methods and processes do we use in decision-making? How can they be improved? How do we promote participation in decision-making within hierarchical structures? Do our decision-making methods help us to listen to the whole People of God? What is the relationship between consultation and decision-making, and how do we put these into practice? What tools and procedures do we use to promote transparency and accountability? How can we grow in communal spiritual discernment?

10. FORMING OURSELVES IN SYNODALITY
Synodality entails receptivity to change, formation, and on-going learning. How does our church community form people to be more capable of “walking together,” listening to one another, participating in mission, and engaging in dialogue? What formation is offered to foster discernment and the exercise of authority in a synodal way?

The Synod website provides suggestions on how to pose these questions to various groups of people in simple and engaging ways. 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. Participants are encouraged to 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.