Local people to contribute to worldwide synod

By Raymond L. Delisle 

Director of Communications 

How do you gather input from 1.34 billion Catholics from around the world about how well the Church is collaborating as a family in its evangelizing mission? 

That is essentially what Pope Francis has put before the Catholic Church as its task for the next three years, leading up to a synod of bishops on the subject.   

In October of 2023, Pope Francis will convene in Rome the XVI Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops to examine the topic: “For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation and Mission.”  The Holy Father has asked every diocese in the world to provide input for that synod. The Diocese of Worcester is beginning the process of gathering local input this week with surveys available to individuals and groups. 

The preparation phase began in 2021 in Rome as well as in dioceses around the United States. Bishop McManus launched the local diocesan effort at a Mass at St. Paul Cathedral in October. 

At the Mass, Bishop McManus noted the following in his homily: “I have every confidence that as our diocesan synodal process unfolds in our parishes we will discern that the three hallmarks of the synodal process, communion, participation and mission, have been in progress in the Diocese of Worcester since the closing and implementation of the Second Vatican Council. Every parish council meeting, every parish finance meeting, every diocesan planning committee meeting, every religious education class, every Lenten parish mission, every time a parish feeds the poor through its food kitchens, every time one of our parish free medical centers care for those in need of health care, all these pastoral initiatives have been an experience of the synodal process.” 

That first phase, under the direction of Father Richard F. Reidy, vicar general, was to draft background material, procedures and discussion questions and to gather input from various constituents. The drafts were sent to all pastors in November inviting additional input from parish staff and committee representatives, as well as catechetical leaders. A test survey was developed in January along with supporting resources on the diocesan website.  

A diocesan synod page, www.worcesterdiocese.org/synod-2023, has links to background information about past synods and synodality, and about local efforts and consultative experiences.  

The diocese describes the local input efforts as follows: “We seek input on people’s experience of past and current consultative processes and (their) hopes for future efforts of journeying together to further the mission of the Kingdom of God in the challenging times we face together.” The surveys are available online this week. 

Collaborative experience  

Parishes and organizations are being asked to decide if, and how, they can gather to discuss the benefits and the frustrations they experienced in past collaborative efforts. The questions for discussion are provided in the “Survey for Groups” and a facilitator, or scribe, from the group can enter responses online from those group discussions. 

“The synod process asks for groups to discuss these questions as the ideal way to gather input,” said Father Reidy. “We recognize people’s continuing hesitation about large assemblies during COVID so we are encouraging parishes to be flexible in how they gather, including using hybrid or online meetings and offering optional online surveys to individuals.” 

There may not be opportunities for everyone to meet, however, over the next few months.  

“Individual Catholics who are interested in reviewing the background material and prayerfully reflecting on specific questions are welcome to provide input using the online survey for individuals,” Father Reidy said. He added that the diocese will also seek input from non-parish groups and communities, including youth groups, religious communities, Catholic organizations, and people served by charitable and social outreach agencies. 

The links for both local surveys are available on the synod home page, www.worcesterdiocese.org/synod-2023-home or directly at www.worcesterdiocese.org/local-survey-links. 

“I see an opportunity for both surveys to be of use,” said Msgr. James P. Moroney, pastor of St. Cecilia Parish in Leominster and director for the Office for Divine Worship. “I am planning on encouraging parishioners to take the individual survey and then we could meet as a group to share how these questions were eye-opening to us as parishioners. We may all be surprised at how differently people responded to the questions.” 

Eucharistic revival 

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops also saw this as an opportunity to gather input to prepare for a three-year eucharistic revival effort across the United States. At the USCCB meeting in November, bishops discussed using the information gathering for the synod to further their understanding of what Catholics believe about the Eucharist. 

Bishop McManus said, “So many recent surveys have indicated that Catholics do not always understand the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. If we don’t share a common appreciation for the Blessed Sacrament as Catholics, we need to refocus our teachings and devotional practices to better reflect this most cherished gift in our lives.” 

Bishop McManus has also convened an ad hoc committee of clergy and laypeople to assist the Office for Divine Worship in advising him in regard to the local eucharistic revival over the next few years. That committee will have the opportunity to review the input from the Eucharist section of the surveys. 

EVANGELIZATION 

The third and final section of the survey asks for reflection on the Church’s mission to share the Good News and how, as individual baptized Catholics, we are also called to be evangelizers. Bishop McManus noted, “Those summary responses will assist the Church at both a national and a local level as we come to understand better the relationship between our appreciation of the Eucharist and how we invite others to share in a relationship with Jesus Christ.” 
All surveys will be summarized into a report of no more than 10 pages to be sent to the USCCB Synod Committee by early this summer. That national committee must then synthesize the input from all 196 diocese and eparchies for a report to be sent to Rome sometime in the fall.