The Road To A Synodal Church: Insights & Experiences, Campion Hall, Oxford 24-26 March 2022
A personal reflection by Fr John McGowan OCD, who attended the Symposium on behalf of the Corew Executive:
About forty five delegates from all over England and Wales came together for this Symposium. There were also invited speakers including Cardinal Mario Grech, Secretary General of the Synod of Bishops. He is easy to relate to, a humble man, unfussy. Everyone was involved in some way with the process of the Synod on Synodality. The meetings took place in Campion Hall, in the Jesuit Chaplaincy. We were accommodated in Pembroke College.
The Symposium began with a eucharist at 18.00. The chief celebrant: Cardinal Mario Grech. Then a welcome from Fr Nicholas Austin SJ, Master of Campion Hall. This was followed by dinner. At 20.15 there was a synodal Plenary led by Danny Curtin.
Friday 25th March. A busy day; lots to listen to.
8.45 We were welcomed by both Fr Nicholas Austin and Austen Ivereigh. I believe it was Austen who got everyone together. There was ‘disappointment’ that he didn’t manage to get the Pope!
The keynote address:
Card. Grech: “A Synodal Church is a listening Church.”
Cardinal Grech & Dr Austen Ivereigh
He began by asking the question: Is the Synodal Church a listening one? He referred to examples in Sacred Scripture, old and new Testaments, that showed how important listening was. He went on to say that the Church was of its nature, was constitutionally, a listening Church. He referred us to Dei Verbum; how God through the Holy Spirit gives a person a desire to listen. He referred to Lumen Gentium. An important text: 1 John 2: Knowledge comes from anointing by the Holy One. This anointing teaches the anointed about everything. 1 John also refers to the gift of the Holy Spirit. Through the Holy Spirit we are introduced into the very mystery of God.
The Gospels are the Word of Life.
The Church is then born of listening. First listening to Christ, then after Easter to the Holy Spirit.
But why should we listen to one another? Pope Francis has asked us to do this very thing. Cf. Jeremiah.
In the early church, before doctrine came to be written down, there was the certainty that the church cold not err.
John Henry Newman, in The Rambler, took up this theme of listening to the People of God; to all the baptized. In the second millennium this synodal practise has been waning. Yet, Pope Pius IX was synodal: to people’s surprise. The Immaculate Conception, 1850, was established due to the ‘sensus fidelium’. The Doctrine of the Assumption, 1950, the same.
Vatican II recovered this sense of a synodal Church that was already there in the early church.
Cf. Lumen Gentium. Notice how the chapter on the People of God (2) came before the chapter one hierarchy (3). Lumen Gentium no longer understands the Church in terms of differences (priests, laity) but in terms of the equality of all the baptised.
Centuries before, following the Council of Trent, the ministerial priesthood was considered superior to the common priesthood of the people; different in essence and degree. We now understand that the common priesthood of all the baptised in interrelated: common and ministerial.
Listening works in this context: this relationship between the lay and ministerial priesthood. We have seen division. There are two forms of participation in the one priesthood of Christ, which are mutually ordered to one another. They compliment each other. The emphasis must be on service not on power. All the baptised are called to share in the priestly, prophetic and kingly role of Christ.
The Church must uphold the deposit of faith; everyone must do this: bishops as well as the faithful. The Church-Teaching and the Church-Taught are one, and not to be divided. The bishop is the principle of unity.
The principle of listening does not exempt anyone from participation; from Bishops to the least of the faithful, saints as well as sinners. All have a right to speak, but also a duty to listen. When there is prophesy there must be discernment.
To answer the question he posed at the beginning: the synodal church is a listening church. Because a listening church is a synodal church. At the beginning St John Chrysostom said: “The Church and Synod are synonymous.”
There followed a period of questions and answers. Here are Card. Grech’s replies:
We all need synodal conversion. We need to help one another
This synod is putting Vat II into the present
The synod is not purely introspective but it is also missionary and evangelical
The importance in this process of listening to what is not being said.
We all need to undergo training in listening. To hear the fears and interpret the silence of those who don’t speak up.
Pope Francis is constantly trying to translate Vatican II into the life of the Church.
Session I : Synodality In the Religious Tradition
Fr. Nicholas Austin SJ: ‘Not Knowing What We Will Find’: the Art of Discernment.
Pope Francis’s pastoral approach highlights the importance of mercy. However, for some this is controversial and leads to confusion: canon law is much easier to follow.
We are to be a discerning church. In Acts 15 we read: ‘…the whole church kept silence and listened.’
There is a transition in the Church to listening to the Holy Spirit: stop broadcasting, start listening.
St Ignatius is famous for his discernment. After his injury a new life began to arise in him. God touched him but then he spiralled into desolation. Later he let go and his eyes opened a little.
Detachment: God is at work, in the world, bringing about his kingdom.
Detachment is ultimately for others.
Detachment is about letting go and letting ourselves be led by the Holy Spirit.
Detachment in common: this leads to unanimity.
Cf. Evangeli Gaudium: Inner freedom.
Detachment is not a method, rather it is a prayer.
It transforms, is life changing, and in the end bears fruit.
Detachment is second nature to us all; it’s not just for the Jesuits.
Christopher Jamison OSB
‘All should be called for counsel’: origins and current
Practise of monastic governance.
Monks and nuns already live synodality. Cf. Chapter 3 of Benedict’s Rule: which refers to listening to the community, especially when something concerns the whole community.
We must listen with “the ear of your heart.”
2018 Synod of Youth. Pope Francis highlighted the voice of the Spirit in what others said.
1225 IV Lateran Council decreed that monasteries were to be autonomous with an Abbot President. He made decision but not without consultation and discernment.
The importance of a culture of discernment in monasteries.
When monks began to use facilitators it got us to start talking and helped us to discern. There is a great value in facilitation.
Among the Benedictines there has been two developments:
The practise of discernment by the Abbot
Selection of the Abbot charismatically.
The more voices that are heard the clearer it will be to hear the voice of the Spirit. At first this can be like the tower of Babel but later on it becomes more like Pentecost.
Panel: Sr Jane Livesey CJ (by zoom); Fr John McGowan OCD.
I spoke about our experience as Carmelites, that of St Teresa of Avila, who was by nature synodal. But a more clerical model replaced her, which remained till recent times. Since Vatican II we dialogue and discern more. We don’t use facilitators for our General Chapter: in this regard we are about 30 years behind. However, in spite of this we produced a wonderfully charismatic document which was the fruit of several years consultation.
In order to keep as many as possible on board we should move forward slowly. The Holy Spirit will set the pace. St. Teresa of Avila believed that if God wanted her to do something then not only did she obey but she believed that nothing would stop this. If the Synod is the work of the Spirit, then nothing can stop it.
Session II: Synodality in Continents, Nations & Dioceses
Mr. Mauricio Lopez:
The Latin-American experience: an ongoing journey of synodal conversion. A most impressive man, with huge experience of methodology and working with the Synod on the Amazon.
Pope Francis wanted the periphery to help the centre of the Church with the Synod on the Amazon.
Begin by recognizing our brokenness. Cf. the story of Blind Bartimaeus: his blindness is ours.
We can become blind. But we can want to see again.
When we see the brokenness in others then we see my own blindness.
We need to hear their voices (the broken). Their voices help us to hear our own voice.
We need to name our disease: Jesus asks Bartimaeus to name what he wants: “what do you want?”
Bartimaeus followed Jesus along the way. In the Synod we need to go out, to be missionary. Bartimaeus could have stayed behind, but chose to follow Jesus, to become a disciple, to be missionary.
Fr Philip Inch & Fr Matthew Nunes
Liverpool Synod 2020: Reflections
I must say I thought these two were excellent. The way they shared their experiences of the Synod in their archdiocese over a period of four years. The end result: a pastoral plan. They pointed out that by listening to people it changed the people, but it also changed them.
There is an anxiety about raising peoples’ expectations.
Panel: Fr. Eamon Conway on reform of synod of Bishops; Gerry O’Hanlon SJ on the Irish Synod. Ms. Virginia Bourke on the Australian plenary council.
Eamon began by saying how much he was moved by listening to Frs. Inch and Nunes. He spoke of the experience of being listened to and listening. He pointed out that we have come a long way already, especially when you look back at the way Synods were so controlled. He was an observer at the 2012 Synod in Rome. He was delighted to be invited but found the overall experience of listening without any chance to dialogue or discuss rather difficult. Not even the Bishops engaged in dialogue.
Virginia Bourke spoke from Australia on a pre-recoded video. She said that it was not always good being a woman. She was surprised and disturbed by the reactions to courageous women who spoke about the promotion of women in the Church. There was a lack of openness at the plenary. There wasn’t sufficient time. But there were reasons for hope and encouragement.
Session III: Synod on Synodality 2021-2023
Dr. Austen Ivereigh:
Pope Francis’s dream of a ‘wholly synodal church.’ Austen asked the question why Pope Francis wanted a synodal church; what were the influences behind this decision. The following are some of the reasons:
His concern for unity and reconciliation.
As a Jesuit he was familiar with the Spiritual exercises: the importance of discernment.
He is a man of the people and upholds the theology of the people. “Salvation, he says, will come from the people.”
His time as an Archbishop of Buenos Aires. He asked the question of his people: “What is the Holy Spirit saying to us?” He was impressed by the people’s openness. He felt the Church had left the people, rather than, the people left the Church!
The disjuncture between the synodal experience of the meeting in Aparecida (Colombia) and the other Synods he had attended. In the former there was much more debate and listening.
Fr. Giacomo Costa SJ: Between responsibility and participation: the method of Synod 2021-23
The purpose of the synod: to foster a culture of synodality.
It is not to produce documents, but to ‘plant dreams etc..’ awaken us to a new dawn of hope.
Pope Francis said, “Everyone has a part to play. The Pope, Cardinals, Bishops, Priests are not more important than the others (the laity). No, all of us have a part to play and no one can be considered simply and extra”.
The key to the synod is the ability to listen: not to shut up those we find it hard to listen to.
We discern together (common discernment): cf. Evangeli Gaudium 51. Recognizing, interpreting, choosing: with the eyes of a disciple.
Cf. Laudato si 19: See, judge act.
In spiritual conversation each one was personally invited to :
Recognize their experiences
Interpret those experiences
Act/Choose what to do
At the end of the synodal process it might be useful to spend some time in prayer to re-read the entire synodal process.
Panel: Experience in England and Wales.
Sarah Adams (Clifton): We have to start to imagine who we are as Church.
Dr. Mark Nash (Southwark): Some of the faithful don’t feel part of the Church
Fr Jan Nowotnik: Cf. Pope Paul VI, Ecclesiam Suam. We grow together, we learn together. The importance of dialogue. It is a privilege to listen to what God is saying to the Church.
Sr. Gemma Simmonds: Times have changed for women religious.
We then had a second plenary session facilitated again by Danny Curtin. We broke into small groups to discuss what we had heard.
The Eucharist at 18.00 was presided by Bishop Nicholas Hudson. Fr Nick Austin SJ gave the homily. The eucharist incorporated the Act of Consecration to Russia and Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
Session IV: Synodal Conversion
Fr. Alphonse Borras: The Call to synodal conversion
The concept of Reform (cf. Evangeli Gaudium): leading to conversion.
Apparecida 2007: S. American Conference. It’s importance and influence on participants include Archbishop Bergoglio.
There is pastoral conversion: of the priests and of the Church: the latter being ‘institutional conversion.’ Each one is personally involved.
There are three factors that create resistance:
Fear of change
The mindset: The difficulty of changing a mindset. It is hard for many to embrace the concept of ‘the common priesthood’. There is a fragmented vision of the People of God: a division between clergy and laity. Also the problem of a sacralised concept of the clergy.
Institutional. Particularly financial reasons.
All the faithful have to observe communion: the rights of the faithful, as baptised Christians. The role of canon law is to protect this communion. The importance of taking part in this communion. But this is difficult. Take the eample of a parish council meeting. There needs to be:
Freedom
An agenda
The provision of the necessary information, about the meeting (often a weak point)
It should concern ecclesial life and the mission of the parish; ie., not just about nuts and bolts, the maintenance of the building.
The material that is to be debated. Everyone should be given access to the information.
There should be a facilitator: The parish priest isn’t always good at facilitating.
In the role of the presiding minister, it is important to take advice. This can and should involve the assembly; we can speak of a dynamic debate. This gives space to the Holy Spirit who speaks through the assembly, the Church, the People of God.
There is a distinction between a consultative vote and a deliberative vote. In other words: decision making and decision taking. Cf. Canon Law 127.
It is not good to have a minimalist understanding of the purely consultative vote: (“canon law doesn’t require us to have a parish council”). because all the members are inspired by the Holy Spirit. We have to rediscover the place of the Holy Spirit. Cf. n.b., Lumen Gentium 4 & 13. The role of the priest is to be the shepherd of the faithful and to recognise their services and charisms. So that all may cooperate in this undertaking with one mind.
Collaborative Ministry. This has been spoken about but it needs time for the People of God to digest; maybe several generations.
The Pastoral council should be where all are involved in the life of the community.
Prof Myriam Wijlens (by Zoom)
How canonical institutes can implement synodality: examples of best practice
It is a major challenge for canon lawyers and theologians to adapt to synodality.
Canonical reforms take a long time: decades. However, we don’t have to wait. Canon Law need not stop theological or pastoral development.
1917 code of canon law was in place during Vatican II. But post Vatican II the understanding of Church had changed in spite of the ancient code.
The issue of hermeneutics. Local law v universal law.
Pope Paul VI. Vatican II: take a fresh look at canon law, because of the change in doctrines (Vatican II saw doctrinal change). We all need to move: bishops, priests, theologians, canon lawyers and laity.
The importance of listening and consulting. To find out. To discern before making a decision. A bishop or parish priest does not have a monopoly of knowledge.
The importance of an internal disposition/conversion. Laws and rules and documents are not enough to change people. Vatican II is a reality but some have not internalized it.
There is need for development. Synodality and canon law. The importance of Lumen Gentium. Note the positioning of the chapters, how Chapter two on the People of God, comes before the chapter on the Hierarchy. Pope Francis has internalised this.
There needs to be more dialogue between canon lawyers and theologians. It takes “new-lenses”. Vatican II has called for a transformative process in the church, in local diocese, in religious orders and in congregations.
We learn about doctrine by putting it into practise.
Cf. Evangelii Gaudium 37: Canon lawyers need to be bold and creative.
Panel: Raymond Friel OBE & Gerry O’Hanlon SJ. Synodal conversion in practice.
Raymond summarised what he wanted to say by telling us to read Gaudium et spes.
He spoke of transformation of relationships and transformation of the human heart. These require personal conversation. He spoke about the injustices in society; the Chancellor’s budget was not good for the poor.
Plenary Session (III), led by Danny Curtin.
We broke into small groups again and discussed three areas:
Begin with the insight you have had during these few days.
What next step might the Holy Spirit be inviting you to?
What concrete suggestions do you have to help the Church in England and Wales to move towards a synodal Church.
There was a suggestion that we meet again, or at least, stay in touch online. This final session was followed by a closing mass in the chapel at Campion Hall, presided over by Dom Christopher Jamison OSB. It was testimony to the Cardinal Grech’s humility that he concelebrated without any show of being a Cardinal.
We then had lunch before departing at 14.30. Overall it was a good and worthwhile experience. It will inform and encourage us to go on with the process.