SYNOD OF BISHOPS 2023

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• National Synod Synthesis England & Wales

• Parish Synod Listening Session Feedback (OLQP)

• Parish Synodal Listening Sessions

• Archbishop John Wilson 'Letter about the Synod and the REVISED Synodal Process in the Archdiocese of Southwark'

• Archbishop John Wilson 'Letter about the Synod and the Synodal Process in the Archdiocese of Southwark'

• Prayer

• Pastoral Letter for the Opening of the Synod to be read at all Sunday Masses on 16/17 October

NATIONAL SYNOD SYNTHESIS ENGLAND & WALES

FOR THE SYNODAL NATIONAL SYNTHESIS FOR ENGLAND & WALES PLEASE CLICK HERE

PARISH SYNOD LISTENING SESSION FEEDBACK (OLQP)

PARISH SYNODAL LISTENING SESSIONS

What is the Synod about?

The Holy Father wants the Church to grow in three key areas: Communion, Participation and Mission. By growing together in Communion, the people of God deepen their participation in the life of the Church and so become more effective missionary disciples in the world.

The purpose of the Synod is to help us grow together and so equip us to call more men and women to enter into life with the Lord Jesus. With the Lord as our guide, the Church continues her mission of inviting others to join the Way.

At the practical level, this will involve people gathering together for prayer and conversation at every level of the Church, local, diocesan, and universal. This is the first time that the whole Church has engaged in such a threefold listening process ahead of a Synod of Bishops. The fruit of the discernment at the local level will then feed into the discussion at the diocesan level, which in turn will feed into a continental phase featuring national episcopal conferences. Finally, the fruits of this discernment will be presented to the Holy Father when he meets with the bishops of the Church in October 2023.

YouTube video on the Synod - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5lAktuejwo&t=6s

How are we supporting the Synod at Our Lady Queen of Peace?

We will hold two meetings to share our experience and thoughts on how the Church can grow together in communion, participation and mission. These ideas will then be feed into the diocesan process and the parish council here at OLQP.

The first session will be in the parish hall on Sunday 30th January from 11.30am to finish between 12.30pm and 1.00pm. The second session, by Zoom, will be on Thursday 3rd February at 8.00pm
ZOOM LINK:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/9418958305?pwd=UVRnM1dLK29jSDdvcmh4N3NHbnlyQT09

Meeting ID: 941 895 8305

Passcode: 27092020

The agenda for each session will be;

· An introduction to the Synod process and how the meeting will run,

· A short reflection with Christ on our purpose together,

· Sharing and listening to each other on our ideas on the three themes of the Synod; Communion, Participation and Mission.

The main objective of the session is to collect all the thoughts, ideas and opinions on how the church can grow together to feed into the Synod process. The focus will be understanding the range of growth ideas across the parish and as such we will not spend time assessing each suggestion individually.

The sessions are being organised by Kevin O’Connor and Clive Sinnott, who are our Synod representatives for OLQP, and the reflection will be led by Monsignor William Saunders.

What do we mean by Communion, Participation and Mission?

Communion - The Church is Catholic because she is sent to all, in order to gather the entire human family from every nation and culture, under the Lordship of Christ and in the unity of his Spirit. Through the Church we are gathered together in our parishes to celebrate and practise our faith.

1. What are the ways in which our parish most successfully brings people together?

2. In which areas of parish life (liturgical, charitable, social etc.) are you able to discern the presence and movement of the Holy Spirit?

3. How do you relate to members of the Church who have drifted away from practice?

4. What have we learnt from COVID’s impact on the parish communion?

5. In what ways can we help to build up communion effectively and authentically in the coming months and years?

Participation - Participation is based on the fact that all the faithful are qualified and called to serve each other through the gifts they have all received from the Holy Spirit.

1. How can we broaden the way we include people whilst keeping always true to the Gospel and our core Christian identity?

2. How do you currently participate, personally, in the life of the Church? How much responsibility do you have as an individual?

3. How do families and young people effectively participate in the life of our parish? What do you do to support them?

4. How can we better enable full participation and co-responsibility in the life of the Church at the parish and diocesan levels?

Mission - The People of God are on a pilgrimage through history towards the heavenly homeland. Each one of the baptised is to be honoured with the same dignity as children of God and appointed to the same mission, the proclamation of the Good News and the building of the Kingdom of God.

1. Are we looking in or are we looking out, as a parish community? Can we do both effectively?

2. How is our parish set up to reach out to the broader community with the Good News?

3. Where is the Holy Spirit calling you to mission and service today?

4. How does the life of the parish aid in the formation of parishioners as missionary disciples - in terms of catechesis, adult formation, liturgy etc?

Are there alternative ways to the parish meeting to participate in the Synod?

1. Simply send an email with your thoughts to Clive Sinnott (csemails56@gmail.com).

2. Write to the diocese synod team at the following addresses;

a. By post - Synod Submissions, c/o Archbishop’s House, 150 St George’s Road, London, SE1 6HX

b. By email - synod@rcaos.org.uk

Thank you, please send any questions to Clive Sinnott (csemails56@gmail.com) and we look forward to hearing from you.

Kevin O’Connor and Clive Sinnott