Parishioners gather in Hagerstown for Synod of Bishops’ Interim Stage Consultations

HAGERSTOWN – Carrie Stumpf meticulously wrote notes as a group of parishioners from parishes across Western Maryland and bordering Frederick County spoke at a circular table in St. Joseph Catholic Church’s auditorium March 12.

She was among a group of people who met at the Hagerstown parish for the Interim Stage Diocesan Consultations, as a part of the XVI General Ordinary Assembly of the Synod of Bishops. The goal of the synod is to bring dialogue from clergy, religious and laity to pray, ascertain, communicate and hear each other out.

“I really wanted to attend tonight because I was actually a part of our parish’s meetings two years ago when we did the first round of this and I was one of the scribes taking notes while everyone else talked,” Stumpf said. “So, I was really curious about the follow-up and to see how the process is going. It was my curiosity in the process that brought me here tonight.”

Julie St. Croix is director of the Office of Parish Renewal in the archdiocese’s Institute for Evangelization. She went to the meeting to listen to different opinions on the church and the structures today.

“Pope Francis has asked all the bishops around the world to go back to the table to make sure that all the different voices are heard and to also specifically talk about the structures and the way that we are setting up the whole synod,” St. Croix said. “How are we going to be a listening church and how are we going to journey intentionally together? (The pope) is interested in hearing.”

Two questions are asked at the synod sessions. First, “Where have I seen or experienced successes – and distresses – within the church’s structure(s), organization, leadership or life that encourage or hinder the mission?” The second: “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?”

Answers varied for the first and second question at Stumpf’s table. Among the answers for the first question was that the Catholic Church should focus on giving its charitable funds to Catholic organizations and those that promote God. Another answer mentioned more clarity from Pope Francis on his messaging. Others would love for the Catholic Church to continue to amplify its traditions.

Dr. Winnie Armstrong, a parishioner of St. Mary in Hagerstown, attended the meeting to voice her opinion on urging archdiocesan leadership to continue a Traditional Latin Mass in the western part of the Archdiocese of Baltimore.

Throughout Armstrong’s time in the meeting, she heard calls from some lay people for married priests, along with female priests and deacons. While Armstrong didn’t agree with the stances, she appreciated that they were able to have a cordial discussion.

Andrea Soto, a parishioner of St. John the Evangelist in Frederick, wasn’t aware of the meetings, nor was she sure of what would happen. Out of curiosity, she just wanted to see what the discussion was set to bring.

“Overall, everything was respectful,” Soto said. “People – from what I could tell – really listened to one another. They really thought deeply about the questions, really digging deeply into what their experiences were throughout their time in the Catholic Church and were respectful of others’ opinions.”

The Archdiocese of Baltimore offered two other sessions for synodal feedback on the question of church structures – one at St. Philip Neri in Linthicum Heights and another at St. Francis of Assisi in Baltimore, both held March 7.

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