Week Four: Called to be a Listening People…
Opening scripture
And this is my prayer, that your love may overflow more and more
with knowledge and full insight to help you to determine what is best.
Philippians 1: 9
Introduction to the theme
You might remember the description in week one of synodality as ‘spiritual renewal and structural reform.’ So far, we have mostly explored elements of spiritual renewal. However, if renewal is to make a lasting difference, it must also involve structural reform.
Reflect on this passage from the Final Synod Document:
What sparks for you in reading this passage? Is there a particular word or phrase that stands out for you? Spend some time reflecting on it.
A question to ponder through your day…
Reflect on a recent decision-making process you have been involved in (not necessarily in a church setting but also in families, at work or with friends). Using that example, ponder the difference between our everyday way of making decisions, and this more reflective process of discernment. What might be the most challenging aspects of putting this into practice, and where is the potential for growth?
For a fuller description of the process of discerning together, see paragraph 84 of the Final Document
Closing Prayer
Glory be to the Father to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be
world without end,
Amen.
Pope Leo XIV June 17, 2025, Address to the Italian Bishops Conference:
“I particularly recommend cultivating a culture of dialogue. It is good for... parishes, associations and movements - to be spaces of intergenerational listening, of comparison with different worlds, of caring about words and relationships. Because only where there is listening can communion be born, and only where there is communion does truth become credible. I encourage you to continue on this path!”
Want to know more about the Final Synod Document?
As we move into the implementation stage of the synodal process, here are some key resources from the School for Synodality to help guide our understanding of the Final Synod Document, including our Book Club taking it chapter by chapter with synod experts: