What is Synodality?
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Vatican web site on the Synod and Synodality. See also their Resources section.
Previous CARFLEO post on Synodality featuring resources from around Ontario and a link to Moira McQueen’s book, “Walking Together”
This post outlines some of the approaches to inviting contributions to the synodal process from around the world:
Diocese of Alexandria, Virginia, USA
1. How do we as a Diocese journey together, listening to the Holy Spirit and discerning the Lord’s will?
2. In what ways are people of all backgrounds in this Diocese truly welcomed into the life of the Church?
3. In what ways does your parish foster unity in the Church? What else might your parish do to further unity?
4. Are there areas of the parish, Diocese or universal Church that are in particular need of healing and/or conversion? If so, how could this be addressed?
5. In what ways does the Church in this Diocese reach out and evangelize those on the margins?
6. In what ways do your parish and the Diocese promote participation of the laity in decision-making?
7. How have scandals in the Church affected your spiritual journey and your relationship with the Church?
8. In what ways is the voice of the laity respected in the Church?
Archdiocese of Boston, Massachusetts, USA
1. In one sentence, please share an idea about how parishes or other local institutions in the Archdiocese of Boston can do a better job of listening to the people in the parishes.
2. In one sentence, please share an idea about how the Archdiocese /Diocese can do a better job of listening to the people of the Archdiocese/Diocese?
3. In one sentence, please share an idea about how the universal Church can do a better job of listening to the voices of Catholics around the world.
Diocese of Salford, UK
Diocesan Stage of the Universal Synod: Reflection Questions
Pope Francis has launched a worldwide ‘synodal’ process. Synod simply means ‘journeying together’. The Holy Father is inviting us to listen deeply to one another; to discern what God is saying to the Church, and to enter into a dialogue about how we can journey together into the future. We will have our own synodal pathway, within our parishes and communities in the Diocese of Salford, united with every diocese across the world. Then, after national and continental gatherings, the Synod of Bishops will gather in Rome in 2023 to reflect on what has been heard.
We invite you to reflect on the following questions in a spirit of prayer and discernment. A prayer to the Holy Spirit and a piece of scripture taken from the Road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35), can be found below:
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.
“Were not our hearts burning within us while Jesus talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” Luke 24:32
Top of Form
1. What has been your experience of your parish/community during the Pandemic?
2. How can we best listen to each other, in the Church and in the wider world?
3. How we do we communicate with each other in our groups, parishes, diocese? Do we have the freedom to speak openly in a loving way?
4. In what ways does prayer and the celebration of Mass enable us to encounter Jesus more deeply and empower us in our daily lives?
5. What do you sense the Holy Spirit asking of the Church?
6. Who walks with us on our journey of faith? What persons or groups are marginalised?
7. How can we best share the Good News of Jesus with others? What difference are we currently making?
8. In what ways do our parishes/communities speak to each other and the wider society? How could we do this better?
9. How are we as a community listening to, and enriched by, other Christian denominations and other faiths?
10. In what ways do we take collective responsibility (priest and lay faithful collaboration) for our community? What are the fruits of this collaboration, and what are the obstacles and challenges?
11. How do we discern together the direction in which the Holy Spirit is leading us? How can we develop this shared responsibility together?
12. What support do we need to help us grow as a Church journeying together, listening to each other and the Spirit?
13. Is there anything else you would like to share with us?
Catholic Diocese of Lexington Kentucky: Various Resources
Diocese of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
1. LISTENING
How is God speaking to me?
What helps or hinders my listening?
How does the Church listen to my voice?
2. SPEAKING OUT / SHARING
What helps me to speak up openly?
What hinders me to speak up openly?
How does the Church dialogue with and learn from other sectors of society (e.g. government and other religions)?
3. MOVING FORWARD
How can we as the People of God work together in communion and participate in the Church’s life and mission?
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