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Our Opportunity to Help Chart the Future of the Church Worldwide
The Synod on Synodality is a two-year process of listening and dialogue between Rome and the rest of the Catholic Community around the world. Pope Francis invites the entire Church to reflect on a theme that is decisive for its life and mission: “It is precisely this path of synodality which God expects of the Church of the third millennium.”
Join us as we assist our Holy Father in completing the mission of Christ in today's Church!
What is a Synod?
Like many of the words that we use in our Catholic tradition, Synod is an ancient Greek word that means assembling to determine the path forward. A Synod is a Process that gathers Christ's disciples so that their voices can be heard. It is the Church's belief that each and everyone's voice is that of Christ. And when two or three of Christ's Faithful are gathered, he is present and alive in their midst. The history of the Church also shows us that the model of Synodality was a critical tool at times of crisis and challenge. A particular 'synod' was called to address various crises in the life of the Church and history tells us that, in those moments, the presence of the Holy Spirit was alive in their midst, leading the Church forward. The model of a Synod allows the presence of Christ to be given voice at this moment in our history.
What is this Synod About?
On March 7, 2020, Pope Francis announced that a Synod of Bishops would convene at the Vatican in October 2023, the theme of which will be For a synodal Church: communion, participation and mission. As a vital first step in the Synod process, the Holy Father has invited each diocese around the world to listen to the voices of its people including those who are marginalized or may have fallen away from the Church. By virtue of our Baptism, all of us are called to be active participants in the life of the Church through discernment, participation and co-responsibility. Through a process of careful listening, our participation in the Synod process will enable us to better understand how the Christian community participates in the life of our Church in the Diocese of Scranton today and how that shared participation among our members might grow in the future. (From Bishop Bambera's Letter to the Faithful, October 4, 2021)
Why is the Synod Taking Place?
By calling for the 2021-2023 Synod on Synodality, Pope Francis is inviting the Church to gather and to listen to each and every Catholic to find the Church's path forward at this time in our history. This is a moment for the voice of God's people to be heard to give voice to the direction of the Church. Pope Francis is providing the opportunity for this ancient and tested model to find relevance in light of today's challenges and opportunities. The Holv Father seeks to hear every voice. Prayerfully consider participating either in your parish's in-person consultation session or through the online survey or phone line listed above.
What is my Role in the Synod?
Far from being a temporary or one-time experience in calling the Church to participate in the Synod process, Pope Francis is reminding us that the very mission of the Church requires the entire People of God to be on a journey together, with each member playing his or her crucial role, united with each other. The Holy Father's hope is that the experience of this unique world-wide opportunity will bring about a new springtime for listening, discernment, dialogue and decision-making in our Church, so that the whole People of God can better journey together with one another and the human family, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. (From Bishop Bambera's Letter to the Faithful, October 4, 2021)
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