TCS

What can participants expect when they arrive at their parishes for the Synod small groups? A carefully crafted process, for starters. That’s because this part of the Synod process is critical, said Jean Stolpestad, the archdiocese’s director of Marriage, Family and Life and a member of the Synod Executive Committee who has been co-leading small group trainings since February.

“This parish process is probably one of the most important aspects of our synodal process,” she said. “This is where we get the broadest participation and really understand those experiences that people are having. What we share in these small groups is what we’re going to be talking about in the Synod (Assembly).” Catholics need to attend these small groups and share their ideas to ensure a complete discussion in the Synod Assembly, she said.

What follows are a dozen things to know about the Synod small groups.

1. Their formal name is Parish Consultation Process with Small Groups. Look for that on posters and promotional materials.

2. They’re a series of six small group sessions, about two hours each. People are encouraged to attend the full series, but are invited to attend whatever sessions they can.

3. The topics are the three focus areas Archbishop Hebda identified last year following data analysis of information from 30 Prayer and Listening Events held 2019-2020. Sessions 1 and 2 are on Forming missionary disciples, Sessions 3 and 4 are on Forming parishes, and Sessions 5 and 6 are on Forming youth and young adults.

4. Every parish has been asked to host the small group sessions sometime between Sept. 19 and Nov. 14. Some are offering multiple options to meet (for example, a daytime and evening session). If you haven’t received information about your parish’s small groups, check your parish’s website or bulletin, or contact your pastor or a parish staff member, such as a director of religious education.

5. Each small group session format is guided by a video that includes prayer, a short teaching and personal testimonies related to elements of a specific focus area. The format features two, half-hour allotments for small group discussion on questions related to that session’s topics. Although the sessions use video, they are designed for in-person groups. At the sessions, participants will sit at tables of eight or fewer to make sure everyone can share.

6. No “pre-work” is necessary, and no homework will be assigned. “The reason that we’re not having any pre-work or homework is so we can really rely on the inspiration and influence of the Holy Spirit in our discussions,” Stolpestad said.

7. During each session, participants will share their best ideas on the focus areas via a prepared feedback form.

8. Members of the Synod Executive Committee (a group of lay women and men and clergy, including archdiocesan directors and volunteers with a variety of ministry expertise) have been training parish leaders since February on the basics of the Parish Consultation with Small Groups. More than 1,200 local Catholics attended one of more than 60 “baseline” trainings.

9. Training is underway for Parish Small Group Process Managers. Small Group Process Managers will attend one of 32 scheduled trainings and lead a core team of parishioners, who will help organize the Synod small groups at their parishes.

10. During the small groups, each table will be led by a trained table facilitator who will attend one of 32 trainings scheduled for this fall. The facilitator will help the discussion stay focused and fruitful.

11. A trained table scribe will collect feedback forms following each session and upload data for the Synod Executive Committee. That information will be shared at the Deanery Consultation with Parish Representatives in early 2022, which will further hone ideas for the Synod Assembly in June 2022.

12. English and Spanish versions are available for all six sessions. All trainings have been offered in English or Spanish. Parishes determine the languages in which they’ll offer the sessions.

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