The Vatican’s recently released working document for the Synod on Synodality’s second global session scheduled for October 2024, provides a reflection on “how to be a missionary synodal church,” developing the synod’s themes of communion, participation, and mission.
It examines church-sustaining relationships, emphasising formation, discernment, participatory decision-making, and transparency, all rooted in the Eucharist.
Bishop Daniel E Flores of Brownsville, chairman of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Doctrine and lead for the synodal process in the US, in a 9 July statement issued by the USCCB, encouraged widespread reading and discernment of the document to foster ongoing synodal consultations.
Jesuit Father James Martin, editor-at-large of America magazine, said the document presents “a broad plan for real listening, dialogue and progress in the church in the coming years.”
Charleen Katra, executive director of the National Catholic Partnership on Disability, also appreciated its focus on accessible liturgies and emphasised the need for intentional inclusion of persons with disabilities.
However, Sherry Anne Weddell, author of “Forming Intentional Disciples: The Path to Knowing and Following Jesus,” expressed concern the document’s vision requires a “great spiritual maturity of the majority and a much higher level of trust than is present at the moment” with little specifics on how to get there developmentally.
In this regard, Weddell emphasised the importance of evangelisation that activates the charisms of baptised Catholics for the church’s mission.