There are three key words used frequently when addressing Synodality (or “Journeying Together”): Communion, Participation and Mission. Here is what the Holy Father shares about these important pillars of synodality –
Communion: By his gracious will, God gathers us together as diverse peoples of one faith, through the covenant that he offers to his people. The communion we share finds its deepest roots in the love and unity of the Trinity. Together, we are inspired by listening to the Word of God, through the living Tradition of the Church, and grounded in the sensus fidei that we share. We all have a role to play in discerning and living out God’s call for his people.
Participation: A call for the involvement of all who belong to the People of God- laity, consecrated and ordained- to engage in the exercise of deep and respectful listening to one another. This listening created space for us to hear the Holy Spirit together, and guides our aspirations for the Church of the Third Millennium. Participation is based on the fact that all the faithful are qualified and are called to serve one another through the gifts they have each received from the Holy Spirit.
Mission: The church exists to evangelize. We can never be centered on ourselves. Our mission is to witness to the love of God in the midst of the whole human family. This Synodal Process has a deeply missionary dimension to it. It is intended to enable the Church to better witness to the Gospel, especially with those who live on the spiritual, social, economic, political, geographical, and existential peripheries of our world. In this way, synodality is a path by which the Church can more fruitfully fulfill her mission of evangelization in the world, as a leaven at the service of the coming of God’s kingdom.
Our Synod committee meets weekly to grapple with the challenges of gathering the wealth of experiences and learning a lived synodality. We are exploring many ways we can reach people in multifaceted ways to hear the fruits of their own prayer and experience in the Church. We encourage everyone if they haven’t had a chance to read the Synod on Synodality Preparatory Document and Vademecum which are both available on the Synod page of our website, along with a host of additional Synod information and resources.
In the Easter Season we’ll be offering many ways to engage in the process of Synodality at St. John – St. Paul Collaborative.