A diocesan or archdiocesan synod, such as the one held in St. Paul June 3-5, helps the local bishop in his governance of the diocese, something that’s provided for in the Code of Canon Law, said Archbishop Bernard Hebda of St. Paul and Minneapolis.
A Synod of Bishops assembly, on the other hand, is not called to help a local Church, but to help the Holy Father in his work, he said, including a Synod of Bishops assembly that will be held in Rome in October 2023. That synod is being referred to as the Synod on synodality.
Archbishop Bernard Hebda
At a Synod of Bishops, the pope receives information that helps the Church move forward in a certain area, Archbishop Hebda said. Examples include synods on the priesthood, on youth and young adults, and on family matters, marriage and family, he said.
During a recent interview for the “Practicing Catholic” radio show with Maria Wiering, editor in chief of The Catholic Spirit, Archbishop Hebda described synods and how feedback from Catholics in the archdiocese will be submitted to Pope Francis in advance of the 2023 synod assembly.
Pope Francis has spoken throughout his pontificate about the importance of the Church being more participatory, about opportunities for deep listening, Archbishop Hebda said, “and that we go out to the peripheries and we hear what it is that people have to say about the Church, always trying to listen to the Holy Spirit,” he said. Pope Francis is holding up the example of the Eastern Churches, he said, “essentially calling us to walk together … always trying to discern where the Holy Spirit is calling the Church to move forward.”
Archbishop Hebda described two recent opportunities for local Catholics to provide input to Pope Francis, through the archbishop and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The first was an online survey with people invited to indicate which topics they felt were most important or most relevant for the Church, and the chance to identify one thing they thought would be most helpful for the Holy Father to hear. The latter was “more of an essay question,” Archbishop Hebda said, “where the Catholic Church should focus its greatest attention.”
Among the more than 3,000 responses received as to where attention is needed, respondents described the importance of placing lay people in leadership roles, combating “toxic clericalism,” being more welcoming in general but certainly to members of the LGBTQ community, broadening access to the Latin Mass, seminary formation more tailored to today’s needs and respecting the elderly and their gifts, the archbishop said.
Focused listening events were also held with three groups: consecrated men and women, survivors of sexual abuse in the Church and representatives of Catholic groups that sometimes feel on the margins of the Church, Archbishop Hebda said.
A regional synthesis will be presented to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, who are to present a synthesis for the U.S., the archbishop said.
Methods used during preparation for the recent archdiocesan synod, especially small group discussions, will be a part of moving forward in the archdiocese, Archbishop Hebda said. “Our hope is that this is something that not only has an impact on the archdiocese at large, but also on each of our parishes,” he said. “And that is we grow in those skills and experiences. That will be something that will really set in as our modus operandi for how it is that we as a Church bring forward those things that are important to us.”
To learn more about feedback gathered from across the archdiocese and how it will be synthesized, and to hear the complete interview, tune in to the 9 p.m. July 22 “Practicing Catholic” show, which repeats at 1 p.m. July 23 and 2 p.m. July 24 on Relevant Radio 1330 AM. Produced by Relevant Radio and the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, the latest show also includes interviews with Maggee Becker from the Minnesota Catholic Conference, who discusses the pro-life situation in Minnesota and how practicing Catholics can get involved; and Nancy Schulte, family and laity outreach coordinator at the archdiocese’s Office of Marriage, Family and Life, who discusses natural family planning.
Listen to their interviews after they have aired at:
Practicing Catholic on Spotify
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