For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, Mission
All are invited to participate in the upcoming Synod of Bishops, 2023 and 2024, through a process of listening, prayer, and dialogue that began during the Fall of 2021 with the Diocesan stage.
The National Synthesis of the People of God in the United States of America included input from listening sessions held within the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA.
A working document for the Continental stage was drafted with input from 112 Episcopal Conferences around the world. See the button below for the final documents of The Continental stage that concluded on March 31, 2023 with input from seven Continental Assemblies. The fruit of these discussions will contribute to the Universal Stage. The first session of the Synod of Bishops will take place in Rome from 4-29 October 2023. The second session of Synod will be held around the same time and location in 2024.
The goal of this journeying together is to be present with one another, to listen and learn with each other, and to grow closer to the Lord and His Church.
Archdiocesan Synodal Participation
The Archdiocesan Synthesis submitted to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is posted below:
Undertaking the consultative phase for this global synod presented a number of unique challenges to the AMS, a non-territorial diocese responsible for Catholics around the world. Outreach on social media and direct communication to priest-chaplains were the primary means feedback was sought and small-group listening sessions were encouraged. Despite the encouragement fewer responses were received. As a result, the views expressed herein cannot be understood as representative of the Catholic military community as a whole. Nevertheless, these voices raise important considerations.
The following installations and groups submitted insights that were incorporated into the AMS Synod Synthesis:
- Beale AFB, California
- Dyess AFB, Texas
- Eglin AFB, Florida
- Fort Buchanan, San Juan Puerto Rico
- Fort Leavenworth, Kansas
- Fort Lee, Virginia
- Hurlburt Field, Florida
- Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii
- Travis AFB, California
- Tinker AFB, Oklahoma
- United States Military Academy, West Point, New York
- Archdiocesan Young Adult Ministry Symposium, Arlington, Virginia, 20-23 January 2022
- Archdiocesan Virtual Catechist Convocation, online, 19 October 2021
- Along with several responses submitted by individuals
What does Synod mean?
A Synod, which is the process by which the Church will begin this important work is not jus a convening of Bishops reflecting on a particular topic and advising the Pope. A Synod is a journey of discernment, in which the people of God are called to pray and reflect upon the Holy Spirit’s will for the Church. Through out listening and our sharing, we will seek to understand what the Holy Spirit’s will is for the topic being discussed – and thus, for the Church.
The Fundamental Question
A synodal Church, in announcing the Gospel, “journeys together:” How is this “journeying together” happening today in your particular Church? What steps does the Spirit invite us to take in order to grow in our “journeying together”?
In order to respond, you are invited to reflect prayerfully on the following:
- Recall our experiences: What experiences in our particular Church does this fundamental question bring to mind?
- Re-read these experiences in greater depth: What joys did they bring? What difficulties and obstacles have they encountered? What wounds did they reveal? What insights have they elicited?
- Gather the fruits to share: Where, in these experiences, does the voice of the Holy Spirit resound? What is the Holy Spirit asking of us? What are the points to be confirmed, the prospects for change, the steps to be taken? Where do we register consensus? What paths are opening up for our local Church?
