Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Jan 6, 2024 / 09:00 am
The synodal process promoted by Pope Francis is coming to dioceses across the United States, each of which is being asked to hold “listening sessions” throughout Lent about the structure and organization of the Church.
Pope Francis initiated the worldwide Synod on Synodality in October 2021 and held the first global assembly at the Vatican in October 2023. The gathering included cardinals, bishops, members of the clergy, and lay Catholics and centered on discussions about the structure and organization of the Church, along with other topics. The Vatican will hold the final meeting of the synod in October of this year.
Per Vatican instructions, each diocese is expected to host local gatherings to discuss similar questions with members of the clergy and lay Catholics. The guidelines for American dioceses, set by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, urge clergy and lay Catholics to pray and spiritually prepare for local meetings through the beginning of 2024 and hold between two and three “listening sessions” during Lent.
The USCCB is requesting that the dioceses focus on two “guiding questions”: