Timeline

The General Secretary of the Synod of Bishops, His Eminence Cardinal Lorenzo Baldisseri, announces that Pope Francis has convoked the 16th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, which will be held in the month of October 2023 on the theme: “For a synodal Church: communion, participation and mission”.

Irish Catholic Bishops announce a new Synodal Pathway for the Catholic Church in Ireland which will lead to the holding of a National Synodal Assembly or Assemblies within the next five years.

Between Easter and Pentecost, 2021, bishops offered an invitation for submissions to reflect on what methods/models to adopt in these coming two years of conversations.

Irish Bishops establish a Synodal Steering Committee and a Synodal Task Group for the Irish Synodal Pathway.  Dr Nicola Brady appointed chair of the Synodal Steering Committee and the vice-chairs appointed are Mr Andrew O’Callaghan and Bishop Brendan Leahy of Limerick. The initial phase will focus on Prayer, Listening, Consultation and Discernment.

Pope Francis formally launches the two-year global consultation process leading to the 2023 synod on synodality with a call to “look others in the eye and listen to what they have to say.” Each diocese will engage in listening and consultation, submitting their thoughts and findings to the Episcopal conference in May 2022.  The Episcopal Conference will then synthesize and pass on the findings to the Holy See by August 2022.

Each diocese in Ireland opens the Universal Synod on Synodality.

Each diocese in Ireland plans and conducts consultation and listening for the Universal Synod on Synodality.

After conducting consultation and listening, and after hosting a Synodal gathering to synthesize the fruits of this consultation, each diocese will submit their Synodal document to the Irish Bishops’ Conference on the Feast of the Ascension.

The Holy Spirit will have been the agent of the Synodal consultations that each community has engaged in and each parish is asked to set aside the Feast of Pentecost as a day of prayer for the next Synod and the Synodal Pathway of the Irish Church.

On the Vigil of Corpus Christi, a National Pre-Synodal Meeting will be held before sending the findings of the Irish Church to the Holy See.

Following completion of consultations for Universal Synodal Pathway the Irish Church will continue consultation and preparations for its own Synodal Assembly or Assemblies.  The fruits of the Universal phase will be gleaned and further prayer, consultation and listening will occur within the Irish Church.

Following completion of the initial phase of the Irish Synodal Pathway the Irish Church will commence preparations for an Assembly of Assemblies that will take place from 2026 onwards. The Irish Synodal Pathway will integrate the fruits of the Universal Synod, For a Synodal Church:  Communion, Participation and Mission, which will be held in Rome in October 2023.