{"id":4041,"date":"2022-02-10T22:12:10","date_gmt":"2022-02-10T22:12:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.stmatthewtn.org\/church\/?p=4041"},"modified":"2022-05-04T20:23:04","modified_gmt":"2022-05-04T20:23:04","slug":"synod-on-synodality","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.stmatthewtn.org\/church\/2022\/02\/10\/synod-on-synodality\/","title":{"rendered":"Synod on Synodality"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Synod on Synodality<\/h1><\/span>
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Take the Synod Survey<\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>
Sign Up for a Listening Session<\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>

A Synodal Church: Communion, Participation and Mission<\/h3>\n

\"\"Our Holy Father Pope Francis has invited the global Catholic Church to embark on a journey together. Through listening and discernment rooted in the Holy Spirit, the entire people of God will be called to contribute to a process by which the Church deepens in understanding of Her mission and looks toward the future.<\/p>\n

Unlike a council starting at Rome and then promulgated to the faithful around the world, a synod commences at the local level (i.e. grassroots) and is communicated back to Rome. Whereas a council appears running from the top trickling down, a synod starts at the most local level and is slowly elevated to Rome. This year, the Holy Father, Pope Francis, has invited all the members of the world-wide Church to engage in the \u201cSynod on Synodality\u201d which aims to assess the Church\u2019s adherence to Her ultimate mission.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This two-year consultative process engages the faithful in dialogue and communication to foster the Church\u2019s three pillars communion, participation, and mission. At Saint Matthew, we will be joining parishes around the globe to answer the Holy Father\u2019s invitation in gathering responses to questions which will evaluate our standing in being faithful to these three pillars of communion, participation, and mission at our parish.<\/span><\/p>\n

Next Steps<\/h3>\n

We have developed a procedure for all parishioners of Saint Matthew to submit their responses to the Synod questions via a digital form or a written response. You can complete the survey at the bottom of this webpage. We will also have a number of Listening Sessions, which are open for all parishioners to attend. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Frequently Asked Questions<\/h3>\n<\/div>

<\/i><\/i><\/span>What is a Synod?<\/span><\/a><\/h4><\/div>
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The word \u201csynod\u201d may be new to many Catholics, but it has been part of the life of the Church since the Apostles. \u201cSynod\u201d comes from two Greek words meaning \u201cwalking together.\u201d A synod is an ecclesial gather with the goal of discerning what the Holy Spirit is asking of the Church at that time. This is\u00a0not just a convening of Bishops reflecting on a particular topic and advising the Pope. A Synod is a journey of discernment, in which the people of God are called to pray and reflect upon the Holy Spirit\u2019s will for the Church. Through our listening and our sharing, we will seek to understand what the Holy Spirit\u2019s will is for the topic being discussed \u2013 and thus, for the Church.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

<\/i><\/i><\/span>What is Synodality?<\/span><\/a><\/h4><\/div>
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For the 2023 Ordinary Synod of Bishops, that topic is synodality. Simply put, synodality is discerning how the Spirit is moving through and with the Body of Christ, so that we may continue to fulfill our mission to evangelize in the world. Synodality is a way of being by which the Church lives out her mission in dialogue with the living voice of the People of God and in openness to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSynodality\u201d describes the way the entire Church\u2013all of the baptized\u2013seeks to discern together where the Holy Spirit is leading us right now. It is where all Christians maintain a posture of zeal to live out the Church\u2019s call of communion, participation and mission.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

<\/i><\/i><\/span>What is the Synod on Synodality?<\/span><\/a><\/h4><\/div>
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The official name for the \u201cThe Synod on Synodality\u201d is \u201cFor a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation and Mission.\u201d This is two-year consultative process, requested by the Holy Father, in which the entire People of God engage in dialogue and authentic listening to foster the Church\u2019s communion, participation and mission. In a way, the \u201cSynod on Synodality\u201d could be described as a Church-wide dialogue among Her faithful across the globe on how to better dialogue, listen and live out the Church\u2019s three pillars of communion, participation and mission. While the \u201cSynod on Synodality\u201d is a two-year consultative process, its purpose is to leave the global Church reinvigorated to respond to Her call now and forever. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

<\/i><\/i><\/span>Why now?<\/span><\/a><\/h4><\/div>
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According to the Second Vatican Council, \u201cthe Church has always had the duty to scrutinize the signs of the times and interpret them in the light of the Gospel\u201d (<\/span>GS<\/span><\/i>, 4). Various global changes, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, have heightened the need for a greater focus on synodality so that the Church can better continue Her mission of proclaiming the Gospel in the world.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

<\/i><\/i><\/span>What is the aim of the synod?<\/span><\/a><\/h4><\/div>
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\u201cThe Church recognizes that synodality is an integral part of her very nature. Being a synodal Church finds expression in ecumenical councils, Synods of Bishops, diocesan Synods, and diocesan and parish councils. There are many ways by which we experience forms of \u2018synodality\u2019 already across the Church. Yet being a synodal Church is not limited to these existing institutions. Indeed, synodality is not so much an event or a slogan as a style and a way of being by which the Church lives out her mission in the world. The mission of the Church requires the entire People of God to be on a journey together, with each member playing his or her crucial role, united with each other. A synodal Church walks forward in communion to pursue a common mission through the participation of each and every one of her members. The objective of this Synodal Process is not to provide a temporary or one-time experience of synodality, but rather to provide an opportunity for the entire People of God to <\/span>discern together how to move forward<\/span> on the path towards being a more synodal Church in the long-term\u201d (<\/span>Vademecum<\/span><\/i>, 1.3).<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

<\/i><\/i><\/span>Who can participate?<\/span><\/a><\/h4><\/div>
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This synodal process involves all parishioners at Saint Matthew! Care will be taken to ensure all voices are heard, including the handicapped, the elderly, people who live in poverty, parishioners who rarely or never practice their faith, and teens and youth.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

<\/i><\/i><\/span>How can I participate?<\/span><\/a><\/h4><\/div>
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  1. To further the spirit of synodality, our community will join together to meditate on and pray the Adsumus Sancte Spiritus<\/em>, which is the prayer that began every session at the Second Vatican Council.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. Understanding the nature of the synodal process will help reach the goal of synodality. The Preparatory Document and the Vademecum are the principal documents to learn about the Synod on Synodality.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. You are invited to participate actively through local listening sessions, which will be hosted at parishes throughout the Diocese of Nashville, as well as an online survey on the Diocesan website.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

    Synod Survey<\/h3>\n<\/div>
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