The synod is when the church is called together by the competent authority involving the whole people of God in various ways on local, regional and universal levels.
It indicates the path along which the people of God walk together to take particular decisions and directions with the aim of fulfilling its evangelizing mission.
Enlightened by the word of God and united in prayer, we will be able to discern the processes to seek God's will and pursue the pathways to which God calls us – towards deeper communion, fuller participation, and greater openness to fulfilling our mission in the world.
You are called to communion, participation, and mission.
Communion
By his love, God gathers us together as diverse peoples of one faith, which finds its deepest roots in the love and unity of the trinity.
By listening to the word of God, and through the living tradition of the church, together, we all have a role to play in discerning and living out God's call for his people.
Participation
A call for the involvement of all who belong to the people of God – laity, consecrated and ordained – to engage in the exercise of deep and respectful listening to one another.
This listening creates space for us to hear the holy spirit together and guides our aspirations for the church.
In a synodal church the whole community, in the free and rich diversity of its members, is called together to pray, listen, analyze, dialogue, discern and offer advice on making pastoral decisions which correspond as closely as possible to God's will.
Mission
The church exists to evangelize. We can never be centered on ourselves. Our mission is to witness to the love of God in the midst of the whole human family.
This synodal process has a deep missionary dimension to it. It is intended to enable the church to better witness to the gospel, especially with those who live on the spiritual, social, economic, political, geographical, and existential peripheries of our world.
In this way, synodality is a path by which the church can more fruitfully fulfill her mission of evangelization in the world, as a leaven at the service of the coming of God's kingdom.
Your voice is important.
Join in this journey as a local and universal church.
Say yes! for a synodal church: communion, participation, and mission
