JANUARY 2022

Let's Be Clear
Creating a Culture of Transparency in the Catholic Church

Statement on
Transparency

An overarching theme throughout

our discussion was the need for
transparency in the church. In this
discussion, transparency was used
as the willing truthfulness of the
Catholic church towards the people
both inside and outside the
institution. Transparency builds
trust throughout an organization
leading to a stronger sense of
communion between individuals
and the institution. Transparency
is needed to create
a culture of service,
a culture of encounter,
a culture of education, and
Our Purpose
a culture of evangelization,
which is what our discussion Pope Francis has asked people everywhere to reflect
concluded is essential to a greater on how the church is “journeying together” as a
church experience for all. communion and to share those reflections with the
larger church. We, as a class of students from Loras
College, have participated in this synodal process
and now seek to share the product of our reflective
time together with many different members of the
church. Through this product, we hope to
emphasize the successes and failures we have
experienced in the church's efforts to communicate
Disclaimer for communion, the similarities, and differences in
This report is a reflection on a large group our experiences, and action steps we believe could
discussion of ideas and experiences. All be taken to ensure a better experience of the church
experiences may not be concretely stated, but for all.
all were taken into account in the creation of
LET'S BE CLEAR
this report.
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 Culture
of Service
A culture of service within the church is
necessary to create personal connections and
promote a reciprocal model of
communication. Through our sharing of
individual experiences it was apparent how
we as humans crave personal connection
with others. Spiritual mentors and priests
were deemed essential in assisting to create
these connections. While some individuals in
our group felt this strong personal
connection with their priests and mentors,
others did not. This lack of personal
connection with spiritual leaders left
individuals in our group feeling as if they did
not belong to the church fully.

"Every few years the culture of my Catholic parish significantly shifted

when a new priest was transferred in as pastor. I longed for consistency
in my spiritual home growing up but there was a pattern that the priest
set the tone for the culture of the parish. The expectations for how I
prayed, what songs were sung, and who was allowed to do what were
constantly changing growing up. I longed for a servant priest that would
ask the parishioners what we wanted instead of acting as an authority
that set the tone for the parishioners."

LET'S BE CLEAR
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Our Call
"When I was in
elementary school

to Service my parish priest

created a sense of
belonging through
These personal connections could
be brought about more fully connecting on a
through a model of communication personal level with
that stresses reciprocity and me. He created this
mutuality between all participants. strong relationship
This type of communication takes through being
the form of a conversation rather honest, transparent,
than a direction. Through genuine
and genuine. This
dialogue, both individuals involved
personal
are able to feel that they are being
heard and responded to. This
connection with my
reciprocity of communication is priest instilled
imperative to create strong within me from a
relationships between individuals young age a strong
and spiritual leaders. A strong sense sense of
of communion is brought about communion found
within the church when everyone within the church."
belongs to each other. We believe

this shifting of communication

styles within the church will foster a
culture of service. It is for this
reason that we are all called to
participate in this mutual
relationship. For spiritual leaders,
we believe that it is time for the
power dynamic to shift. One way
we felt this could be accomplished
is for priests to embody a servant
mindset towards their parishioners.
Priests can be viewed as shepherds,
tending to each individual to bring
about unity within the group as a
whole. Through serving rather than
directing, priests can engage more
deeply in personal relationships
with members of the church.

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PAGE 3
Culture "Being diagnosed
with celiac disease,
of Encounter a severe allergy to
gluten,
dramatically
Through our synod, we found a shifted my ability
to see the church
common desire to belong in as a refuge. The
spiritual spaces and communities. tradition that the
Body of Christ had
Some in our class found this desire to include an
being fulfilled in their parishes and amount of gluten,
meant I could no
church communities, others had longer receive the
experiences of isolation or an Eucharist with my
fellow
unwelcoming environment within parishioners. I and
the church. However, we all other celiac
individuals
believed that the church should, if continue to feel
nothing else, serve as a refuge to all ostracized at Mass
as the church’s
regardless of identity or inability to
circumstance. accommodate
dietary needs does
not set a precedent
of a culture of
encounter. "

"Being a part of my high school youth group changed the

way I felt about my faith. Through building authentic
friendships based on shared beliefs, I was able to actually
reflect on my relationship with God and continue to pursue
a deeper understanding of what it means to be a Catholic!
Without that community and the leaders who cultivated it, I
wouldn’t feel this sense of belonging I continue to feel in the
church today."

LET'S BE CLEAR
PAGE 4
Our Call "As a non-Catholic
student, attempting

to Encounter
to understand and
assimilate to
Catholic faith has
For all members of the church, left me feeling as if
we believe there is a call to act there is a glass
in a way that makes certain that ceiling over my
the church is a refuge for all head. This feeling
people regardless of identity occurs when I can
and experience. We believe the see others perform
Catholic laity and religious certain practices
should be particularly aware of that I, as a non-
any harmful power dynamics Catholic, can't take
that exist within the church and part in. From my
be especially attuned to any experience, it's
voices that are being left out or hard to follow
unwelcomed. Every person along or feel
within the church must create a welcomed at mass
culture of belonging for those
when I am
predominately
outside the church by
overwhelmed and
providing resources and an
confused the whole
accommodating environment time. Overall, I feel
in order for all to understand as if the church has
and experience the sacraments. failed to lend that
We believe church members supporting hand as
have a duty to create an I uncover my
inviting church by individually religious identity."
recognizing and receiving
every person into our spiritual
spaces and walking together
towards holiness.

LET'S BE CLEAR
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