On this path as a synodal church, we continue to contribute suggestions and good practices to the process as it moves forward. The door – the secretariat’s mailbox – is always open and at any given moment everything that arrives is collected because there is an incessant flow of contributions from individuals and communities who feel invited to present everything that improves our being and being in the church today.
National and international events are also taking place at the national and international levels that continue to move us forward in the synodal process. From April 28 to May 2, the meeting “Pastors for the Synod” is taking place in Rome, where more than 200 pastors from different continents are present.
It is a listening, prayer and discernment meeting promoted by the General Secretariat of the Synod and the Dicastery for the Clergy, together with the Dicastery for Evangelization (Section for First Evangelization and the New Particular Churches) and the Dicastery for the Oriental Churches.
The initiative also responds to the indications of the participants in the First Session of the XVI Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops who suggested a greater listening to the voice of the parish priests.
The objectives are as follows:
- Listen to and value the synodal experience that they are living in their respective parishes and dioceses.
- To enable dialogue and the exchange of experiences and ideas.
- To provide materials to be used in the drafting of the Instrumentum laboris for the Second Session, together with the syntheses of the consultation coordinated by the Episcopal Conferences and the results of the theological-canonical study carried out by five Working Groups activated by the General Secretariat of the Synod.
This meeting has two moments: One in Sacrofano, near Rome (April 29 May 1) with this program:
- General theme: How to be a local synodal Church in mission.
- A theme for each day: The face of the synodal Church; All disciples, all missionaries; Weaving bonds, building community.
- The papers will be accompanied by five experts: V. David (bishop, Philippines), B. Ndubueze Ejeh (canonist, Nigeria), T. Halík (theologian, Czech Republic), G. Routhier (theologian, Canada) and M.L. Zervino (sociologist, Argentina).
- Method of conversation in the Spirit.
- Group work and plenary.
- Time for prayer (prayer at the beginning of the day, time for personal prayer, celebration of the Eucharist). In the morning the Blessed Sacrament will remain exposed in the chapel.
Second moment at the Vatican(May 2):
- Meeting-dialogue with the Holy Father (Aula.0 New Synod).
- Eucharist in St. Peter’s Basilica (Altar of the Chair).
The key theme is How to be a local synodal church in mission:
It is about dialoguing together and sharing parish life around these or similar questions with the sub-theme of each day: The Face of the Synodal Church. All disciples, all missionaries. Weaving ties, building community.
- What synodal Church experiences have I had in my ministry as a pastor?
- Which ones have been pleasant and which ones less so? What understanding of synodality have I been able to mature through them?
- In my ministry as a pastor, what experiences have I had regarding the participation of different charisms, vocations, ministries in the life of the parish and the diocese/eparchy?
- In my context of origin, what significant experiences have we had regarding the contribution of parish communities to the life and mission of the local Church (diocese or eparchy) to which they belong? What have they taught us?
Important steps covering various fields of the church in this synodal journey, which commit us as active and co-responsible members of the church. As adults in the faith.
María Luisa Berzosa Gonzalez, FI – Roma
