Participants at the Journey of Encounter: Pilgrims of Hope Embracing Synodality summit have committed to embracing the values of inclusion, interculturality and listening as they promote the synodal pathway nationwide.

Over 130 Canadian Catholics convened at St. Jerome’s University in Waterloo, Ont., June 15-18, an event co-planned by Concerned Lay Catholics, a steering committee of other Church leaders and delegates who represented Canada at the 16th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops in 2023 and/or 2024.

Dr. Catherine Clifford, a professor of Systematic and Historical Theology at Ottawa's Saint Paul University, was one of the non-clerical Canadian representatives in Rome. She said the gathering at St. Jerome’s strongly echoed her experience at the Vatican.  

Advertisement

“My immediate impression was that there are many parallels between what emerged in the conversations in the spirit and the recommendations emerging from this event, together with what we just experienced in the global synodal process,” said Clifford.

Four conversations in the spirit were facilitated during the retreat. The themes of these contemplative dialogues were “Living our Baptismal Call,” “Embracing Catholicity,” “Growing in Synodality” and “Walking as Pilgrims of Hope.”

Unleashing the talents and revitalizing the zeal of churchgoers was a core principle promoted at this Canadian event, which was also prevalent during the general assembly.

Gary Warner, the chair of Concerned Lay Catholics, said this aim could be achieved by parishes “encouraging shared leadership” and by investing effort and resources into lay formation and advocating “co-responsibility across all ministries.”

Participants also agreed to “recognize the value of different cultures and include them,” said Warner. He said there is a “need to cultivate more accessible language” and offer spaces for dialogue and healing for individuals or groups who feel overlooked by the Church.

Advertisement

For such exchanges to succeed, Warner said the art of listening needs to be refined.

“We are used to being the context in which it's back and forth,” said Warner. “We're sort of arguing and not taking time to listen. We're spending more time speaking ourselves and thinking ahead of what we want to say next. Listening is a skill that needs developing.”   

Warner, Clifford and other session leaders also touted that discernment is another trait that needs to flower within the Canadian Catholic community to move synodality forward.

Bishop Alain Faubert of the Valleyfield, Que., diocese is poised to help the advancement of this cause. He appeared remotely during the conference for a conversation with Clifford that was moderated by Peter Meehan, president and vice-chancellor of St. Jerome’s University. He shared that he and other members of an advisory body for the General Secretariat of the Synod, Cardinal Mario Grech, will be meeting in person with Pope Leo XIV in the coming weeks.

Based on what she has observed, Clifford said the current pontiff’s approach to synodality is in alignment with the late Pope Francis.

“In his previous life, his whole approach was one, I would say, that would be in the direction of solidarity,” said Clifford. “And he has explicitly indicated his intention of continuing on this path of synodality for the Church.”

When he was still Cardinal Robert Prevost, the current Bishop of Rome also contributed to two synodal working groups. The first group’s mandate centred on the relationship between bishops, consecrated life and ecclesial associations, and the second was dedicated to some aspects of the person and ministry of the bishop from a missionary synodal perspective.

Advertisement

The reports from the 10 synodal working groups are expected by October. The publication of these support documents is considered a helpful step in crystalizing how to implement synodality at both the diocesan and parish levels.

Listen to the keynote conversation between Clifford and Faubert on YouTube.