My take….
THE SYNOD IS HERE WITH US
Synod in the Greek language from, which the word comes, means a journey together. An assembly of bishops and others meeting to determine matters of the church doctrine and practice. The name is applied to any such official assembly, from a diocesan synod right through to an ecumenical council. We have been in the cables and hubs of our work during the start of this Synodal processes from: Parish - Diocese – Conference - Regional - Continental and now Universal level. We are at optimum cost if permitted to say so. May this same Holy Spirit bless the participants who are now arriving at the see of St. Peter in the mood to encounter and feel the spirit of dialogue, looking into the future of the Church so as to create a refreshingly sound common home.
WHAT WILL WE LEARN FROM THE SYNOD?
The role of communication comes in here. social communication is all about acknowledging the power it has in evangelization and we are to be committed to find ways of harnessing ourselves in order to fulfill the mandate we have received from Christ to preach the Gospel to all peoples. We are also very cautious of the power to destroy individual, social, cultural and religious values and their growing influence on our families and especially on children, who are relentlessly exploited for economic gain of those who control them. We also consider the evil that is almost total control of the media by those who rule in our countries. People have a right to access to information and truth, a right that is in practice denied to many. We are going to explore into the Synodal approach of doing things and what is being thrown out there by fake newsers, naysayers. This is a house of communication and all process of communication have to be emphasized. The message is being put out there, codified, and once it is received it has to be decoded to read it well and get feedback. All this will depend on how these messages are interpreted not forgetting the interferences that may block the truth. We also have to agree that traditional forms of communication which are less costly and more easily understood, such as a story-telling, proverbs, dances, drama and so forth.
WHAT ARE THE ISSUES AT STAKE?
The Church as a Family has its origin in the Blessed Trinity at the depths of which the Holy Spirit is bond of communion. It knows that the intrinsic value of a community is the quality of relation which it makes it possible. This synod launches a strong appeal for dialogue within the Church and among all people of good will who hold that participation, communion and mission is possible. Particular attention should be paid to our customs and traditions in so far as they constitute our cultural heritage. They all belong to oral cultures and their survival depends essentially on the dialogue of generations to assure their transmission. There is a church outside the wall that needs to be reached and addressed. A dialogue with the guarantors of our cultural values and our traditional religion structured around the cultural heritage is strongly recommended in our local Churches with a universal approach and understanding.
WHAT ARE OUR EXPECTATIONS?
Reforms are here with us. We are called to be ready for change whether small or big there will be change after the synod. There is going to be review in strengthening of Catholic Church in her evangelization and working methods. This is the opportune time for the Curia to consult the laity. The Spirit will blow through the aula and enter into every participant to stand before that same Holy Spirit. The Spirit sometimes comes with its velocity that may shake the walls, who knows something will have to fall due to the force of the Spirit.
WHERE IS THE CHURCH HEADING WITH THIS SYNOD?
This is the question that has been at the heart of all of us in the searching and thinking and talking about the Synodal moment. What we need not to forget is that first and foremost that those in this synod are men and women. The synod is not forcing anyone to believe what it says and no one should be afraid to speak out their mind and bring up new ways of looking at what the Holy Spirit is saying. We all have to reach an acceptance that Pope Francis’ way of newness of thinking and his manner of being a Pope caught most of us offside and we are really adjusting to that, whether we are aware or not is another moment of good discernment.
WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE PARTICIPANTS?
The church as a family is oriented towards the building of society which she seeks to inspire by the spirit of the beatitudes. The task of every participant at the universal level have a right to participate in the three great functions of Christ, priest, prophet and king, is to be the salt of the earth and light of the world especially in those places where only a lay person is able to render the Church present. The Church as family is a Church of communion. All participants have to rediscover their proper place and importance. The participants have to utilize every initiative which the Holy Spirit will give them, so that our Church may rise to the challenge of her mission.
WILL THE CHURCH CHANGE?
We are now living in the signs of hope. Without falling into the temptation of discouragement on the one hand, or into the opposite extreme of a superficial and unrealistic optimism, we could see signs of real hope for better future of justice and peace globally towards those deep heart’s desires, we want to share this hope with all Christians as the Family of God. This has to be evident to us that small Christian communities are a privileged place to learn and practice justice and peace through participation, communion and mission. We need to get up from the paralyzed situation which has affected our Catholic Church.
WHAT NEEDS TO BE SIEVED?
There may seem to many as improbable that a section of those opposing the synod, and giving the internationality of it, such negative attitude on its part cannot justifiably be assumed. It is, however, possible that individuals may for personal reasons hold on to their own opinions on certain subjects. But there is no evidence to suppose that the central departments of the Church are anti-Synodal. We are simply living in an exaggerated and erroneous faith in progress and consumerism. But above all it is a question of difficulties arising from a superficial or only partial reading and a prejudiced interpretation of the Synodal documents. This kind of attitude creates a world that becomes incomprehensible if God is left out. Man may be able to intuit it, but he can fully understand it only through faith. This autonomy of created things finds its fullest expression in Christian revelation.
It is this sense that the Christian secularism mentioned that the final report of the synod should be understood. Since God spoke to human modes of speech in the Bible, the exegete must strive to grasp accurately what the authors of the books of the Bible had in mind to say. So it is necessary to take to account the modes of thought, language and style prevalent at the time and place where these participants in the synod come from and their understanding of the Universal Synodality. We also have to bear in mind to preserve the unity of faith in its various national, racial and cultural expressions.
WILL POLITICS PLAY PART OF THE SYNOD?
We are living in the times where there are higher demands of responsibility and transparency in politics and economic activities. We rejoice in the growth of political and national awareness and an authentic desire of democracy, justice and peace for which we have all been longing and praying. The Catholic Church has no other power than moral power of the truth entrusted to it by the Word of God. In an effort to read the signs of the times and to enlighten the social situations with the light of this unalterable Word, the Church proposes not only to Catholics but to all people of good will its Social Conference and diocesan levels, can contribute to the promotion of justice and peace globally. Our politicians have to be helped to know the social Teaching that has to be presented in a simple and popular format and reach a wider audience so that Christians also may take inspiration from the local level.
If we secularize the Church, we can no longer carry out a mission of preaching the message of Christ. The estrangement of the Christians from the world is wrong. The secularization of the Church is equally wrong. “Do not conform to the standards of the world, but let God transform you by a total change of your mind so that you will be able to know his will and distinguish what is good and perfect” (Rom 12,2). Sometimes we may seem to be pessimists. But the Synodal documents are optimistic.
HOW CAN THE HOLY SPIRIT BE DETECTED IN THE SYNODAL DISCUSSION?
There are those who want to go back and those who wish to go forward and finish this whole process of the Synod once and for all, either they don’t want to be engaged, tired of hearing the word Synod wherever it is mentioned due to personal disposition and attitude. Many will have to be detached from any form of fame and attention. The synod is opening certain doors which had been locked and keys have rusted. The question is what do we do to access into the room? They are distorted views on the present pontificate, based on isolated words or actions of the Pope. The Holy Spirit will have to guide us to know personal opinions and true words of the Synodal Church fathers and mothers. The Holy Spirit will help to calm into loyal and constructive debate.
The chance is here for the laity, the Spirit will expand ecumenism as far as possible, and count with prudence the charismatic movement.
WHAT IS DIALOGUE IN THIS WHOLE PROCESS?
Dialogue – conversation. Courteous discussion between individuals who hold different beliefs with the view of reaching or at least drawing closer to a consensus. Vatican II (1962-1965) encourages Catholics to dialogue with the world at large. (G.S. n.85), with members of non- Christian religions, Christians, traditions, cultures, politicians, those churches in the west which have their challenges of separating from the time past, to current challenges that the church faces. Time to time the church has given guidelines for dialogue has issued through Vatican offices. We are all called to dialogue of charity and dialogue of truth. It is through this that we seek to reach full communion in faith and sacramental life.
Strictly speaking, collegiality means collaboration between the Pope and the entire college of cardinals as we see in the Council. The synod, going beyond the juridical definition of collegiality, has drawn attention to importance in small and large communities as well as in bishops’ conferences. The final report will sum up the opinion of the synod thus: besides the strict meaning of collegiality there are and will be several other expressions which are authentic applications of the spirit of collegiality require certain degree of theological clarification. But several occasions the synod will reiterate the importance of bishops’ conferences.
WHAT NEXT WHAT THE SYNOD?
Your contribution to the Synod is not finished with your prayers, sacrifices, reports, writings and suggestions. There is a long way to go in the journey of the Synod. Walking together has to continue to be attentive and docile to the action of the Spirit and courageous in facing our responsibilities as all baptized Christians and a common home as a family of God in our countries. The synod has just begun and the work is now to roll our sleeves up to get back to work. We need to celebrate the fruits of Participation, Communion and Mission. The theologians, pastors, religious women and men, and lay intellectuals who are going to write all about the fruits of the Synod. Their reflections and constructive criticisms have to help us gain a deeper vision of the many challenges to evangelizing mission of the Church towards a new leap of what the Church has be in the modern world.
We will need a new and deeper theological reflection in order interpret these signs in the light of the Gospel. Above all the theology of the cross. Dialogue with the world is not only conducted from the theoretical levels but also practical terms as evidenced for example in the activities of Caritas, Cor Unum, Development Aid, etc. The Church has no option but to study the signs of time and interpret them in them in the light of the Gospel. Then the Church will be able to respond to the questions of each generation adequately. Slowly by slowly, step by step we will discover the laws, that govern life, but we are at a loss how to orient it. (GS. n.4).
© Don. J.B Nyamunga – Kericho Kenya
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