Recommended: Pope Leo’s sermon at Synodal Teams Jubilee
Pope Leo spoke of synodality in his homily for the Synodal Teams Jubilee mass on 26th October 2025.
Recommended: World Map of Synodality
The Vatican Secretariat of the Synod are compiling a map of Synodality around the world, as seen on their website.
Recommended: A global overview of the implementation of synodality in local churches
Sr Nathalie Becquart xmcj has shared an interim ‘global mapping’ document of synodality so far around the world, including SfS, published June 2025
Implementation phases of the Final Synod Document
Resources relating to the implementation phase of the Final Synod Document.
Image credit: Synod Va
The Synodal Process was always designed in phases, aiming to support the journey of synodality into church teaching. Phase one was the ‘Consultation of the People of God’, Phase two the ‘Discernment of the Pastors’ (which included the two Synod Assemblies 2023-2024) and finally the third phase - ‘The Implementation for a Synodal Church’.
The guiding document for phase three is the Final Document from the Second Session of the 16th Assembly (officially called ‘For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, Mission’).
This document is beautiful and inspiring, but also can be rather technical in places. Our Synod Document resources are designed to help you explore this in more depth.
Useful Resources from the School for Synodality
All of our resources are designed to help support the synodal conversion of the Catholic Church in our day to day practice, as laid out by the Final Synod Document. You can explore all of our resources here, we suggest starting with the three below:
Implementation Phase for Synod - ‘Pathways’ Document
Image credit: Synod Va
The Pathways Document by the Synod Secretariat aims to offer local Churches throughout the world both a shared framework that will make it easier to walk together, and to promote the dialogue that will lead the whole Church to the Ecclesial Assembly in October 2028. It answers these questions:
What is the implementation phase and what are its objectives?
Who will participate in the implementation phase? What are their tasks and responsibilities?
How to engage with the Final Document during the implementation phase?
What method and tools can help shape our path during the implementation phase?
Implementation Timeline:
March 2025 - Announcement of the accompaniment and evaluation process
On 15th March 2025, Cardinal Grech, head of the Synod Secretariat, wrote to the bishops announcing the implementation phase of the Final Synod document, so that the global church could walk its synodal journey in step, sharing the learning and creativity across different contexts and communities.
To help with sharing ideas, he has announced a series of Assemblies running through 2027-28, from diocesan to national and continental, culminating with an Ecclesial Assembly in Rome autumn 2028. You can read the full letter from Cardinal Grech in March 2025 to the bishops here, and Cardinal Grech’s interview about the implementation phase with Vatican News here.
July 2025 - Publication of the Support Document for the implementation phase, with guidelines for its conduct
The Support Document is called ‘Pathways’ for short - detailed and link is on this Resource page, above.
Report of Sr. Nathalie Becquart to the Ordinary Council ‘A global overview of the implementation of synodality in local churches’ 27.06.2025 - text in English here>>.
June 2025 – December 2026 - Implementation paths in local Churches and their groupings
24-26 October 2025 - Jubilee of synodal teams and participatory bodies
First half of 2027 - Evaluation Assemblies in Dioceses and Eparchies
Second half of 2027 - Evaluation Assemblies in national and international Episcopal Conferences, Eastern hierarchical structures, and other groupings of Churches
First half of 2028 - Continental Evaluation Assemblies
June 2028 - Publication of the Instrumentum laboris for the works of the ecclesial Assembly in October 2028
October 2028 - Celebration of the ecclesial Assembly in the Vatican.
Final Document from the Second Session of the 16th Assembly
The Final Document of the XVI Assembly is now available to view in various languages, along with an accompanying note from Pope Francis.
The Final Document, called For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, Mission’ is available in English, and in the official versions in Italian (original version of the Document), Czech, Spanish, Portuguese and French translations.
The Final Document is also available in the following languages: Arabic (only the document), German, Hungarian (only the note and the document), and Polish.
Note of the Holy Father Francis to accompany the Final Document of the 16th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, November 2024, read it here >>.
Final Document: ‘For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, Mission’
Contents List from the Document:
Abbreviations.......................................………………………………............. 1
Accompanying note by the Holy Father Francis........…………....... 3
Introduction....…………………………………………………………………..….5
Part I - The Heart of Synodality
Called by the Holy Spirit to Conversion ............................................. 9
The Church as the People of God, Sacrament of Unity ......................................................... 9
The Sacramental Roots of the People of God ...................................................................... 11
Meaning and Dimensions of Synodality .............................................................................. 13
Unity as Harmony ................................................................................................................ 15
Synodal Spirituality.............................................................................................................. 17
Synodality as Prophetic in Today’s World .......................................................................... 18
Part II - On the Boat, Together
The Conversion of Relationships ............................................. 19
New Relationships................................................................................................................ 19
In a Plurality of Contexts ..................................................................................................... 20
Charisms, Vocations and Ministries for Mission................................................................. 21
Ordained Ministers at the Service of Harmony.................................................................... 25
Together for Mission............................................................................................................ 27
Part III – “Cast the Net”
The Conversion of Processes ................................................ 30
Ecclesial Discernment for Mission ...................................................................................... 30
The Structure of the Decision-making Process .................................................................... 32
Transparency, Accountability and Evaluation ..................................................................... 34
Synodality and Participatory Bodies .................................................................................... 36
Part IV - An Abundant Catch
The Conversion of Bonds................................................ 39
Firmly Rooted yet Pilgrims .................................................................................................. 39
The Exchange of Gifts.......................................................................................................... 42
The Bonds of Unity: Episcopal Conferences and Ecclesial Assemblies ............................. 43
The Service of the Bishop of Rome ..................................................................................... 45
Part V - “So I Send You”
Forming a People for Missionary Discipleship........................................ 49
Conclusion
A Feast for All Peoples................................................................................ 53
Appendix
1st General Congregation. Opening address (2 October 2024) ............... 57
17th General Congregation. Final greeting (27 October 2024) .................. 61
Recommended: ‘How to be a Synodal Church in Mission’ - Westminster Diocese
The Diocese of Westminster has put together a collection of key quotes from the Final Document: “An Informal Reaping of the Fruits”
Recommended: The Future of Synodality - Kristin Colberg & Jos Moon SJ
This book offers a primer on the theological and historical origins of synodality, while offering concrete suggestions for the attitudes, structures and practices of personal and communal conversion required
We are thrilled that Kristin Colberg & Jos Moon SJ's new book 'The Future of Synodality' is now available, endorsed by our Co-Director Avril Baigent.
Embracing the style of synodality as the church’s usual practice, the authors outline the three types of transformation required: a renewal of attitudes and behaviour, a reform of ecclesial structures and procedures, and the adoption of synodal practices. The Synod on Synodality has changed the church. This book helps us understand this historic moment and learn how to walk on the synodal path toward a new beginning.
This book offers a primer on the theological and historical origins of synodality, while offering concrete suggestions for the attitudes, structures and practices of personal and communal conversion required.
“Synodality is a developing and all too often abstract term. In these early days, more work is needed to help us fully grasp its potential to transform our communities. This book expertly fills that gap. It offers a primer on the theological and historical origins of synodality while offering concrete suggestions for the attitudes, structures, and practices of personal and communal conversion required to unlock the radical possibilities of synodality to meet the needs of our hurting and rapidly changing world
”
Recommended: Welcoming the Spirit: Christina Kheng
A book setting out an approach to Pastoral Planning based on communal discernment written with a broad-based audience in mind.