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Kellie Reynolds, with the Archdiocese of Baltimore Office of Parish Renewal, from left, and Aloysius Ibe, a parishioner of St. Thomas More Church in Baltimore, listen to William Lane, a parishioner of St. Joseph Church, Fullerton, during a regional synod meeting at St. Ursula Church in Parkville March 14. (Kevin J. Parks/CR Staff)

Synodal process continues in Archdiocese of Baltimore with regional meetings

March 23, 2022
By Priscila González de Doran
Catholic Review
Filed Under: Feature, Local News, News, Synodality, Uncategorized

As parishes wrap up their local listening sessions for Synod 2021-23, “For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation and Mission,” two to three representatives from each parish have been attending a series of regional meetings March 7-31 to share what they are hearing with archdiocesan leaders. 

The Archdiocese of Baltimore will compile a report and share it with other U.S. dioceses. Then, another report with the results from all dioceses in the country will be sent to the Vatican. 

Bishop Bruce A. Lewandowski, CSsR, responds to conversations on the state of the Roman Catholic Church during a regional synod meeting for the Archdiocese of Baltimore at St. Ursula Church in Parkville March 14. (Kevin J. Parks/CR Staff)

Nearly 40 individuals representing parishes in Baltimore City-East gathered at Sacred Heart of Jesus-Sagrado Corazón de Jesús in Highlightown March 15. 

The meeting started with the Synod prayer, followed by a series of readings and questions. Parish representatives sat at different tables and were asked to share their faith community’s responses. 

Three main questions were asked: What are the ways that your parish is journeying well together with people? How is your parish struggling to journey together with people? What are the ways your region can journey together and how can the wider church journey together? 

Roberto Rivera, a lector and parishioner of Sacred Heart-Sagrado Corazón de Jesús, said a way his parish has journeyed well together was during the pandemic, when the predominantly Spanish-speaking parish provided thousands of free COVID-19 vaccinations and food assistance to those who were left without jobs or in need. 

The global pandemic continues to be a challenge for most parishes. 

“I’m afraid we won’t get people to come back,” said Joseph M. Martenczuk, a parishioner and coordinator of music and liturgy at Shrine of the Little Flower in Baltimore, referring to parishioners opting for livestreamed Masses. 

Martenczuk addressed the struggle to build cultural values and engage with diversity in the parish, seeing opportunities for welcoming new parishioners. 

“It keeps me up at night because that’s where we need to be,” he said. 

Martenczuk said he tries to go to multiple Masses and find new individuals, especially Spanish-speaking families, to greet, welcome and encourage them to be involved in the life of the parish. 

“The other weekend a Spanish family, a dad and two girls, came to Mass,” he said as he recalled approaching them. “The dad carried the cross and the girls carried the candles (for the procession). It’s a start.”  

Some local synod attendees suggested there was a need for greater women leadership roles in the church. Others wanted more African American representation in the church as priests and deacons, and the inclusion of minorities including LGBT Catholics, immigrants and others. Some also said there was a need to address in depth the sexual abuse scandals in the church. 

Participants pose after a synod listening session for women in consecrated life at St. Mark. Participants, included from left, Sr. Bernadette Claps, CBS; Sr. Fran Gorsuch, CBS; Sr. Anne Lutz, CBS; Sr. Suzanne Delaney, IHM; Sr. Claire Debbs, DC; Sr. Rose Marie Jasinski, CBS; Sr. Patricia McCauley, SNDdeN; Sr. Louann Sciubba, SNDdeN; Sr. Elaine Davia, CBS; Sr. Pat Eck, CBS; Sr. Lynn Flear, LSJ; and Sr. Mary Jo Stein, DC (Courtesy photo).

Although the “issues are growing and the problems are serious,” Len Heckwolf, a parishioner and former chair of the pastoral council of St. Ignatius in Baltimore, hopes that “somehow we (the Catholic Church) can work through these issues.”

Despite the many differences, Heckwolf said, “there was a strong feeling of love for the church, love for the priests, bishops and Pope Francis.” 

Fifteen parishioners from North Baltimore County parishes attended a regional synod listen session March 14 at St. Ursula in Parkville

An area concern raised in their conversation centered on how the number of parishes in operation exceeds what is needed for those who are attending Mass, which results in financial strain.

It was agreed that while it is frustrating to see attendance drop, reversal of low Mass attendance post pandemic is a challenge as the general attitude toward attending Mass has shifted. As in other regional synod meetings, some questioned whether livestreaming Mass was a good thing since parishioners, if they so choose, can now stay at home to watch Mass. 

A listening session for women in consecrated life also was held March 19 at St. Mark in Catonsville.

Kevin J. Parks contributed to this story. 

For more information about the synodal process in the Archdiocese of Baltimore, visit archbalt.org/synod

Email Priscila González de Doran at pdoran@CatholicReview.org

Read More Synodality News

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A priesthood for all: Synodal church requires new look at ministry

Synod process in North America coming to close, shows ‘deep love for Jesus Christ and church,’ says bishop

Partners in mission: Dicastery promotes ‘co-responsibility’ of clergy, laity

Church tensions are not new or all bad, says Cardinal Hollerich

Pace of preparations is quickening as synod on synodality approaches

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Priscila González de Doran

A native of Mexico, Priscila González de Doran is a former staff writer for the Catholic Review. She now serves as a freelance contributor and is a parishioner of Our Lady of the Fields in Millersville

She earned associate degrees in business administration and information systems, and social and behavioral studies, from Riverside City College in California. She has a certificate in campus ministry from the Dominican Institute in Oakland.

Priscila has collaborated with El Sembrador Nueva Evangelización, Periódico de la Red, Pascua Juvenil and Newman Centers.

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