Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades, a delegate to the Synod on Synodality from the United States, said that going into a pre-synod retreat, he thought it was a "good idea," but added that he has been pleasantly surprised by the number of meaningful
At a large complex in Sacrofano, about 20 miles north of Rome, Dominican Father Timothy Radcliffe and Benedictine Mother Maria Ignazia Angelini were asked to provide the spiritual foundations for the synod's work over the course of the retreat Oct. 1-3. Pope
On the eve of a three-day spiritual retreat for participants in the assembly of the Synod of Bishops, Pope Francis prayed that members of the church may embrace silence to listen to the voice of God and one another.
"Silence, in the ecclesial
Asked about her expectations of the synod Pope Francis will open Oct. 4, Sister Nathalie Becquart said "that we listen to the Holy Spirit, we discern together, and we learn more and more as a church, really to be a church of
On the recommendation of the Catholic bishops of mainland China in consultation with the Chinese government, Pope Francis has named two bishops from the country's mainland as members of the assembly of the Synod of Bishops.
Bishop Joseph Yang Yongqiang of Zhoucun, who
In our preparation for the Synod, in the Archdiocese of New York, close to 7,000 people accepted the invitation to attend listening sessions or respond online to issues of concern in the life of the church today. One question posed was, "How
“Co-responsibility,” a theme raised in the preparatory document and again named in the Instrumentum Laboris of the upcoming October Synod of Bishops on synodality, raises questions about the nature of the hierarchy – clergy who serve in the most visible structures of
In case you didn’t notice, writes Russell Shaw, the process of choosing the next pope has begun. He writes: “No, Pope Francis is still going strong and the cardinals didn’t slip back into the Vatican under cover of night and immediately convene
Father Patrick Briscoe, editor of Our Sunday Visitor, draws attention to the ancient concept of synods in Church governance, emphasizing the need to incorporate the humility and values exemplified by St. Francis of Assisi into the upcoming Synod of Bishops. St. Francis’
For many Catholics, Pope Francis’s decision to call for a synod on synodality is akin to the boss calling a meeting to discuss meetings, more likely to earn a yawn or an eye roll than enthusiasm. And while the term “synod” is