Vatican City, Oct 25, 2023 / 13:15 pm
The Synod on Synodality has addressed the members of the Catholic Church in a letter published during the final days of the October gathering in Rome, inviting them to take an active role in “the discernment and decision-making” of the Church.
“This is not about ideology but about an experience rooted in the apostolic tradition,” the letter says. Quoting from Pope Francis’ 2021 speech to open the synodal process, it says that “communion and mission can risk remaining somewhat abstract, unless we cultivate an ecclesial praxis that expresses the concreteness of synodality ... encouraging real involvement on the part of each and all.”
“We lived this blessed time in profound communion with all of you. We were supported by your prayers, bearing with you your expectations, your questions, as well as your fears,” the letter says, calling the meeting “an unprecedented experience” for including laypeople in voting.
“Using the conversation in the Spirit method, we have humbly shared the wealth and poverty of our communities from every continent, seeking to discern what the Holy Spirit wants to say to the Church today.”