Your participation is needed!
Pope Francis has recently convoked a Universal Synod, which will extend into 2023, whose theme has to do with the very nature of the Church: Communion, Participation, and Mission. For our part in this global consultation, all parishes are asked to hold listening sessions to assess how well we are doing as a Church which “journeys together.” A “synod” is a “journeying together,” whose purpose is not to change doctrine or ecclesiastical structures, but to listen to the promptings of the Holy Spirit for our time. In the listening sessions, we want to involve everyone, young and old, in every role and ministry, even those on the margins, who may feel they are not welcomed in the Church community or lack a voice. To allow for some flexibility, we are scheduling two parish Listening Sessions on Wednesday, November 17th, at 3:30 pm and 7 pm in the social hall. Choose one that is convenient for you. RSVP for either session by clicking below or call our office at (301) 475-8064.
Parish Listening Session
November 17, 3:30 PM
November 17, 7 PM
In preparation, please consider some of the following questions and be ready to respond as your heart prompts you. The questions fall into the following categories:
The Fundamental Question – Journeying Together:
- How is this “journeying together” happening today in our parish?
- What are your experiences of joy in parish life? What are the difficulties and obstacles to active parish life have you encountered?
- Where in these experiences do you hear the voice of the Holy Spirit?
Listening:
- How is God speaking to us through voices we sometimes ignore, including those on the peripheries, especially cultural groups, women, the divorced, the disabled, those who experience poverty, marginalization, or social exclusion?
Speaking Out:
- What enables or hinders you from speaking up courageously, candidly, and responsibly in our local church and in society?
- What space is there in our parishes for the voice of people including active and inactive members of our faith?
Sharing Responsibility for our Common Mission and Sharing Authority:
- How are the baptized members of your parish able to participate in the mission of the Church to proclaim the Gospel?
- What hinders people from being active in our parish?
- How are teamwork and co-responsibility put into practice in our local parish?
Discerning and Deciding:
- How does our parish use the methods of consultation to make decisions?
- Do the decision-making methods of our parish help you to listen to all members of the community including those who are on the peripheries of parish life?
Celebration:
- How do prayer and liturgical celebrations, especially Sunday Mass, inspire and guide our parish and your personal decisions?
- How does the parish invite all baptized Catholics, including our ethnic communities, youth, families, and persons with disabilities and their families, into the active life of the parish, especially Sunday Mass?
Final Question: Where have you heard the voice of the Holy Spirit today?
Each one of us is an essential member of the Church. Our Holy Father Pope Francis, Cardinal Gregory, and I want to hear your voice so that we can grow together in love and unity, and thereby be effective in promoting the gospel of Jesus Christ! ~Fr. David