Pastors Notes from September 25, 2022
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September 26, 2022USCCB, (United States Catholic Conference of Bishops) just released the summary of the Synod gatherings that has been sent to Rome. I include a few general highlights of the report (though you may read its entirety on our parish website).
“In the Fall of 2021, the local churches in the United States of America joined the worldwide Catholic Church in entering the diocesan phase of the 2021-2023 Synod - For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, and Mission. The Church in the United States is made up of an estimated 66.8 million Catholics spread across one hundred and seventy-eight (178) Latin Church (arch) dioceses, including the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA.
Over the course of the diocesan phase, several enduring wounds emerged. Many of these wounds have been inflicted not only by individual members of the Church but often by the institution itself. Chief among the enduring wounds that afflict the People of God in the United States is the still- unfolding effects of the sexual abuse crisis. . . .The sense of community among the People of God has also suffered from the ongoing effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. The pandemic itself “has led to the fraying of our communities in some ways. . . .Another enduring wound widely reflected in synodal consultations was the experience that the Church is deeply divided. Participants felt this division as a profound sense of pain and anxiety. As one participant shared, the divisive political ideologies present in our society have seeped into all aspects of our lives.
Closely related to the wound of polarization is the wound of marginalization. . . especially for some youth who perceive the Church as hypocritical and failing to act consistently with justice toward these diverse communities. . . includes those marginalized who are made vulnerable by their lack of social and/ or economic power, such as immigrant communities; ethnic minorities; those who are undocumented; the unborn and their mothers; people who are experiencing poverty, homelessness, or incarceration; those people who have disabilities or mental health issues; and people suffering from various addictions. Included also in this group are women, whose voices are frequently marginalized in the decision-making. Throughout the synodal process, it was evident that most participants genuinely believe that support for one another is essential“–laity and clergy; Churched and unchurched; and those in need of healing. . . .Many saw the Eucharist as the source of hope for greater unity as the Body of Christ. “The liturgical and sacramental life of the Church, particularly the centrality of the Eucharist, came up continually in all the dioceses as a point of unity, essential to Catholic identity, community, and a life of faith.
The most common desire named in the synodal consultations was to be a more welcoming Church where all members of the People of God can find accompaniment on the journey. . . People want the Church to be a home for the wounded and broken, not an institution for the perfect. They want the Church to meet people where they are, wherever they are. People want the Church to be a home for the wounded and broken, and walk with them rather than judging them; to build real relationships through care and authenticity. . . . Practically all synodal consultations shared a deep ache in the wake of the departure of young people and viewed this as integrally connected to becoming a more welcoming Church. Young people themselves voiced a feeling of exclusion and desired to participate more fully as members of the parish community. . . .Youth who participated in synodal sessions, however, stressed that they should not be seen and spoken of mostly as the future of the Church, but should be recognized for their importance now and given a significant voice in the present. . . Another common hope that emerged from the synodal consultations was the desire for life-long spiritual, pastoral, and catechetical formation as disciples.
Synodal consultations made clear the importance of evangelization as we continue to live out the Church’s mission, which requires stronger formation. Participants of every age and demographic group spoke of the need for lifelong formation. . . The synodal experience has enabled hundreds of thousands of Catholics throughout the United States to re-engage in the simple practice of gathering, praying together, and listening to one another. . . Discernment is a practice of the Church carried on in a spirit of prayer, meditation, and ongoing dialogue. The Spirit is the principal agent of discernment and leads us together to gaze upon the face of Christ in one another.”
These snippets of the U.S. Synod report sent to Rome contain a very brief look at the document. From the thousands who shared at the Synod gatherings throughout the dioceses of the United States, the overall sense was a desire to nurture the presence of the Catholic faith and Sacramental participation within the lives of individuals and families.
Again, thank you for your prayerful consideration towards DAA, Together As One, supporting the individuals whose ministries on the diocesan level strengthen ours on the parish level: Vocations Awareness, Religious Education, Multi-Cultural Outreach, Marriage & Confirmation Sacramental Prep, etc. Whatever you donate, whatever prayers you extend on their behalf benefits our ministries and parish life in Boone County.
October is Respect Life Month and speaking of such, Lazarus’ iconic role in today’s gospel passage give us pause: “And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who would have gladly who would have gladly eaten his fill of the scraps that fell from the rich man’s table.” Often our daily responsibilities and activities subvert God’s call to notice and see ‘the other’ as Mother Teresa describes: “We think sometimes that poverty is only being hungry, naked and homeless. The poverty of being unwanted, unloved and uncared for is the greatest poverty. We must start in our own homes to remedy this kind of poverty.”
God Bless, Fr. Tim
FYI: “I think the biggest disease the world suffers from in this day and age is the disease of people feeling unloved. I know that I can give love for a minute, for half an hour, for a day, for a month, but I can give. I am very happy to do that, I want to do that.” (Princess Diana)