What is Happening With the Synodal Process? An Update.
The world wide synodal process of the Church is proceeding in a surprisingly smooth fashion. Reports coming out of it indicate a sense of the faithful which could be transformative of how the Church will carry out its mission.
The term “synodal” means simply “traveling together,” and Pope Francis, who initiated the process, invites all the faithful on this journey: “May we be pilgrims in love with the Gospel and open to the surprises of the Holy Spirit. Let us not miss out on the grace-filled opportunities born of encounter, listening and discernment. In the joyful conviction that, even as we seek the Lord, he always comes with his love to meet us first.”
Around the world Catholics have been encountering one another at “consultations” (listening sessions), some face-to-face and others through various media. We have been bringing to life the synodal call for “communion, participation and mission.” What seems to be emerging is a more inclusive way to do church, both a listening and teaching church.
The synodal process began at parishes around the world early in 2022 including the several sessions organized at St. Augustine Parish in March. This was Stage One of the process.
Stage Two has included: each diocese synthesizing the parish consultation reports, which were then sent to the national bishop’s conferences (in the US, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops). Each bishop’s conference then synthesized the diocesan documents and sent their national report to the Vatican.
The Vatican then organized groups of theologians, lay people, ordained ministers and others to read each of the scores of national documents from around the world and write a synthesis report. The resulting 45 page document is titled “Enlarge the space of your tent” (Is 54:2). It is described as a “working document for the continental stage,” meaning that groups of national conferences, organized into seven continental regions, will discuss the document and send their reports of those discussions to Rome for Stage Three.
Presently, during Stage Two, delegates composed of lay people as well as ordained, consecrated and religious are meeting throughout the world in the seven regions with similar cultural and historical backgrounds. Five Vermont delegates are participating in the North American region consisting of Canada and the United States. These meetings will continue through January and then the regional reports will be sent to Rome.
Stage Three, the final stage, is composed of two sessions of the XVI General Ordinary Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, taking place in October 2023 and October 2024 in Rome. This Synod of Bishops will compose an Instrumentum Laboris, a working document used to implement the synodal dimension of the Church.
Then the work of journeying together at every level of the church, from the parish to the universal church and involving all the faithful, will begin.