Wide consultation key to successful Synod
Synod
While mountains of work have been going on in the background to prepare for the Synod to be held in Adelaide in May and June this year, February offers the first real chance for the public to perhaps get an idea of its scope and to play a direct part themselves.
And students at all Catholic schools across South Australia will be the first cab off the rank when Dialogue Week begins on February 22. More than 56,000 students will be given the chance to discuss what the Synod involves and why it matters, and why everyone’s input is important.
School staff will be tasked with engaging young people in the Synod consultation process within schools.
Executive director of Catholic Education South Australia (CESA), Dr Neil McGoran, said developing an understanding among children and young people of the connections between school, parish and the Archdiocese would be a prime aim of the week.
More widely, the week will be a key part of the consultation process for the Synod, according to Sarah Moffatt, executive director, Pastoral Life and Mission.
“The members of the Synod will discern the feedback from Dialogue Week as part of the ongoing process towards the development of a pastoral plan,” she said.
The week will run across all communities within the Archdiocese with the idea of generating feedback on five draft thematic papers – each running to about 2000 words – centred on building a Church that listens, discerns and walks together.
Communities will be encouraged to host dialogue conversations to gain an understanding from all about the future direction of the Archdiocese.
A highlight of Dialogue Week will be the visit of renowned theologian, Dr Christina Kheng, who arrives in Adelaide this month from her base in Singapore.
Dr Kheng sits on the Federation of Asian Bishops Conferences’ Commission for Synodality and is a member of the Methodology Commission for the Synod on Synodality. She also served as a facilitator at the Synod General Assembly in Rome.
Already she has a packed diary beginning with a clergy day at Adelaide Sailing Club on February 24 followed by a public forum on February 25.
To be held at the Altavilla Club in Norwood, Dr Kheng will be the main speaker with the forum, which can accommodate 100 guests, facilitated by Mrs Moffatt and Peter Bierer from the Pastoral Life and Mission team at the Archdiocese of Adelaide.
Dr Kheng will also attend a gathering of Religious at The Monastery at Urrbrae and will have a chance to talk to the leadership of the Archdiocese, including Archbishop Patrick O’Regan, Vicar General Fr Dean Marin and senior leaders from Centacare, CESA, Diocesan Finance, Integrity and Safeguarding and Pastoral Life and Mission.
The website togetherontheway.au includes a podcast that discusses what synodality means and why listening deeply matters more than ever. And how authentic dialogue can transform faith and community.
For more details visit togetherontheway.au
