(Zechariah 8:23)
For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, and Mission
"By walking together, and together reflecting on the journey made,
the Church will be able to learn from what it will experience which processes can help it
to live communion, to achieve participation, to open itself to mission."
#walkingtogether #listeningchurch #praytogether
Conclusion of the Vicariate Synodal Process
The Diocesan Phase of the Synod 2023 (October 2021 - April 2022) concluded in our Vicariate.
The conclusion took place on Friday, 20 May 2022, at St. Joseph's Cathedral, Abu Dhabi
with the Holy Mass presided by Bishop Paul Hinder. The final Vicariate Synod Report is prepared and sent to Rome.
Synodal Report
The next phase is the Continental Phase which lasts from (September 2022 – March 2023).
Synodal Opening Mass
Bishop Paul Hinder inaugurated the diocesan phase of Synod 2021 - 2023 in AVOSA & AVONA with the Holy Mass at 7pm in St. Joseph's Cathedral on 15 October 2021.
Synodal Opening Message
The 'Diocesan Phase" of Synod 2021-2023 has begun in our Vicariates (AVOSA & AVONA) with the inaugural mass celebrated by Bishop Paul Hinder at 7 pm on 15 October 2021 in St. Joseph's Cathedral Abu Dhabi.
The Bishop invites everyone to participate in the upcoming synodal journey.
The Synodal Journey
Opening of the Synod (October 2021)
The Holy Father in the Vatican will inaugurate this synodal path:
9 -10th October. Inauguration in each diocese will be on Sunday 17 October (On Friday 15 October in our Vicariate). The path comprises the following three phases:
Diocesan Phase (October 2021 – April 2022)
Continental Phase (September 2022 – March 2023)
Universal Church Phase (October 2023)
Questionnaire to help 'Journeying Together'
Pope Francis invites all of us to embark on a journey together.
Through listening and discernment rooted in the Holy Spirit, we all are called to participate in the synodal journey.
The Vicariate synodal team has released a questionnaire to guide our responses which contains the fundamental question of the synod and additional questions which cover the ten thematic nuclei.
You can download the BELOW QUESTIONNAIRE in different languages for use in a group setting
or for individual use (where group settings are not possible).
STEP 1: PREPARE YOURSELF TO LISTEN AND RESPOND
STEP 2: ANSWER THE QUESTIONNAIRE
DOWNLOAD
ENGLISH | ARABIC | TAGALOG | SINHALESE | TAMIL | KONKANI | MALAYALAM
(Send responses to [email protected] or to your parish synodal team as applicable)
FILL THE QUESTIONNAIRE ONLINE
CLICK HERE TO VISIT THE ONLINE FORM
(Recommended for individual use)
Discerning the diocesan path
How is our “walking together” in synodality realized today in the Church?
What steps does the Spirit invite us to take in order to grow in our “walking together”?
The Synodal Experience is a Journey of Listening to the Holy Spirit.
- Pope Francis -
Adsumus Sancte Spiritus
(As we are called to embrace this synodal journey, this prayer invites the Holy Spirit to work in us so that we can be a community and a people of grace.)
We stand before You, Holy Spirit,
as we gather together in Your name.
With You alone to guide us,
make Yourself at home in our hearts;
Teach us the way we must go
and how we are to pursue it.
We are weak and sinful;
do not let us promote disorder.
Do not let ignorance lead us down the wrong path
nor partiality influence our actions.
Let us find in You our unity
so that we may journey together to eternal life
and not stray from the way of truth and what is right.
All this we ask of You,
who are at work in every place and time,
in the communion of the Father and the Son,
forever and ever. Amen
"Have a spiritual conversation with each other.."
Spiritual conversation focuses on
the quality of one’s capacity to listen
as well as the quality of the words spoken.
This means paying attention
to the spiritual movements
in oneself and in the other person
during the conversation,
which requires being attentive to more
than simply the words expressed.
There are two necessary attitudes that are fundamental to this process:
active listening and speaking from the heart.
Read more..
Pope Francis: Towards the Synod
Addressing the faithful of the Diocese of Rome, Pope Francis described the upcoming Synod with the theme,
"For a synodal Church: communion, participation, mission" as a journey in which the whole Church is engaged.
Here is the address of the Holy Father Pope Francis to the faithful of the diocese of Rome on 18 September 2021.
More Resources
News
Pope Francis unveils his profile on the new mobile app - 'Click to Pray' to pray for the synod
Pope Francis officially opened the Synod on synodality in Rome (Vatican News, 10 October 2021)
Moment of reflection lead by Pope Francis ahead of the opening of the Synod (Vatican News, 9 October 2021)
Council of Cardinals meets to discuss next Synod of Bishops (Vatican News, 22 September 2021)
Cardinal Grech: Bishops to engage all the faithful in the Synod (Vatican News, 10 September 2021)
Synod 2023 Preparatory Document (Vatican News, 7 September 2021)
Cardinal Grech to monastic communities: Be custodians of ‘deep breath of prayer' (Vatican News, 28 August 2021)
Sister Becquart: there is no synodality without spirituality (Vatican News, 23 July 2021)
Cardinal Grech: Synod is fruit of dialogue among Bishops' conferences (Vatican News, 16 June 2021)
Other Resources
Tools for responding to the questions of the Synod