Synod 21-23
Posted on Mar 8, 2022
2021-2023 Synod on Solidarity Prayer
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 isright. 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.
The Purpose of the Synod
- Walking together
- Anchoring ourselves in prayer and the Word of God
- Remembering how the Spirit has guided the Church’s journey
- Listening to each other
- Understanding our diversity
- Discerning together for the good of all
- Spiritual and pastoral conversion
- A way to live and be Church together
- Taking a new step
- Growing closer to Christ and the Church
What is a Synod?
The word “synod” has its roots in Greek means “journeying together.” A Synod is thus an ecclesial event that involves the laity, religious and clergy listening and speaking, praying and discerning together, and placing the hopes and concerns of the People of God at the foot of the Bishops, who, united with the Pope, decide matters of faith, morals and disciplines in order to preserve the faith and strengthen the mission of the Church in the world.
At the centre of the Synod is Jesus Christ, not the Church.
The heart of the synodal experience is listening. Listening requires us to empty our minds of pre-conceived notions or opinions which may not be of God. It requires faith – do we truly believe that God wishes to speak to us in the depth of our being? It requires resilience – the Holy Spirit will reveal things to us in God’s time and as the Spirit wishes. It requires obedience – our entering into this exercise will demonstrate our humility and our desire to be true disciples of Jesus.