Proceeding along the journey
News
More than 60 people from across the Adelaide Archdiocese gathered for a public forum to provide feedback on a report released after the first session of the Synod in Rome last year.
The decision to send the Synthesis Report, entitled A Synodal Church in Mission, back to dioceses is an example of ‘circularity’, a going back and forth between the Synod and the people, said Peter Bierer, assistant director, Pastoral Life and Mission.
Archbishop Patrick O’Regan shared his experience of being a participant in the Synod last October.
He referred to a young woman in his group talking about being welcoming who said that we need to act like ‘ushers, not bouncers for the Church’.
He spoke about the incredible cultural and theological diversity of the Synod participants, yet they were unified on the journey together.
People broke into 12 table groups, each to discuss a different section of the report. Individuals shared their initial responses to the synod report, engaged in discussion, and the table group provided key discussion points for feedback and ideas for local action. These were then shared with the entire gathering.
The feedback will be joined with other diocesan councils and groups and incorporated into an eight page response to the Synthesis Report and sent to the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference and Synod Secretariat.
The Archdiocese will also write a two-page testimony of our experience with synodality at the local level. This feedback will inform the second session of the Synod in October 2024.
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