We are about to celebrate the one year anniversary of the first synodal assembly, October 2023, and we are gradually entering the second one.
This time we have experienced some interesting previews: on September 27, 28 and 29 we were offered training for Facilitators to continue accompanying the process of the groups in the round tables .
Coordinated by Giacomo Costa sj and other companions, during these days we attended theabove-mentioned formation at the CIAM (International Center for Missionary Animation) which is located within the Urbaniana University.
There, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., we went through the Working Document and saw the best way to help the groups in discernment, through the Conversation in the Spirit.
It was already a joy to meet again and to get to know several people who were not in this service last year.
On the 30th and 1st we dedicated ourselves to the spiritual retreat, all the synod fathers and mothers, accompanied by Timothy Radcliff, Dominican and Maria Ignazia Angelini, Benedictine.
On the afternoon of the 1st we had a penitential celebration presided by Pope Francis, who in the name of the whole church asked forgiveness for the sins committed by the church. It was a very deep experience and made with realism calling things by their name. Hearing direct testimonies of an abused person, another migrant, and several others, touched the heart and we felt the pain and shame of having failed people from within the church.
But Pope Francis insisted on the request for forgiveness by appealing to the merciful God who never tires of forgiving. He insisted that there can be no synodality without reconciliation, without recognizing the wounds we have caused.
These were days of preparing our hearts for the work sessions that began on the 2nd. After the opening Eucharist we went to the synodal hall to receive instructions on the electronic use of our work.
The afternoon was dedicated to the official opening with an address by the Pope, the Secretary General, the Rapporteur and the coordinators of the ten study groups on various topics, who gave us an account of how they are working.
Each day we are getting deeper into this month’s agenda; we trust in the prayers of so many people, that the Spirit is leading us and we want to be faithful to his inspirations to give the best response that we need as a church in society here and now.
We will keep you informed…
María Luisa Berzosa FI Rome, Rome.
