On Sunday October 17th Bishop McManus celebrated the Mass of the Holy Spirit in preparation for the worldwide synod “For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, and Mission.” Pope Francis is inviting Catholics both in the mainstream of church life and on the margins to voice their dreams, ideas and concerns in preparation for the Synod of Bishops in 2023. There are three phases, and we are all invited to participate in phase one.
Phase 1 Diocese and Parishes around the world dream together about the future; Phase 2 National and Regional bishops’ conferences discern and synthesize; Phase 3 Bishops and the baptized faithful convene in Rome to discuss content of Phase 1 and 2.
Pope Francis opened the Synod with a Mass on October 10. I was so pleased to read his explanation of what he is looking for in this task. “Celebrating a Synod means walking on the same Road, walking together”, he said. In walking that road, one needs to “encounter, listen and discern”, all which Jesus did when he met the rich young man in the Gospel.” The words: encounter, listen, and discern, are powerful.
Many of us have hopes and dreams for the church. We have all encountered people who feel left out, marginalized, pushed aside, even rejected by the Church. We have a chance to speak up for the least, the lost and the last. I know and many of you have listened to the hurts and the pains of those who have left the Church and been hurt by the Church. I am asking us all to let our voices be heard. As Phase 1 unfolds here in our diocese I will keep you posted on the process for collecting our hopes, dreams and wisdom. Phase 1 is to be completed by April of 2022.
I invite us all to pray each day for the guidance of the Holy Spirit for the Synod:
We stand before You, Holy Spirit, as we gather together in Your name. With You alone to guide us, make Yourself at home in our hearts; Teach us the way we must go and how we are to pursue it. We are weak and sinful; do not let us promote disorder. Do not let ignorance lead us down the wrong path nor partiality influence our actions. Let us find in You our unity so that we may journey together to eternal life and not stray from the way of truth and what is right. All this we ask of You, who are at work in every place and time, in the communion of the Father and the Son, forever and ever. Amen.