The Challenge of Synodality

“What the Lord is asking of us is already in some sense present

in the very word “Synod.” Journeying together – laity,
pastors, the Bishop of Rome – is an easy concept to put into
words, but not so easy to put into practice.”

Pope Francis, Address at the Ceremony Commemorating the 50th Anniversary

of the Institution of the Synod of Bishops, 
October 17 2015
PRINCIPLE OF SYNODAL CHURCH – IN
COMMUNION, PARTICIPATION AND
MISSION
PILLARS OF THE CHURCH
 FOR A SYNODALITY CHURCH

THEME OF THE SYNOD

FOR A SYNODAL CHURCH:
 COMMUNION
 PARTICIPATION
 MISSION
 Communion,
Participation
and Mission
–
3 indispensable keys
at the heart
of a Synodal Church

6
 SYNOD = TRINITARIAN

• FATHER: PLANS – EPH 1/10

• SON: PRAYS – JN 17/21

• HOLY SPIRIT: ACTS – ACTS 2/4

TOGETHER –
CREATING, SAVING AND SANCTIFYING
COMMUNION
 COMMUNION
• KOINONIA – ST JOHN PAUL II 1985
 COMMUNION
• ONENESS – EPH 4/4

“There is one body and

one Spirit,
just as you were called to the
one hope of your calling,”
 COMMUNION
• UNITY AND FRATERNITY BORN OF THE REALIZATION THAT ALL
OF US ARE EMBRACED BY THE ONE LOVE OF GOD
 COMMUNION
• VAT II – COMMUNION EXPRESSES THE VERY NATURE OF THE
CHURCH – LG 5
 COMMUNION
• CHURCH CONTEMPLATES AND IMITATES THE LIFE OF THE
BLESSED TRINITY, A MYSTERY OF COMMUNION AD INTRA AND
SOURCE OF MISSION AD EXTRA. – OCT 9
PARTICIPATION
PARTICIPATION
 PARTICIPATION
• REAL INVOLVEMENT ON THE PART OF EACH AND ALL
 PARTICIPATION
• ECCLESIAL PRAXIS AND CONCRETENESS OF SYNODALITY
 PARTICIPATION
• A REQUIREMENT OF THE FAITH RECEIVED IN BAPTISM I.E.,
GIVES EQUAL DIGNITY AND CHARISMS, MINISTRIES
 PARTICIPATION
• ALL ARE CALLED TO TAKE PART IN THE LIFE AND MISSION OF
THE CHURCH
 PARTICIPATION
• ENABLING EVERYONE TO PARTICIPATE IS AN ESSENTIAL
ECCLESIAL DUTY
 FOR AA
FOR
SYNODAL
CHURCH
EVANGELIZING MISSION

TAKING KERYGMA TO ALL

GIVING THE JOY OF THE GOSPEL
CHURCH EXISTS TO EVANGELIZE

OUR MISSION IS TO WITNESS TO THE LOVE OF GOD

SYNODAL PROCESS HAS A DEEPLY MISSIONARY DIMENSION

SYNONALITY IS A PATH BY WHICH THE CHURCH CAN MORE

FRUITFULLY FULLFIL HER MISSION OF EVANGELIZATION
 EPISCOPALIS COMMUNIO
APOSTOLIC CONSTITUTION 15 SEPT 2015

• #1
• TODAY AT A POINT IN HISTORY
• WHEN CHURCH IS EMBARKING UPON A “NEW CHAPTER OF
EVANGELIZATION
• REQUIRING TO BE “ THROUGHOUT THE WORLD …. PERMANENTLY
IN THE STATE OF MISSION
• THE SYNOD OF BISHOPS IS CALLED TO BECOME EVERMORE
“SUITABLY CHANNELLED FOR EVANGELIZATION OF TODAY’S
WORLD RATHER THAN FOR HER SELF-PRESERVATION.
 EPISCOPALIS COMMUNIO
APOSTOLIC CONSTITUTION 15 SEPT 2015

• ABOVE ALL RECOGNIZING THAT “THE TASK OF

PROCLAIMING THE GOSPEL EVERYWHERE IN THE WORLD
FALLS PRIMARILY ON THE BODY OF THE BISHOPS”
• THE SYNOD NEEDS TO “GIVE SPECIAL CONSIDERATION TO
MISSIONARY ACTIVITY, WHICH IS THE GREATEST AND
HOLIEST TASK OF THE CHURCH”
 3 PILLARS OF SYNODALITY
• COMMUNION = KOINONIA = ONE IN HEART
• PARTICIPATION = KARISMA = ONE SPIRIT MANY GIFTS AND
CHARISMS
• MISSION= KERYGMA = ONE MESSAGE OF SALVATION =
FULFILLING THE GREATEST COMMISSION OF PROCLAIMING THE
GOOD NEWS BY WORD AND DEED
• KOKAKE
• MISSION IN COMMUNION
• COMMUNION IN MISSION
 3 PILLARS OF SYNODALITY

• INTERRELATED
• 3 ESSENTIAL DIMENTIONS OF THE SYNODAL CHURCH
• VM 1.4, MK 16/15-20
And he said to them, "Go into all the world and proclaim the
good news to the whole creation. The one who believes and is
baptized will be saved; but the one who does not believe will
be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who
believe: by using my name they will cast out demons; they will
speak in new tongues;
 3 PILLARS OF SYNODALITY

• VM 1.4, MK 16/15-20

they will pick up snakes in their hands, and if they drink any
deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on
the sick, and they will recover.” So then the Lord Jesus, after he
had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at
the right hand of God. And they went out and proclaimed the
good news everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and
confirmed the message by the signs that accompanied it.
 3 PILLARS OF SYNODALITY

• HOW IS THE EXPERIENCE OF COMMUNION,

PARTICIPATION AND MISSION IN THE CHURCH TODAY?
• What is the level of Communion? __%
• What is the level of Participation? __%
• What is the level of Evangelizing Mission? __%
Thank
f You!