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Welcome to the Synodal Pathway
Pope Francis has asked, "How can the Church better fulfil her mission of offering hope to ALL people?" He has called a Synod of Bishops which will come together in 2024. The Holy Father wants the whole church to practice being 'Synodal', walking together and praying for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit so we will hear what God is saying to us now in these days. The Pope uses three words when he talks about Synod: Communion, Participation, and Mission. We are not being invited simply to put forward opinions or even to debate, but rather to listen prayerfully to the Holy Spirit speaking to us as individuals, families, worshipping communities, and all our brothers and sisters.
The Synodal Pathway - the journey so far
A Synodal Invitation - Lent 2024
A series of meetings is planned for the coming weeks across the diocese of Meath to offer feedback on the Synod which was held in Rome last October and to offer an opportunity for further discernment on the synodal process which will inform the preparations for the Synod in Rome next October. All interested persons are invited to one of the following meetings:
Mullingar Community Centre,
Wednesday 21st February
Tullamore Parish Centre,
Wednesday 28th February
Navan Parish Room,
Wednesday 6th March
Ashbourne Parish Hall,
Wednesday 13th March
All meetings commence at 7:00pm, and will be facilitated by the Meath Diocesan Synodal Team. It would be helpful to have some familiarity with the document issued following the Synod last October called Towards the 2024 Assembly available on www.synod.va.
A special invitation is extended to members of Parish Pastoral Assemblies.
The Synod on Synodality
"The Synthesis Report"
The First General Session of the Synod of Bishops “For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, and Mission” concluded on October 28, 2023 with the publication of a synthesis (or summary) report entitled: “A Synodal Church on Mission.”
“The 42-page text covers 20 topics from ‘the Dignity of Women’ to ‘the Bishop of Rome in the College of Bishops.’ For each topic, ‘convergences,’ ‘matters for consideration,’ and ‘proposals’ are outlined.”
The document is not a magisterial text with any teaching authority. Neither is it a juridical document implementing any changes to canon law or Church governance. It is merely a document summarizing the results of the conversations that took place during the assembly’s small-group and plenary sessions. This text is an interim document, since the synod is not completely over. “This report will go back to local churches around the world for further consideration and input for the next phase of the synodal process and the next session in Rome in Oct. 2024,”
Click to Download Report
Following the Winter General Meeting of the Irish Bishops’ Conference, a research report, commissioned by the National Steering Committee of the Irish Synodal Pathway was published.
In keeping with the spirit and methodology of the synodal process, the National Steering Committee wanted to ensure that those who worked to create the spaces for others to be heard (during the Diocesan Stage of the synodal process in 2022) were afforded that same space for reflection and listening. The report provides valuable insights into the experiences, motivations and concerns of local leaders. It reflects a group that is diverse in terms of experiences and opinions, but united in their concern for the present and future mission of the Church, and in the conviction that the synodal process is an important development in the life of the Church.
In fulfilment of its remit to guide a two-year process of synodal listening and discernment for the Catholic Church in Ireland, the Report from the Steering Committee for the Synodal Pathway of the Catholic Church in Ireland has now been published. Documenting the learning and offering recommendations to help shape and inform the next phase of the Irish Synodal Pathway, the report provides:
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an overview of the work carried out
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an explanation of the key milestones on the journey so far
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key features of the context in which the Catholic Church in Ireland is undertaking this synodal journey
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examples of synodal dialogue and outreach to illustrate the variety, creativity and significance of the work that has taken place to date
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key themes in the learning from this initial two-year phase
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insights into the experiences, motivations and concerns of local leaders (arising from research published separately at synod.ie/Research Report)
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a series of recommendations for the next phase of the Irish Synodal Pathway
An brief executive summary is available on
pages 4 – 7 of the Report.
Irish Synod Participants
Bishop Brendan Leahy of Limerick and Bishop Alan McGuckian, SJ of Raphoe both attended the most diverse Synod in the history of the Synod of Bishops with numerous lay men, lay women, religious sisters, and priests also attending as voting members. Prof Eamonn Conway from the Archdiocese of Tuam and Sr Pat Murray, IBVM who is the Executive Secretary of the UISG (International Union of Superiors General) also attended. A full report of their experience is available by clicking on the image below.
Click to Download Report
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The Instrumentum Laboris is the official working document for the first session of the 16th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, which will take place this October. A large number of people from various parts of the world with different fields of expertise prepared this important text which will animate all the work of the October assembly. The document will prove an invaluable tool for groups (parish, diocesan and national level) to continue their journey of reflection and discernment on how we walk together as a Church and carry out ecclesial initiatives. To access the Instrumentum Laboris simply click on the image.
Click on image above for www.synod.ie
Click on image above for www.synod.va
Synodal Process
Diocesan Phase
Continental Phase
National Phase
Resources
Synodal Timeline
"In the Church, everything starts with baptism. Baptism, the source of our life, gives rise to the equal dignity of the children of God, albeit in the diversity of ministries and charisms. Consequently, all the baptised are called to take part in the Church's life and mission."
Pope Francis, opening Mass for the Synod, 'For a Synodal Church, Communion, Participation and Mission'
