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SYNOD Fall 2021
Coming Fall 2021--SJTW parishioners will have such an opportunity to gather and share thoughts and hopes as we gather together in small groups to talk about the future of our church! More to come in weeks ahead.
Your Voice, Your Input, Your Ideas and Your Prayers are important!
Download the Synod Overview Year 3 – 2021-22 pdf -
What is a Synod? What is the purpose?
Quotes below are from Archbishop Hebda’s June 6 column in The Catholic Spirit. Find the full column at www.archspm.org/synod.
• “A Synod is a formal representative assembly designed to help a bishop in his shepherding of the local Church.’’
• The purpose is ‘’to discern and establish clear pastoral priorities in a way that will both promote greater unity and lead us to a more vigorous proclamation of Jesus’ good news.”
The Synod Process
Year 1 (2019-2020): The Church Listens
Year 2 (2020-2021): The Church Prepares
Year 3: (2021-2022): The Church Engages
Synod Process -
Synod Focus Areas Announced
Based on the information already gathered in the Prayer and Listening Events, as well as the information gathered for the Ad Limina visit with Pope Francis in January, and the results of the Disciple Marker Index, Archbishop Hebda has discerned the initial set of focus areas for the Archdiocesan Synod. Those areas will set the parameters for discussions at the deanery and parish levels:
Forming parishes that are in the service of evangelization
Forming missionary disciples who know Jesus’s love and respond to his call
Forming youth and young adults in and for a Church that is always young
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Year 3 (2021-2022): The Church Engages
Fall 2021: Parish Consultation Process with Small Groups
• Small groups meet in every parish to learn, pray, and discuss the focus areas.
• Parish feedback on the focus areas will help inform the Deanery consultation.
January/February 2022
Deanery Consultation Process
• Pastors and parish representatives gather to learn, pray, and discuss the focus areas.
• Deanery feedback will help determine the Synod topics.
June 2022: Archdiocesan Synod
Assembly (Pentecost Weekend):
• Approximately 500 appointed delegates (including two from each parish) gather to learn, pray, and discuss the Synod topics and recommend pastoral priorities to Archbishop Hebda.
• After considering the Synod recommendations, Archbishop writes a Pastoral Letter (November - Feast of Christ the King) leading to a Pastoral plan to move our Archdiocese into the future.
FAQs
1. What is a Synod? What is the purpose?
“A Synod is a formal representative assembly designed to help a bishop in his shepherding of the
local Church.” (*). The purpose is “to discern and establish clear pastoral priorities in a way that will both promote greater unity and lead us to a more vigorous proclamation of Jesus’ good news.”
2. What is a Listening Church?
The pre-Synod process has been designed to engage in a ”sincere and respectful ‘mutual listening’ in
which everyone has something to learn.” “Moreover, it is not just listening to one another but to the Holy Spirit, the ‘Spirit of Truth’ (Jn 14:17), to know what the Spirit is ‘saying to the Churches’ (Rev. 2:7).”
3. How will the Synod work? What is the process?
The Archdiocesan Synod Assembly will be held Pentecost weekend, May 2021. The pre-Synod process will occur over the next two years, and will engage the People of God - laity, clergy, consecrated men and women, and bishops - all walking together.
4. What is a Prayer and Listening Event?
Participants will gather together to pray, discuss, and give feedback on what is working well now in their parish and this Archdiocese, and what are the challenges and opportunities as we move forward together. Everyone is invited to attend an event. All participants are encouraged to give written feedback that will be read and considered. Archbishop Bernard Hebda is scheduled to attend all events to pray and to participate in the listening process.
5. How can I participate in the Synod?
Please pray for the Synod and our Archdiocese!
Pray the pre-Synod year prayer and the monthly prayer intention.
Offer a monthly holy hour or a Rosary.
Pray with the Synod prayer journal.
