Dear Parishioners and Friends,
This week, the Synod of Bishops focused primarily on promoting synodality and the value of listening more attentively.
Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich, who presides over the preparation of the final document, pointed out that if members of the Synod of Bishops are serious about sharing their experience of synodality with all Catholics, then they must identify concrete ways of doing so. That’s because “if we keep this treasure only for ourselves, we transform it into a privilege” rather than a service to the whole church,
Cardinal Hollerich said the challenge is to make sure that members of the church who are not present in the synod hall can experience synodality “not only through our recounting it, but through the renewal of our churches.” Institutional changes are in the offing.
Everyone needs to belong, and this is met through building relationships. In the past, fostering relationships required face-to-face contact. Nowadays, and probably more so in the future, this is also happening on-line! The parish of the future may be a different one indeed.
During a press conference, Sr Liliana Franco Echeverri, president of the Latin American and Caribbean Confederation of Religious, said that the worldwide Synod on Synodality and other recent synods have “shown us the value of listening as a common thread in any process of humanisation”. By way of example, the 2019 Synod on the Amazon proposed the creation of the Amazonian Ecclesial Conference. This was formally erected by Pope Francis in 2021 and is comprised not only of bishops but also of consecrated religious, priests and deacons, Indigenous people and lay Catholic leaders.
“Truly the power to create transformation, and to modify attitudes or structures, lies in listening to God and to the grassroots.” Sr Franco said. To understand what God wants to tell us, and to come closer to each other and to the love of God, we need to listen. There is so much to learn! Especially the value of listening.
God bless you
Fr Silvio
