Synod 2021–2024

Reflecting the richness and diversity of its apostolic churches, the Continental Synodal Assembly for the Middle East gathered Feb. 13-17 in Lebanon.

Cardinal Ouellet said the book “fills a gap in the current theological literature” on synodality because a “synodal church cannot progress without the commitment of conscious and personally involved actors to follow Christ in the church.”

The final document for the continental stage from North America, along with the contributions of the six other continental assemblies, will form the basis of the “instrumentum laboris,” or working document, to be released by the general secretariat in June 2023.

“Jesus is himself the way, and therefore, both in the liturgical journey (of Lent) and in the journey of the synod, the church does nothing other than enter ever more deeply and fully into the mystery of Christ the savior,” the pope said in his message for Lent, which begins Feb. 22 for Latin-rite Catholics.

Related to the Synod of Bishops’ goal of promoting a church where people listen to one another and work together to share the Gospel and care for the poor, a Vatican dicastery is asking: How do clergy and laity walk and work side by side?

The Church of England is planning to debate the introduction of liturgy that refers to persons of the Holy Trinity “in a non-gendered way” instead of using male pronouns.

Catholic delegates have praised the conciliatory atmosphere of debates on the church’s future direction at a continental assembly preparing Europe’s recommendations for October’s Rome Synod on Synodality.

“The love for people’s Catholic faith and their Catholic identity abounds in the meetings. It’s so present, and it underlies everything,” said Julia McStravog, a theologian and co-coordinator of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ team for the continental phase of the synod.