Pope Francis has invited the Catholic Church throughout the world to participate in preparations for the next Synod of Bishops in Rome, in October 2023.
What is a synod? Synod comes from the Greek word “to journey together.” This synod is a gathering of bishops called by the Holy Father to reflect and to offer counsel on important pastoral matters in the life of the Church.
What are those issues? Certainly some are likely common across the globe, some are international, some local, but all affect the ability of the Church and the local church to be in mission to the “ends of the earth.”
How are we asked to participate in this Synod? This is not just a meeting of Bishops. The Bishops are tasked with gathering the sensus fideum, the sense of the faithful of their dioceses to the conversation. The Synod process begins in the parish so that the “together” reaches into the heart and body of the Church.
“Synodality is a way of being church, based on the idea, the ideal, that all the baptized are walking together with a shared attention to the Holy Spirit,” Cardinal Joseph Tobin, the archbishop of Newark, said in a keynote address to the Cathedral Ministry Conference.
It is the People of God journeying together, and reflecting on the journey, so as to foster a deeper sense of belonging, more deeply connect as a community, and listen to the voices that make up the local church – even if they are not in church – in order to ready ourselves for a renewed sense of mission. It is a “ground up” process that begins in the local parish to raise up issues that keep us from fully being a missionary church to the world.
When does the Synod begin locally? Here at St. Francis, we want to gather the sensus fideum, through in-person listening sessions – the community coming together to share and listen to one another. The use of technology has aided us greatly during the pandemic, but we think that by March we will be able to prudently come together as people of faith to hold this very important event.
We plan to hold four in-person listening sessions. All sessions will be in the St. Francis school dining hall.
- Sunday, March 6th at 10:45 am : Sign Up
- Saturday, March 12th at 7:00 pm (Spanish) : Sign Up
- Thursday, March 17th at 7:00 pm : Sign Up
- Sunday, March 20th at 10:45 am : Sign Up
If we need more sessions, then we can schedule more sessions.
How do we “sign up?” The simplest way to explain is to use the links immediately above. The same links will also be available on the parish website landing page. Once you are signed up, we will use our Flocknote system to provide preliminary information and “food for thought.” If you are already on Flocknote – thank you. If not, this will add you to the “flock”!
Let your voice be heard! The Church has called us all to “communion, participation, and mission.” We hope that you answer the call.