Recent synods convened at the Vatican as well as the worldwide synod on synodality have “shown us the value of listening as a common thread in any process of humanization,” said Sister Liliana Franco Echeverri, a member of the Company of Mary and president of the Latin American and Caribbean Confederation of Religious.
Synodality
Theological, ecclesiological balance needed in discussion of synodality, Bishop Rhoades says
This process, known familiarly now as “synodality,” has culminated in two October sessions, during which more than 350 delegates from around the world have met, shared, prayed and discerned together.
Mission is common goal of synod and ecumenism, pope says
Halfway through the Synod of Bishops, Pope Francis and synod participants prayed that God would “remove the divisions between Christians” so that they could proclaim the Gospel together.
U.S. cardinals meet privately with pope to discuss synodality
Three U.S. cardinals attending the synod on synodality met privately with Pope Francis to speak more in-depth about synodality and the process of discernment, said Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin of Newark, New Jersey.
Synod participants look at how all Catholics can serve church’s mission
The pope, bishops and priests cannot fully awaken the missionary spirit of the Catholic Church alone, so all Catholics must play a more central role in spreading the Gospel, according to participants in the Synod of Bishops on synodality.
At midway point, synod to discuss accountability, walking the talk
Members of the Synod of Bishops must ask, listen to and prayerfully reflect on difficult questions, not dismiss or avoid them, the spiritual adviser to the synod on synodality told them.
Catholic synod is relevant for other Christians, too, delegates say
While the Catholic Church’s Synod of Bishops is not exactly like a synod in other Christian communities, the issues being discussed and the way they are being handled are relevant to other Christian churches and to the search for Christian unity, synod participants said.
Synodal leadership can ease a bishop’s burdens, speakers say
A bishop who runs his diocese like a “monarch” is not only not acting synodally, but he probably is lonely and stressed, said theologians advising the Synod of Bishops.
Saints hold lessons for bringing peace to world, bishop tells synod
With war and violence plaguing so many parts of the world, Christians can look to the saints to discover from their example the true meaning of peace, Maronite Auxiliary Bishop Paul Rouhana of Beirut told participants at the Synod of Bishops.
Pope sends $67,000 to Gaza parish, with $35,000 raised in one day from synod delegates
As the Holy Land marked a grim first anniversary Oct. 7 of the Hamas attack on southern Israeli communities and subsequent Israel-Hamas war that has devastated the Gaza Strip, the papal almoner raised $35,000 in one afternoon from delegates to the Synod on Synodality and immediately sent it to Holy Family Parish in Gaza City.
Synod seeks to expand consultations on women’s ministry, diaconate
The Vatican group studying the question of women’s ministry, including the ordination of women to the diaconate, will expand its consultative phase to include women who do not serve as consultors to the dicastery in charge of the study group, synod officials announced.
Hot-button issues raised by Vatican synod called ‘a mechanism’ to understand synodal method
The goal of the second and final meeting of the Synod on Synodality underway at the Vatican is understanding and exercising synodality in the church, rather than immediately resolving specific issues, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ synodality expert said.