GETTING STARTED Synodality means taking a journey of spiritual discernment together. The COVID-19 global pandemic has resulted in many of us doing exactly that; looking within and trusting in Jesus Christ for the courage and strength to move forward in the face of often grave challenges. Looking back on the darkest days of the pandemic, we saw the goodness of our Church in action. What have we done well throughout these trying times? How can we continue to effectively live out our mission of bringing others to Jesus?
FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION A Synodal Church, in announcing the Gospel, “journeys together.” How is this “journeying together” happening today in your parish? How are we working together, listening to each other? What steps does the Holy Spirit invite us to take to grow in our “journeying together”? To respond, you are invited to ask yourselves: What experiences in your parish do the fundamental questions call to mind? What joys did they provoke? Were there any challenges? Thinking on those experiences now, what insight do you have into them? How, in these experiences, does the voice of the Holy Spirit resound? What is He asking of us?
CELEBRATING “Journeying together” is only possible if it is based on communal listening to the Word and the celebration of the Eucharist. How do prayer and liturgical celebration inspire and direct our “journeying together”? How do they inspire the most important decisions? How do we promote the active participation of all the faithful at Mass? Are there opportunities to serve as a lector or altar server at your parish?
CO-RESPONSIBLE IN THE MISSION As baptized Catholics, we are all called to be missionary disciples and bring others to know Jesus. Synodality, walking together, and listening to each other are ways in which we can do that. So how can we live out the mission of the Church through our lives? How does the community support its members committed to service in society (in social and political commitment, in scientific research and teaching, in the promotion of social justice, in the protection of human rights, and in caring for the common home, etc.)?
FORMING OURSELVES IN SYNODALITY To live out our faith, it is vital to learn how to journey together, and it is also essential for families and communities. So how do we form people, especially those who hold roles of responsibility within the Christian community, to make them more capable of “journeying together,” listening to one another, and engaging in dialogue?