VATICAN: 300 Parish Priests Expected in Rome This Month for Synod Discernment and Prayer
Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA
Prior to the second and final phase of assembly of the Synod on Synodality to be held in October 2024, the Vatican has organized an international meeting of parish priests to give them an opportunity “to experience the dynamism of synodal work at a universal level.”
“Three hundred parish priests identified by the Bishops’ Conferences and the Oriental Catholic Churches will participate in a worldwide meeting of listening, prayer, and discernment,” reads in part the Vatican statement from the General Secretariat of the Synod.
According to the organizers, the meeting themed “Parish Priests for the Synod: An international meeting” aims to “listen to and value the experience of parish priests living in their respective local Churches, and offer them an opportunity to experience the dynamism of synodal work at a universal level.”
The invitation for the meeting of parish priests across the globe comes following concern from the first synod session held last October that the priests need to be more involved in the synodal process as they are key to the implementation of any programs aimed at promoting synodality at the grassroots level.
“The initiative responds to the indication expressed by the participants in the First Session of the XVI Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops (4-29 October 2023) who identified the need to “develop ways for more active involvement of deacons, priests, and bishops in the synodal process during the coming year,” the organizers indicated in their message.
They added, “A synodal Church cannot do without their voices, their experiences, and their contribution.” Besides, “the meeting requires active involvement of participants and includes round tables for the sharing of best practices, workshops around pastoral proposals, dialogue with experts, and liturgical celebrations.”
The upcoming meeting is expected to take place from Sunday 28 April to Thursday 2 May 2024, at the Fraterna Domus in Sacrofano, near Rome. Then, on Thursday 2 May, the Holy Father will receive the participants in audience.
According to Vatican, the number of participants from Latin Rite Church will be based on the number of members of each Episcopal Conference including one representative for Episcopal Conferences with fewer than 25 members; two representatives for Episcopal Conferences with between 26 and 50 members; three for Episcopal Conferences with between 51 and 100 members; four for Episcopal Conferences with more than 100 members. Additionally, there will be one parish priest from each continent representing ecclesiastical territories without an Episcopal Conference.
From the Oriental Catholic Churches, the organizers expect one representative for each Synod of Bishops or Council of Hierarchs of the Oriental Catholic Churches with no more than 25 members; two representatives for each Synod or Council with 26 to 50 members; and three representatives for each Synod or Council with more than 50 members.
The General Secretariat of the Synod recommends that conferences select participants giving preference to parish priests who have significant experience in the perspective of a synodal Church; and favour a certain variety of pastoral contexts of origin (rural, urban, specific socio-cultural contexts, etc.).
“The results of the meeting will contribute to the drafting of the Instrumentum Laboris or rather the working document for the Second Session of the Synodal Assembly in October 2024,” reads the statement in parts.
