ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT SYNOD PROCESS
FROM THE ARCHDIOCESE OF CINCINNATI

The Holy See has initiated Synod 2021-2023, a two-year process of “reflection and sharing of the whole Church.” Archbishop Schnurr has appointed Deacon John Homoelle to lead and coordinate the Archdiocese of Cincinnati’s contributions to this initiative.

 From Deacon John:

 “Synodality? What’s that, you may ask. Synodality is synonymous with collegiality. The Holy Father is asking to have a Synod on how the Church can be more collegial in its approach to addressing its mission – to evangelize the world. That Synod is entitled: ‘For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, and Mission.’

 Consequently, the Holy Father seeks input from all the People of God. That journey began this month with an opening Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Peter in Chains at 11:00 AM on Sunday, Oct. 17, and will culminate in the Synod Meeting in Rome in 2023. Pope Francis wants to hear from the young, the elderly, those in religious orders, young adults, those who have drifted away from the faith, migrants and immigrants, those who live in poverty, lay organizations, the lay faithful, our Christian brothers and sisters, women, etc. In other words, everyone! 

To accomplish this, over the next six months, each diocese throughout the world will convene local meetings to address the questions on how we can be a more synodal – in other words, collegial – Church. For each diocese, the contact person will submit a ten page summary report to the local Ordinary who will in turn forward it to the USCCB for submission to the Synod. 

By virtue of our baptism, as a people of God coming together, we know that the Holy Spirit will lead us in this endeavor. Stay tuned for further details over the next month. If you would like to participate in any way, we welcome you! Please feel free to email Deacon John Homoelle at jhomoelle@catholicaoc.org. God Bless!”

 Contributing to the Synod will be an intensive process in our archdiocese over the next six months. Here are the key milestones:

 • The Deans will each appoint two deanery coordinators (one male, one female) by Fri., Nov. 5.

 • Before Thanksgiving, a web presence for the Synod process will be established on the Archdiocese of Cincinnati website.

 • In November and December, these coordinators will: (1) go through orientation with Deacon John; (2) establish “Town Hall” meeting dates and venues in each deanery; and (3) work to encourage the broad representation of the baptized from whom Pope Francis wants to hear.

 (Go to  communications@catholicaoc.org November 2021 5 to participate in these meetings. The archdiocese Communications staff will also promote participation, and will provide promotional materials to each parish to do so as well.)

 • In January and February, the Town Hall meetings will be held. • In March, the coordinators will submit their summaries to Deacon John. • In April, Deacon John will submit his consolidated report to Archbishop Schnurr and the USCCB.

 Please pray for a fruitful outcome to this important worldwide endeavor

 THE CALL FOR SYNODS

Pope Francis’ call for a Church-wide synod is likely to put fear, even dread, into the hearts and minds of some members of the hierarchy  because it opens the door to raising possible  changes and challenges which have previously been “settled.”

Issues on the local as well as world-wide level (parish, diocese, episcopal conference, bureaus in the Vatican, Canon Law)  are likely to be raised and promoted when the opinions of the faithful at large are invited.

Segments of God’s people will call for the re-instatement of the ordained diaconate for women; some will question and reject Pope John Paul’s 1994 declaration that “the Church has no authority whatsoever to confer priestly ordination on women and that this judgment is to be definitively held by all the Church’s faithful”; still others will humbly suggest that parish congregations should have some input in which priest is assigned as their pastor.

To many a Church-wide synod is opening a can of worms.

Pope Francis, however, in a 2015 speech at the 50^th anniversary commemoration of the Institution of the Synod of Bishops, said “It is precisely this path of synodality which God expects of the Church of the third millennium,” and his praise for the synodal process was not confined to the hierarchy.

As the International Theological Commissions study of synodality in the life and mission of the Church has announced with papal approval, “The entire People of God is challenged by its fundamentally synodal calling” (#72 in the Commission’s document).

The Commission met between 2014 and 2017, and concluded by means of a written vote their approval of the text of their study.

A synod can be described as a Church assembly convoked “to discern, by the light of the Word of God and listening to the Holy Spirit, the doctrinal, liturgical, canonical and pastoral questions that arise as time goes by” (4).

Now it is the admittedly daunting task of diocesan bishops to convoke such assemblies  as “an essential dimension of the Church” (42, 70).