Book Club - Reading the Final Synod Document
Reading the Final Synod Document Together -
the School for Synodality’s Online Book Club
21st May - 25th June 2025
After four weeks of listening, discerning and writing in October 2024, the final day of the Rome Synod Assembly brought a dramatic surprise from Pope Francis - that the recommendations of the Assembly would become Church teaching. The three year listening process was over, and it was now time to get on with implementing it.
The Final Synod Document (officially ‘For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, and Mission’) is our guide to the implementation, and while beautiful and inspiring, can be rather technical in places (episcopal conferences and Vatican dicasteries, anyone??).
To enable us to reflect on the document in more depth, the School for Synodality is organising an online bookclub with a stellar cast of experts. Each week we will unpack a different section of the Final Synod Document, reflecting on its theological and practical implications, with time for questions afterwards.
To watch live, register for the link for the webinars on YouTube, the dates are below. The sessions will also be available on YouTube and on our Podcast afterwards at your convenience.
The sessions are suitable for small groups or individual reflection, so why not gather a group in your parish and get inspired together?
The School for Synodality held our first series of webinars in Autumn 2023 called ‘Practising Synodality’ with guest speakers exploring a variety of topics, which you can watch here >>.
Part 1: The Heart of Synodality
Understanding the theological roots of what we are about
- With Dr Jos Moons SJ
Part 2: The Conversion of Relationships
Mission and ministry in a changing world
- With Professor Anna Rowlands
Part 3: The Conversion of Processes:
Discernment, decision-making and accountability
- with Dr Estela Padilla
Part 4: The Conversion of Bonds: The geeky week
- with guest Prof Cathy Clifford
Part 5: Forming a People for Missionary Discipleship: We need everyone in the boat
18th June 2025 with guests David McCallum SJ and Sandra Chaoul
Fr. David McCallum S.J. Ed.D is a Jesuit priest from the USA East province. He serves as the founding Executive Director of the Program for Discerning Leadership, a formation experience that integrates Catholic spirituality, adult learning and development, and leadership best practices. Since 2021, Fr. McCallum has worked with the Secretariat for the Synod of Bishops on the Commission on Methodology, as a member of the international group that developed the synthesis of the National and Regional Bishop’s Conferences reports at Frascati, and as an expert facilitator at the Synods in October 2023 and 2024.
Sandra Chaoul is the lead facilitator on the English Program and serves as the Director of the Discerning Leadership International Accompaniment Network. She is an an experienced learning programs designer and facilitator, and an ICF Certified Leadership Coach. She holds a Masters in Financial Economics from the American University of Beirut, Lebanon. Sandra served as an expert facilitator in the Synod on Synodality in Rome for both 2023 and 2024 sessions.
Part 6 Conclusion: A Feast for All Peoples: What next for our Church?
25th June 2025 with guest Archbishop Jason Gordon
Archbishop Jason Gordon is a Trinidadian Roman Catholic prelate and the current Metropolitan Archbishop of Port of Spain since his appointment in 2017. He was the representative delegate of the Antilles Episcopal Conference (AEC) for the Synod on Synodality in October 2024. Archbishop Gordon has published a book in 2024 entitled ‘Reviving Our Caribbean Soul: A Contemplative Synodal Journey’ illustrates how the synod can give a region - often polarised along racial, ethnic, socio-economic and political lines - hope for healing and a renewed vision for communion, mission and participation.