Synod- SECAM: “There is no Synodal Church without Conversation”, Says Cardinal Hollerich
Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich, Archbishop of Luxembourg and Relator General of the XVI General Ordinary Assembly of the Synod of Bishops. Credit: AMECEA Online
Sr. Henriette Anne FSSA
During the opening Mass of the Continental Synod Assembly in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, at De Leopole Hotel, Cardinal of Luxembourg, Jean-Claude Cardinal Hollerich opined in his Homily that “there is no Synodal Church without conversation”, adding that it is not about democratic patches but it is about the Holy Spirit.
“There is no synodal church without a synodal conversation. So, the synod is not about power. It’s not about democratic patches, it is about the Holy Spirit. A church that is open to the world, and its mission to all humanity. It is a church that knows how to pray. It is a church in line with the Holy Spirit.
He further said that a Synodal church is a church that prays for the assistance of the Holy Spirit, adding that we need Holy Spirit and without the Holy Spirit it would be a mess.
Without the help of the Holy Spirit, it would be a mess, our Church politics has to be destroyed – progressives and conservatives, and even one continental church against one other continental church. Now we need the holy spirit and the holy spirit stairs up our deep desires that are deep in our heart”.
Referring to the prophetic speech of Pope Francis during his trip to Congo and South Sudan on the call to stand up for Africa, a member of the Society of Jesus (SJ) called upon the delegates to also follow in the footstep of the Holy Father and make place for the deep desire inspired by the Holy Spirit since “the Holy Spirit leads to justice, and a just acting in the world, in our small world and in the big world and its acting of justice of everybody, of every baptized flows into the speaking of a synodal church”.
Cardinal Jean-Claude who is also the General Relator of the 2021-2024 Synod on Synodality underscored that the Synodal Church is a church on a mission and the first mission is to proclaim the Gospel since God opens the door for the word.
“God also opens us the door to the word because a synodal church is always a church on a mission. On mission means first proclaiming the gospel, proclaiming Christ has again risen for us and at the same time it is also called to act for justice for peace for ecology”.
continental synod meeting. Credit AMECEA Online
He further explained, “If our words do not shout in our attitudes, we are very far from being a church of Jesus Christ. So, in fact, a synodal church is a great church, we are at the age of a new world because when I speak with young people, I notice they never have books but when I speak to them about movies, then their eyes shine the heart seem to have been touched. So, our young people live in an area of digitalization, very often we live in the past and not for the future but the Holy Spirit has to transform our church in order that our church can answer the challenges the future brings to the Church”.
The prelate who has been a missionary in Japan for 24 years encouraged all the missionaries in his homily to learn the language of the people they are serving, “if we are to speak to the people of today and of tomorrow, we have to use their language. We have to know their values, we have to know what makes the heartbeat, and we have to know what makes them happy and what makes them sad”.
He continued, “in a synodal church there is an auto-correction because if we listen to lay people if we are aware that all together, we are the people of God, we listen, we feel with people and we can change our attitudes”.
