Local submissions roll in for global Synod of Bishops

Pope Francis poses for a selfie during a gathering of youth delegates at the Pontifical International Maria Mater Ecclesiae College in Rome, ahead of the Synod of Bishops on young people in 2018. (CNS/Vatican Media)

In October last year, Pope Francis launched the international journey towards the XVI Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops.

The Synod theme is “For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation and Mission”, but has been dubbed by many the “Synod on Synodality” – the process of walking together as Catholics.

Catholics around the world have been invited to take part in local engagement, responding to a series of questions under those themes of communion, participation and mission.

The deadline for online submissions for the diocesan phase in Australia is February 27, when the process of collating reports for each diocese will commence.

Trudy Dantis, the director of the National Centre for Pastoral Research and national coordinator for the Synod of Bishops process, said interest has been steady and appears to be growing.

Sr Elizabeth Young RSM is the local coordinator for the Synod of Bishops process in Wilcannia-Forbes Diocese in western New South Wales. The diocese has already received a large number of submissions.

Sr Elizabeth believes a key to that success has been inviting groups that already meet for regular prayer or faith formation, as well as those who participated in the Plenary Council’s listening and dialogue phase, to consider the Synod questions.

“We explain that it is a similar process to the Plenary Council, but at an international level,” she said. “However, the actual questions are very locally focused, so they can assist any Church group to reflect on how they live out their faith.”

There is still three weeks to make a submission to your local consultation for the international Synod on Synodality. Submissions close on February 27. Find out more at: https://catholic.org.au/synodalchurch