Next year’s Synod of Bishops will be meeting in Rome to discuss the theme of synodality for the Church under the headings of communion, participation, and mission.
In anticipation of that event, Pope Francis has asked for a period of listening and discernment in local Churches between the months of October 2021 and April 2022.
According to the official preparatory document, “The purpose of the first phase of the synodal journey is to foster a broad consultation process in order to gather the wealth of the experiences of lived synodality, in its different articulations and facets, involving the Pastors and the Faithful of the particular Churches at all the different levels, through the most appropriate means according to the specific local realities” (31).
In addition to consulting with various particular groups of priests and faithful within the Diocese of Madison, Bishop Donald J. Hying has scheduled a General Session on the Synod that is open to the public on Sunday, Feb. 27, at St. Dennis Parish, 505 Dempsey Rd., Madison.
Mass with Bishop Hying begins at 1 p.m. to be followed by facilitated small group discussions in the parish hall.
These conversations will be synthesized and forwarded to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, which in turn will forward their synthesis to Rome.
Registration is required and space is limited.
Register at www.madisondiocese.org/synod