It's All About Synodality

Dear Parishioner,

(Original Post: Oct. 24, UPDATED Oct. 25)
This past many weeks, I have received question about the latest on the Synod that is ongoing at the Vatican. In general, there is nothing to actually to say about details of what is being shared at the Synod since Pope Francis has called all members in the Synod to ensure confidentiality. Some social media influencers and outlets have criticized this approach of keeping the details of the discussions in the sessions confidential. I realize that this may seem somehow undemocratic, but to be blunt, this is not a democratic process, but a synodal process which is, ironically the focus of the Synod. Remember it is a "synod on synodality" where the participants (the Church throughout the world) have been invited to pray, listen, and share their hearts. That means millions if not a billion have already had their chance to participate at the level which was proper to them. I would be cautious of those who continue to argue as if their voices were not part of the process. This is not a synod on a particular topic such as the recent Synod on the Amazon or Synod on the Family. My concern is the worry that so many people have expressed which has been solely fueled by pundits outside of the current level of the process. I've read that synods are non-historical or that this particular synod is just another tool of the so-called heretical Pope Francis — neither of which is true. I urge you all to discern carefully about any voices not actually involved in the current level of the synod's process. (Note: the day after publishing this post, a letter was released from the general assembly in the Synod. See link below). I vividly remember hearing from worried parishioners about the Synod on the Amazon as it was happening. When it was all said and done, nothing doctrinal or earth-shattering was concluded. I found it curious that those who were so worried never came back to me sharing that they were thankful that no heresy was declared or that they were mistaken to be so worried. There will always be pundits and those who disagree. but, remember the Holy Spirit is guiding the Church. Her history, given its checkered past of human failures while never erring in doctrine, confirms that truth to me.

So, instead of sharing any commentary, given I am not in the current synodal phase, I recommend reading from Bishop Robert Barron's latest article entitled, "A Day at the Synod." Here's an excerpt from Bishop Barron's article that stuck out to me without detailing the topics participants are discussing:

"The overall mood of the synod I would describe as businesslike and serene. Important and controversial matters are being discussed, and it is very clear that not everyone is of the same opinion, but I have not heard one raised voice or polemical tone. Very occasionally, following an intervention, a smattering of applause might be heard, but typically, each speech is met with a respectful silence."

This still may not be enough for those who are distrustful and demand doctrinal clarity. Remember, the focus of this synod is to learn the process synodality whereby the Church reflects by listening and walking with each other. I want to urge us to have no fear, trust the Holy Spirit, and consider reducing or being more aware of one's consumption of the "news" from outside pundits regarding the Synod.

Click here to read Bishop Barron's article.

Click here to read a message from the participants at the Synod.

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor
Holy Trinity Catholic Church
Beaverton, Oregon

The Synod on Synodality Pt 3: Synodal Primer: Scriptures & Questions

Dear Parishioners,

We are just under a month until we host our synodal gatherings (see last two week’s bulletins for details). As such I would like to share with you the Scriptures and questions upon which we will be pondering. These will be the focus of our prayers in adoration as well as our reflections in the discernment time which will follow. This is just a primer so that you can bounce these scriptures and questions around in your heart, asking the Holy Spirit to help you be open without any agenda, have an openness to the synodal process, and be given a joy of anticipation for our time together.

SCRIPTURE 1
John 3:16-17 For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.

Question 1: What in the church fills me with life? How is the Holy Spirit working in my life to deepen my faith and inspire me to be a better disciple and witness of Christ’s love to others?

SCRIPTURE 2

Hebrews 10:21-24: Since we have “a great priest over the house of God,” let us approach with a sincere heart and in absolute trust, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water. Let us hold unwaveringly to our confession that gives us hope, for he who made the promise is trustworthy. We must consider how to rouse one another to love and good works.

Question 2: As a community of believers, what experiences of the Catholic Church have brought joys or revealed wounds? And how can these experiences help us grow together in faith and offer the hope and healing of Christ to the greater community in which we live?

SCRIPTURE 3

1John 1:1-4: What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we looked upon and touched with our hands concerns the Word of life — for the life was made visible; we have seen it and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was made visible to us — what we have seen and heard we proclaim now to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; for our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We are writing this so that our joy may be complete.

Question 3: As a Catholic community, we are expressly enjoined to invite others into a life-giving relationship with Jesus Christ. When we dream about how best to accomplish this, what steps is the Holy Spirit inviting the Church in western Oregon to take?

All participants will be given a handout with these Scriptures and questions as well as guidelines for the “Table Conversations.” So, you will not need to remember these items or bring a copy of this letter to the Synodal gathering you choose to attend. Again, my hope is that you would use these for prayer and preparation in the Holy Spirit until we gather together on March 3rd or 12th.

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger

Pastor

The Synod on Synodality Pt. 2

Dear Parishioners,

In our last bulletin, I wrote about the Synod which has been called forth by Pope Francis. I explained what a synod is and is not. The theme of this synod is, oddly enough, synodality. Yes. The way by which we journey and discuss what it means to be Church are front and center. Again, the topic is also the process. It is a synod on synodality. So, the destination is also the journey. In my conversations with Archbishop Sample, he believes that the Holy Father desires to teach us a way to journey, discuss, and be Church through this new Apostolic Age (see previous bulletin letter). A handbook called the Vademecum has set out guidance for us as we do our part in this synodal process. It describes three points or dimensions for us to pray about between now and our coming discernment gatherings in early March: Communion, Participation, and Mission.

COMMUNION By his gracious will, God gathers us together as diverse peoples of one faith, through the covenant that he offers to his people. The communion we share finds its deepest roots in the love and unity of the Trinity. It is Christ who reconciles us to the Father and unites us with each other in the Holy Spirit. Together, we are inspired by listening to the Word of God, through the living Tradition of the Church, and grounded in the sensus fidei that we share. We all have a role to play in discerning and living out God’s call for his people.

PARTICIPATION A call for the involvement of all who belong to the People of God— laity, consecrated and ordained—to engage in the exercise of deep and respectful listening to one another. This listening creates space for us to hear the Holy Spirit together and guides our aspirations for the Church of the Third Millennium. Participation is based on the fact that all the faithful are qualified and are called to serve one another through the gifts they have each received from the Holy Spirit. In a synodal Church the whole community, in the free and rich diversity of its members, is called together to pray, listen, analyze, dialogue, discern and offer advice on making pastoral decisions which correspond as closely as possible to God’s will. Genuine efforts must be made to ensure the inclusion of those at the margins or who feel excluded.

MISSION The Church exists to evangelize. We can never be centered on ourselves. Our mission is to witness the love of God in the midst of the whole human family. This Synodal Process has a deep missionary dimension to it. It is intended to enable the Church to better witness to the Gospel, especially with those who live on the spiritual, social, economic, political, geographical, and existential peripheries of our world. In this way, synodality is a path by which the Church can more fruitfully fulfill her mission of evangelization in the world, as a leaven at the service of the coming of God’s kingdom.

Once again, mark your calendar to participate in one of the two gatherings in March:

Wednesday, March 3 @ 6 PM

Saturday, March 12 @ 8 AM

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

The Synod on Synodality Pt. 1

Dear Parishioners,

Pope Francis called for a worldwide synod of the Church which will involve all Catholic parishes in our Archdiocese and throughout the world. The goal of this process is to help our bishops prepare for the “Assembly of the Synod of Bishops” in October 2023. This may also include other groups with whom our parish interacts and ministers. This may be the first you have heard about it, so I hope this bulletin letter will help explain what a synod is and what it is not as well as a sneak peek at what we plan to do in order to join the synodal process.

What is a Synod? The word comes from two Greek words, one meaning “together,” and the other meaning “road” or “way.” The term connotes a quality about how the Church is to accomplish its mission. In the early Church, the term was used to describe how the people of “the Way” (earliest term for Christians) would purposely come together and form permanent communities. Eventually, this term was used to express a gathering of the Church locally, regionally, or globally. So it expresses a way of gathering with a sense of being on a journey together.

Today, it describes a type of gathering of bishops by which they discern how the Lord is calling them and the rest of the Church to follow Jesus. This word is the root of two other related words, “synodal” or “synodality,” both of which express the style of this gathering. How to pronounce these words is a challenge. Try “sin-ah-d,” “sin-ah-dal,” and “sin-ah-dal-ity” respectively. 

The gathering is intended to reflect on how the Church carries out her mission, journeying together in order to more effectively proclaim the Gospel. This is an ancient approach to “being” Church. The gathering (Synod) is a way of gathering and discerning what the Holy Spirit is calling the Church to do and be. Another way of describing it is a mode-of-being. Archbishop Sample taught that this Synod will be about how to be Church, how to be synodal. This is why the current topic of this Synod is precisely about synodality. So, it is a “Synod on Synodality,” a gathering where the Church journeys together to discover and experience what it means to be a pilgrim people called to proclaim the Gospel.

What this Synod is not. It is not a gathering to determine doctrine or settle theological issues. Some pundits have already called for warning, noting the German Bishops who erroneously called their recent gatherings as a “synodal way” which was used to tackle the hot topics of their culture. Cardinal Marc Ouellet, prefect of the Congregation for Bishop in Rome challenged the German bishops, writing that that their make-up was “not ecclesiologically valid.” The German bishops’ approach has been more akin to a “Particular Council” or a Council of the Catholic Church in Germany. A “Council” is, technically speaking, a meeting of bishops given authority to make law for their region or country, but only under direct authority of Rome who approves the agenda. None of that happened. Pope Francis weighed in as well and warned them writing, “Every time the ecclesial community has tried to resolve it problems alone, trusting and focusing exclusively on its forces or its methods, its intelligence, its will or prestige, it ended up increasing and perpetuating the evils it tried to solve.” So have no worries, Rome has responded and offered a correction. This is not the process or goal of the current “Synod on Synodality.”

Archbishop Sample’s own reflection and commentary, in preparation for our part in the synodal process, recognized that we live in unique and challenging times and that we are no longer living in a time where Christian faith guides the minds and hearts of our culture. Instead, we are in a new Apostolic time where few express Christian faith. He recognized that how we used to do things as Church doesn’t work anymore. This is not an issue of doctrine, but an issue of evangelization and outreach to those who have left the Church and those in our world who are lost and don’t know Jesus Christ and his Gospel (cf. Opening comments, Synodal Workshop, January 20, 2022). He further shared that The Pope wants to “lead us in a process that will help us all together, in the universal church, to walk together.…to learn how to be the Church in a new way, a way of mutual discernment… guided by the Holy Spirit, absolutely soaked in prayer, so that we can truly discern what the Holy Spirit…is asking of us today in our time and in our archdiocese.”

This last Saturday, January 29th, parishioners gathered for a time of adoration in our church in order to increase our zeal of the Eucharist and pray for divine guidance for the Synodal process, a deeper appreciation of the dignity and sacredness of human life, an end to abortion, and a renewed spirit and light for all parishes and parishioners in the Portland and Baker Dioceses. 

I will write more about the Synod in the weeks to come. In the meantime, if you wish to participate in our local synodal discernment process, save one of these two dates: March 3rd at 6 PM or March 12th at 8 AM. Each of these dates will host a gathering which will begin with Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament followed by a time of gathering for discernment about the coming Synod of the Church.

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

Download the Prayer card for the Synod by clicking here.