Diocesan Synod update
Join the Conversation – SYNOD 2021/ 23.
26 Feb 2022. Last weekend, Partnerships across the Diocese sent people to join Bishop Robert for a morning of prayer, talking and listening, and to feedback on what they have heard during the last few months of our Diocesan Synod process. There was a lot of energy in the room, a joyful atmosphere, and people described “an overwhelming feeling of the Holy Spirit at work”; “It has been uplifting and inspiring..”; “So many people with so many really good things to talk about..”; “Coming along today has been a real joy.” Bishop Robert said, “We’ve had a very fruitful morning... we go forward trusting each other, and with a confidence in the joy and power of the Gospel”. If you’ve not been part of the conversation yet, there is one more opportunity at 7 pm on Wednesday 23rd February. There will be an online gathering where you can join in to add your voice to the Synod. To register and Join the Conversation, visit Synod - Join the Conversation - Diocese of Hexham & Newcastle
Our Diocesan Synod process has been moving ahead over the last couple of months, and we are now starting to collate the responses from all the diocesan groups and parishes. This is how it will work:
· On Saturday, February 12th, representatives from all the partnerships will gather with the Bishop, and together, they will reflect on the input and the process so far.
· Following this meeting, the partnerships are asked to finalise their responses by February 22nd and to pass these to their respective Episcopal Area meetings.
· The Lay Pastoral Forum, which includes representatives of all the Partnership and Lay Groups in the Diocese will compile all the responses received into a submission to the Bishop in early March.
· The Bishop will then consider this, plus the responses from the Clergy, Caritas, and other Diocesan groups and produce his final submission by April 8th
· At each stage, copies of the various submissions will be made available.
· You can still make a contribution by contacting your Parish or email to synod@diocesehn.org.
SYNOD 2021 - 2023 Discussion
Thanks to the few who came to our meeting on Thursday 16th December and those who passed their thoughts to Fr. Manoj. We will compose your ideas and forward them to the Partnership by early January.
Meeting
As a parish we have to submit the outcome of our discussion on the synodal process in the first week of January to the Partnership Dean. We have had two meetings in the past with very few in attendance. We could also have the meetings in the coming days according to your feasible time or those who can’t make it for the meeting could write their suggestion and put in the drop box at the back of the church. Our next meeting will be held at 7pm on this coming Thursday 16th December in the Back Room.
Discussion on the theme of Synod. If you would like to meet at a time to suit yourselves please let us know. If you are unable to attend you can write your suggestions and drop it in the box at the back of church.
Do you want to have a change in your church?
The Road to Emmaus; Journeying Together:
Our next Synod 2021-2023 parish meeting was held on Thursday 2nd December at 7:00pm in the Back Room (or in church if numbers warrant it) where we discussed the process and shared our views on how we would like to see the Church move forward following COVID19.
SYNOD 2021 - 2023: The Road to Emmaus; Journeying Together. Our first parish meeting was held on Friday 19th November at 7pm in the Back Room of church after Adoration of The Blessed Sacrament. Thanks to those who came along and shared their views. The date of the next meeting will be announced soon.
SYNOD 2021 - 2023 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 away from the 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
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Below is a copy of the information received from the Vicariate For Faith And Mission on 16th Sptember 2021.
Please take time to read and digest it. Further information will be published here when it is received.
Synod comes from the ancient Greek word synodos (σύνοδος) meaning the ‘way together’ (syn) a ‘particular way’ (hodos).
The ‘particular way’ has been defined by the International Synod of Bishops due to take place in 2023.
Here in our diocese the process for this will begin on October 17th 2021 with Bishop Robert celebrating Holy Mass at St. Mary's Cathedral.
The Synod depends on an open process with everyone having the right to discern, to listen to the Holy Spirit and to respond.
'“SYNODALITY - BEING CHURCH IS
BEING A COMMUNITY THAT WALKS TOGETHER”.
IT IS NOT ENOUGH TO HAVE A SYNOD,
YOU MUST BE A SYNOD'.1
It is a walk together to implement and manifest the nature of the Church as the People of God on a journey, a sign and instrument "of intimate union with God and of the unity of the whole human race"(LG1) in solidarity with whom she walks.
An invitation to discern
THE POST PANDEMIC CHURCH
Pope Francis is inviting us to discern individually and collectively where the Holy Spirit is calling us as Church. The themes from the title of the Synod can help in understanding why now is the right time for this to take place:
a. Communion – bringing the people together as communities in the local Church allows prayerful insight into the ways of the Holy Spirit. When the Church gathers for the Eucharist we gain self-understanding of our mission. Dialogue at this level is to be rooted in the life of the ecclesial communities and parishes.
b. Participation – The past 15 months of pandemic form the context of how the Catholic Church in England and Wales reflects on the future, revitalising its mission of bringing the Good News to all. The gentle invitation to the full practice of Catholic life, with the Eucharist at the centre, is an integral part of this walking together.
c. Mission – understanding the local situation will feed into an overview of the mission for the diocese. Like the tesserae of a mosaic, a picture is built up so that the mission to all is firmly rooted in the life of the local worshipping community. We gather, by gentle invitation by the Lord, to worship him, to be sanctified by him and to exercise both an individual and collective prophetic voice.
Taken from https://www.cbcew.org.uk/
The Synod process will be provided with ten questions based on the themes above. Here in Hexham &Newcastle the Synod will be underpinned by the Diocesan Year of the Eucharist.
Pope Francis in his book Let us Dream says “we need a respectful, mutual listening, free of ideology and predeterminedagendas”.2
Pope Francis says “what is under discussion at synodal gatherings are not the traditional truths of Christian doctrine. The Synod is concerned mainly with how teaching can be lived and applied in the changing contexts of our time.”3
Therefore all topics can be raised but it is important to realise that not all will form part of the ongoing discussion.
“The Church needs intense internal sharing:
a living dialogue between the Pastors
and between the Pastors and the faithful"
The process of spiritual discernment is incumbent on everyone; truly being open to the Spirit and seeing where the local Church is being led in its own context, with the bishops listening carefully to the views of the faithful, and the faithful respecting the authentic role of the bishop as one who governs the local Church and promotes communion".4
Discernment is always orientated towards the mission of the universal Church which continually moves towards Christ, the Way, the Truth and the Life who calls his people into a unity of purpose.
Three aspects revive Synodality:
listening,
co-responsibility,
involvement of all members of the Church,
The Rome Synod Office has emphasised three levels of dialogue which constitute the overall synodal process:
in local dioceses
at the intermediate level - Bishops’ Conferences & regions
at the Universal Level – Rome 2023.
This is a new methodology for the Synod of Bishops, which offers a model for the work of all areas of the Church.
In Hexham & Newcastle Diocese the diocesan contribution to the Synod will be shaped by the principles set by the Rome Synod Office and will be supported by our present diocesan structures.
Bishop Robert will lead the diocesan synodal journey through our diocesan councils and Vicariates. In addition, there will be online gatherings that are open to all.
A working group has been established led by Monsignor Andrew Faley and the Vicariate for Faith & Mission.
Resources will be made available for individual and group discernment, Adoration and prayer. Further details about the Synod will be made available later in September.
To find out more contact: adminfaith.mission@dicoesehn.org.uk
1.Francis, Address for the Audience with the Major Archbishop, the Metropolitans and the Permanent Synod of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church, July 5 2019 https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2019/07/05/190705a.html
2. Pope Francis, Let us Dream: the Path to a Better Future, Simon and Schuster, London, 2020, page 93
3. ibid page 84-85
4. Pope St John Paul II Apostolic Exhortation, Pastores Gregis, 16 October 2003 §4_4_