After nearly eight months of work, the diocesan phase of the Synod on Synodality concluded with a synthesis report submitted in late June to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Diocesan reports will be reviewed and a national report prepared for submission to Pope Francis next year. When he announced the Synod on Synodality in April 2021, the pope said the findings will be used to help the Church as it moves forward, walking together with the Holy Spirit.
Directed by Father Damian Ference, vicar for evangelization and secretary for Parish Life and Special Ministries, and Lynette Saenz, assistant secretary for Parish Life and Special Ministries, the local synod in the Diocese of Cleveland involved a diverse team of ministries. Among these were parish life, missionary discipleship, interfaith/ecumenical affairs, youth ministry, youth adult ministry, human life, marriage and family life, lay ecclesial ministry, child protection, cultural ministries, catechesis, Catholic schools, Catholic Charities, prison ministry, continuing education and worship.
Saenz said despite the challenges of time and participation, the synod exceeded expectations in the diocese. Highlights of the process included:
- More than 200 facilitators were trained from October 2021 through January 2022
- 118 parishes – 64% of the diocese – conducted at least one listening session from December 2021 through March 2022
- 168 reports were submitted after those sessions
- 12,794 people participated in listening sessions
- 610 responded to the questions online
- All 10 college campus ministries participated
Slightly more than 50% of the participants were younger than age 30 from parish children’s religious education programs, Catholic schools, Catholic high schools, youth ministries and young adult groups.
Saenz said the diocesan synodal team adapted resources from the Australian Catholic Conference to develop the listening and discernment process used during the consultation process here.
“We highly recommend that facilitators think of their parish, school or organization as a community made up of many small communities, and to invite staff, committees, ministry groups, etc. to gather in small groups of five to seven people for a listening sessions, either in person or virtually,” Saenz said. She said they also suggested taking time during regularly scheduled meetings and activities to participate in the listening and discernment process.
During the sessions, participating groups engaged in reflection using the Examen, Scripture reflection or a narrative approach before beginning discussion.
The online process was a way to include those not connected with a faith community or who chose not to participate in an in-person listening session. There were 10 synodal themes under three primary themes of communion, participation and mission with questions designed for the online format. The online survey featured open-ended questions, Saenz said.
The synodal process made an effort to reach out to those on the peripheries – people who left the Church, those who rarely or never practice their faith, those experiencing extreme poverty or other marginalization, refugees, the voiceless, the excluded, etc. “We all know someone disconnected from the Church. Therefore, we asked everyone who participated in the listening sessions to consider taking one extra step, as a missionary action, to have a one-on-one conversation with someone they know who falls into this category,” Saenz said. A similar process was used during the Fifth National Encuentro for Hispanic/Latino Ministry.
She said efforts were made to reach specific groups of people including Catholic Charities, the incarcerated, LGBT family support groups, bereavement support group, non-Catholics, CYO coaches, the homebound, parents, youth and young adults and fallen away or inactive Catholics.
The Top Ten themes that resulted from the process were:
- Lifelong faith formation
- Mission and outreach
- Community and fellowship
- Participation in liturgy
- Listening
- Inclusion
- Experiences of prayer
- Authority and governance
- Teamwork and co-responsibility
- Vocations
Saenz said three priorities were identified during the diocesan pre-synodal gathering on June 11: communion, participation and mission.
Among the suggestions for communion were forming hospitality teams, celebrating cultural and ethnic traditions, continuing the synodal listening process with the marginalized, providing opportunities for healing and reconciliation, promoting ways to build community in parishes, fostering ecumenical relationships, developing ministry with grandparents and strengthening family ministry.
Suggestions for participation include fully engaging in the Eucharistic Revival, increasing opportunities for adult faith formation, establishing liturgical commissions and offering formation to improve quality of preaching, promoting the seminary as a center for leadership development for all, offering lay leadership training that is both pastoral and practical, organizing ministry fairs, providing human and administrative support for pastors, practicing self-care as ministry leaders, discerning the role of women in the Church, discerning the future of the priesthood and diaconate, re-envisioning vocation awareness to include all vocations and promoting the rich variety of prayer experiences in the Church.
In the mission category, suggestions included offering missionary discipleship training, forming prayer teams, engaging in pastoral planning at the diocesan and regional levels to increase capacity and maximize resources, organize a day of service in the local community, collaborate with area parishes and community organizations, continue with the synodal process, create a diocesan clearinghouse of parish resources and activities, promote spiritual and corporal works of mercy, invite people back to the Church, evangelize through social media, improve communication at the parish and diocesan levels and discern ways parishes can care for the environment.
In conclusion, Saenz said the diocesan synodal process was a positive experience. “More than double the expected number of parishes participated in the listening sessions,” she said. They were able to reach several marginalized groups, she said, although they had hoped to include more in the process. Many parishes are continuing the process in their communities, Saenz said and others have begun sharing results of their consultation and to implement the recommended actions.
“Although the feedback received was not surprising, it has helped identify pastoral priorities for the diocese. We will continue to reflect on what we heard and discern ways to move forward towards deeper communion, fuller participation and more fruitful mission,” Saenz said.
Learn more about the diocesan synodal process here.