Final Document Lent Reflections Series
Our Resource: Be ‘called to the journey’ to reflect each week during Lent on key passages of the Final Synod Document
On a journey through the wilderness of Lent, we invite you to join us as part of the School for Synodality in taking time to dwell on what it means to journey together and open ourselves to hear the whispers of God along the way.
We offer some spiritual reflection through material drawn from our resource, A Feast for All Peoples. Each week of Lent, we offer a piece of scripture, brief notes, a passage from the Final Document, and a reflective question to ponder.
We invite you to accompany us, praying for the grace to continue on the synodal path, whether in small steps or great leaps, always together.
We hope you will be encouraged to pray through to Week 7, when the journey concludes on Easter Monday. There, in the joy of the Resurrection, we will share the banquet prepared by Jesus on the lakeshore for his disciples.
Start the Journey here…
What to expect:
What is a self guided reflection?
Taking time to be still and reflect on your own terms in your own way using the reflection prompts. This is entirely for your own growth and spiritual nourishment, but with the knowledge that others all round the world will be reflecting on the same passages.
How to use this reflection series?
This can be used wherever you are, in your own time and in whatever context you are in. You may wish to start with your own short prayer such as the Our Father or Come, Holy Spirit. We suggest you take time to read each section (perhaps more than once) slowly and with intention. Be aware of your inner responses, as the Holy Spirit may speak to you in those quiet moments. You may wish to return to the series during the week as you ponder the reflection question.
Do I need to know about synodality or the Final Synod Document?
You do not need to know about synodality or the Final Synod Document to engage with this reflection series. Synodality is primarily a spiritual disposition, and this series is one opportunity to answer this call. For more about synodality we suggest you explore our Getting Started and FAQ pages.
The School for Synodality has also put together a helpful guide to the Final Synod Document which includes our Book Club that takes it chapter by chapter with expert speakers, Lectio Divina for certain passages and our small group resource A Feast for All Peoples upon which this reflection series is based.
A Feast for All Peoples - Small Group Resources
Our Resource: A Feast for All Peoples our new small group resource is aimed to support groups in exploring pathways to synodality through scripture, the Final Document and Conversations in the Spirit.
Synodality 101: Our Workshops
Our Resource: Learn about our online series of workshops with practical application on hosting Conversations in the Spirit in your own contexts.
How do we listen to each other well? How do we step back from our own agendas to be attentive to where the Spirit is moving? How can we make better decisions about organising ourselves as Christian communities? How do we enrich our parish communal life with enriching conversations?
Our Synodality 101 course has enabled hundreds of people to explore synodality and develop the skills, dispositions and practices that help synodality become a lived reality in the Church.
The enthusiasm of participants, together with their reflections and feedback, has encouraged us to expand our offer into a wider pathway of formation and training. We now offer courses that are designed to accompany people at different stages of their synodal journey. This programme will continue to grow and adapt in response to emerging needs and opportunities.
A distinctive feature of our online programme is the opportunity to journey together with people from across the world. Participants consistently mention the richness of sharing experiences, learning from different contexts, and discovering how the call to become a more synodal Church is being lived in communities across cultures and continents.
Together, we seek to deepen our understanding and practice of synodality - growing in the skills, spirituality and confidence needed to listen, discern and journey together as the people of God.
“The small group spiritual conversations were really enriching - both from the perspective of practicing skills, but also from the experience of having a spiritual conversation with people we wouldn’t otherwise ordinarily connect with.”
What We Offer:
Conversation in the Spirit Resource Cards
Our Resource: We have created these helpful cards that can be used to facilitate Conversations in the Spirit within your own communities. We have a professional printer version and a standard home printing version.