St. Katharine Drexel explores synodal participation in Frederick

The parishioners of St. Katharine Drexel in Frederick found themselves at a turning point in the summer of 2024 after the retirement of their founding pastor, Father Keith Boisvert.

It was a perfect opportunity, according to Brian McCrohan, pastoral associate, for the congregation to come together during a three-day retreat to reflect on where they came from, where they were and where they were headed.

Their new pastor, Father Matthew Buening, agreed, and decided to take it a step further by suggesting the church become a “synodal” faith community – a way of living parish life that invites all members to participate actively. The late Pope Francis had encouraged synodality, famously convening a “Synod on Synodality.”

“We called it ‘Journeying Forward in Faith,’” McCrohan said of the church’s synodal ambitions. “The idea is to listen to each other. It is helpful to do.”

In April, the process began with a talk by Father Boisvert about the church’s history, including how the church got its name and how it identifies with St. Katharine Drexel. The gathering of 100 people was then divided into 12 small groups to discuss how the church is now.

“Where do we see ourselves?” McCrohan said. “What are the good things going on and things that need work?”

Small groups are an important part of the process, McCrohan said, as people typically feel more comfortable expressing their thoughts and sharing.

“Every one of my small sessions was well attended. It was really impressive.” said Leo Zanchettin, a participant. He added that it was important to have clear ground rules and parameters set right from the start. 

“No idea should spark an argument,” he said, and it was important to have “a spirit of humble openness and listening among members.

“You need that,”  Zanchettin said. “Without openness, it clogs up the whole process and discourages everyone.”

Many of the comments shared at the large session were similar, McCrohan said, with some unique to individual groups. The small groups were then asked to “dream big” about the future.

“What would they love to see us doing?” McCrohan said. “Dream big dreams. We then shared these with the large gathering.”

Zanchettin found it encouraging that some suggestions and ideas presented during the large meetings were already being put in place.

“It was confirmation from the Holy Spirit that we were on the right track and doing the right things,” Zanchettin said.

While many of the goals presented are long-term, McCrohan, too, was pleased that some of the requests were “low-hanging fruit” and already in the works, such as a greeter committee to welcome people into the parish.

“We got good feedback – goals and ideas for many things,” McCrohan said. “There were a number of things around our mission statement.”

The four basic parts to St. Katharine Drexel’s mission are being centered on the Eucharist, being a welcoming parish, being loving disciples of Christ and being a giving parish.

• For Eucharistic-centered life, they decided to add a fourth weekend Mass. This will give parishioners more space and make it easier to welcome visitors.
• For Welcoming, a new committee is being formed to follow up with new members and help them become more involved in parish activities.
• For Loving Disciples of Christ, the parish will offer more retreats, since these have been very well received, according to McCrohan.
• For Giving, the parish hopes not only to grow its financial support but also to invite new leaders and encourage parishioners who volunteer little or not at all to “give something a try” and deepen their commitment of time and talent.

The synodal process is only three-quarters complete, according to McCrohan, as a final report is still being written to be presented to the parish in the fall.

“It is a benefit to any parish,” McCrohan said of the synodal process. “Parishioners had an opportunity to share feelings and be heard. They have a sense of ownership over what happens and when.”

McCrohan anticipates that the parish will take a similar journey in a few years, as it is important “to refresh these things.”

“It was a heavy lift and took a good deal of planning and prep, but it is a good standard to have,” Zanchettin agreed. “I’m really excited for the next three to five years to see how this plays out. We are really committed.”

Email Katie V. Jones at Kjones@CatholicReview.org

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