What is the Synodal Pathway?
In every diocese throughout the world, a Synodal process was launched on October 17th 2021 which will culminate with the Synod of Bishops dedicated to the theme “For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation and Mission” at the Vatican in October 2023. This process is about discerning what God wants at this time from His People. In fact some of what emerges might be very challenging for many of us but we will learn and identify an optimum way forward for the Church by openly sharing and actively listening to one another, and by listening to God in prayer as well as by reflecting on his Word in the Scripture.
What will happen at a parish level?
Parishioners in Cabinteely are invited to a Gathering on Saturday 5th March at 3 PM in the Parish Pastoral Centre (Pre Registration required). There is also an opportunity to participate at a Zoom Gathering on Wednesday 9th March at 7.30 PM (Please register for Gathering in the Centre and Zoom by emailing [email protected] or by phoning the parish office at 01-2858835). You can also email a response to questions below to [email protected] . At these Gatherings there will be prayer, reflection and discussion on a number of set questions and notes from the responses to the discussion and to the questions asked as well as any additional feedback received, will feed into our Parish submission as part of the Synodal Pathway Process.
The set questions which are detailed below, include four areas that we are being asked to reflect on: –
When you think of your experience of Church, (I) what brings you joy? (ii) what brings you sorrow? (iii) what brings you hope? and (iv) what brings fear or anxiety?
How then will all of this make a difference?
It will make a difference in several ways. Those who participate in the prayer, reflection and conversation, and listen deeply to the views of others, will likely come away from the gatherings enriched and with mindsets broadened. When feedback from the meetings is collated at diocesan, national and international levels, a range of insights and recommendations will emerge that hopefully will enable the worldwide Catholic community to sense what God wants from them. In all of this we must of course trust the Holy Spirit to be with us and bring us to where He wants us to be.