An opening frame from the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network video. (Screen grab)
OFFICE FOR SOCIAL MINISTRY
“Let us pray that the Church, ever faithful to the Gospel and courageous in preaching it, may live in an increasing atmosphere of synodality, and be a community of solidarity, fraternity, and welcome.” (Pope Francis, The Pope’s Video 10, Worldwide Prayer Network, October 2022)
Pope Francis releases a prayer intention at the beginning of each month to address current challenges of humanity while helping deepen our faith as a Catholic community. This October’s intention is “A Church that is open to everyone.” In a short video produced by the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network, the opening scenes show men and women of all walks of life, simply walking together and talking story about what it means to be a “synodal” church. Our Holy Father begins the video by asking: “What does it mean ‘to synod?’” He answers by explaining that the Greek word “synod” literally means “to walk on the same road.” Our Holy Father asks us to pray that the church “regain its awareness of being a people on the road and of having to travel together” in an inspiring shared faith and life journey.
Last year at this time, Pope Francis launched the first phase of a three-year synod process with the theme: “For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, Mission.” Local churches around the world took part by holding listening and discernment sessions with their parishioners. These efforts have been so fruitful that, on Oct. 16, the pope extended the current synod process to 2024 with special Synod of Bishops gatherings in Rome both in October 2023 and October 2024. He said, “The fruits of the synodal process under way are many, but so that they might come to full maturity, it is necessary not to be in a rush.”
Our Holy Father believes this extension will offer a “more relaxed period of discernment” which will help all experience this collaborative synod process “as the journey of brothers and sisters who proclaim the joy of the Gospel.”
Here in Hawaii, the first phase of the synod process involved a diocese-wide survey as well as a variety of “listening experiences” in talk story sessions via virtual Zoom and in-person. These listening sessions included people from all vicariates and church-affiliated workplaces, as well as with marginalized groups not always included in church consultations.
This latest extension of the official synod process provides more opportunities to continue this collaborative journey of talking story, listening, and discerning together what it really means to be a “synodal” church in Hawaii that is “open to everyone” as One Ohana. The coming months will offer many opportunities to “synod” within local parish social ministries. October, for example, will feature several celebrations to reflect on the 10th anniversary of Marianne Cope’s canonization as the “Saint of Outcasts” who lived the Gospel in service with the most vulnerable.
In November, before Thanksgiving, there is the opportunity to participate in the annual Hunger and Homelessness in Hawaii Week beginning with the World Day of the Poor and Catholic Campaign for Human Development collection on Nov. 13.
In December, all will be invited to share their Christmas gift-giving with others in need. Then in January, the annual Red Mass will include the new head of Catholic Charities Hawaii speaking about service with vulnerable persons.
This coming Lent the Catholic Relief Services Rice Bowl campaign will have a synodal focus “Together We … One Planet, One Family.” All these activities will be opportunities to collaborate in a synodal journey “proclaiming the joy of the Gospel” throughout Hawaii.
For more on the collaborative “synodal” opportunities to journey together in social ministries, please visit the OSM website, officeforsocialministry.org. For more on the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network, go to popesprayer.va where you will find the full October video of the Holy Father calling all to “take advantage of this opportunity to be a church of closeness, which is God’s style … and to give thanks to all the people of God who, with their attentive listening, are walking the synodal way,” and in deed “be a community of solidarity, fraternity and welcome.”
Mahalo,
Your friends at the Office for Social Ministry
