Synod Session 2, Part 4: Members Meet at the Tables

The Second Session of the Synod on Synodality continues with initial meetings of its 368 members in 10-person table groups.

After the preliminary reports from the study groups, the Synod started its work by convening in 10-member table groups. Each table has a moderator who will guide the group using the same “Conversations in the Spirit” process which was introduced at last year’s first session. The graphic (see right on desktop, below on mobile) shows how this is a listening and prayerful process, which should be the norm for discussions of important issues throughout all levels of the Church. This is very much in line with Pope Francis’s declaration and the preparatory document’s assertion that the main focus of this session is “How to be a missionary synodal Church.” Will this session be able to design practical ways for the Church to become more synodal in its life and decision making?

It makes sense that there is only one way to design such a process--a synodal process must be designed synodally, and that is what the table groups will be working on. The exact sequence of topics that the table groups will be asked to work through to accomplish that task has not been made public, but the Synod will work towards this goal through a process of listening to one another and prayerfully invoking the Spirit.

The “Conversations in the Spirit” process begins with prayer to invoke the Holy Spirit to guide us as we listen to one another. After some silent reflection on the topic of discussion, each member of the group is asked to present their ideas about the topic. The others are to listen attentively as each person takes a turn speaking from his or her own experience and prayer. After another short period of reflection and prayer, the group dialogues on what is emerging from the conversation, from concurrencies to obstacles and new questions, and strives to answer the question, “To what steps is the Holy Spirit calling us together?” It is through this sort of dialogue that the participants seek to discern the movement of the Spirit. (This process is shown in the graphic. We've already practiced it at St. John XXIII, too! Click here to read about the experience.)

The Church does not have much experience having such frank conversations among its members, which is one reason why specific strategies and processes are helpful. The deep seated realities of clericalism, sexual abuse, and patriarchy require such processes to be used well beyond the Synod on Synodality. The Synod is but one step within a cultural change that needs to become a new norm for being Church, all the way down to the parish level.

This is what makes activities like Conversations in the Spirit so important, not only in the coming days and weeks of the Synod, but also in the style of servant leadership that we must learn to incorporate into the actions of the Church at all levels, down to each parish and each individual. And during this time, the whole universal Church will be invoking the Spirit to guide the Synod members along their way.

Next Time: Further news about the progress of the Synod
​Click here to start from part 1 of our coverage of the second Synod session.

Want to learn more? Check out our series on the Synod on Synodality, from the first session, to our parish listening sessions, to today!

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