Auxiliary Bishop Bruce Lewandowski, C.Ss.R., has a simple enticement for Catholics considering attending one of three synod sessions hosted by the Archdiocese of Baltimore.
“When is the last time the Holy Father asked for your opinion?” Baltimore’s urban vicar said.
Well, here’s your opportunity to tell Pope Francis exactly what you think.
The archdiocese is inviting parishioners and parish leaders to voice their opinions as the Catholic Church continues a three-year process of reflection, listening and dialogue to refine its mission and direction.
Catholics are invited to participate in the Synod on Synodality’s Interim Stage, reflecting on the structures of the church.
The archdiocese will hold one session in each vicariate this Lent:
Eastern Vicariate – St. Philip Neri, Linthicum, on March 7, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Urban Vicariate – St. Francis of Assisi, Baltimore, on March 7, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Western Vicariate – St. Joseph, Hagerstown on March 12, from 6 to 8 p.m.
“I invite everyone, regardless of where they are in their faith journey, to offer their unique perspective,” Archbishop William E. Lori said. “While participation in the sessions is open to everyone, pastors, associate pastors, staff, parish councils, corporators and finance councils are especially encouraged to participate in at least one of the sessions, given their familiarity and experience with those church structures that will be the focus of this interim stage.”
The Synod on Synodality is a three-year process that started in Rome in October 2021 with a conclusion set for October 2024.
According to the Vatican’s website for its Synod on Synodality, the goal of the process is to qualify “the life and mission of the church.”
Bishop Lewandowski said the sessions and synod are designed to continue the work of the Second Vatican Council by defining and expanding the role of the laity in the church.
“After in-person sessions in October, the Holy Father has come back and asked us for a deeper reflection on church structures,” Bishop Lewandowski said.
The bishop said the sessions are designed to examine “communion, participation and mission.” He said the focus of the local sessions is on promoting unity, involvement and inclusion.
“Before, the discussions were on: are people involved?” Bishop Lewandowski said. “Now, the Holy Father wants to know how people are involved and are the structures for that involvement working?”
Bishop Lewandowski said the archdiocese particularly wants to hear from women, minority groups, clergy and laity involved in church finances and operations.
“We want to make sure everyone is heard,” he said. “These aren’t gripe sessions. People should come and be honest about their experiences. Tell us how the church has worked for them and how it hasn’t; but also come with solutions on how to fix it.
“A lot of people have used listening sessions very effectively,” he said. “We have been doing this way before the Holy Father asked us to do it. We can do it a lot better, though, and led by the Holy Spirit, we can renew the church.”
The local conversations will be moderated, and Spanish language facilitation will be offered. After the initial diocesan stage of the Synod, it was reported that women, young adults and Black and Hispanic Catholics were underrepresented; so those groups are encouraged to attend.
At the conclusion of the interim stage, a report will become part of the synthesis of Episcopal Region IV, which will be submitted to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops for inclusion in the national report to the Vatican.
The Vatican asked participants to discuss the following questions and document responses ahead of the Synod on Synodality assembly at the Vatican in October:
- Where have I seen or experienced successes — and distresses — within the church’s structure(s)/organization/leadership/life that encourage or hinder the mission?
- How can the structures and organization of the church help all the baptized to respond to the call to proclaim the Gospel and to live as a community of love and mercy in Christ?
“Please continue to pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit as we journey together toward October 2024,” Archbishop Lori said.
More information about the Synod is available at www.archbalt.org/synod.
Email Gerry Jackson at gjackson@CatholicReview.org
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