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For a Synodal Church
Our Holy Father, Pope Francis, has initiated a worldwide consultation process entitled: “For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, and Mission.” A synod is a gathering of laity and clergy to discuss particular issues under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. By virtue of our baptism, all of us are called to listen to the promptings of the Holy Spirit as we travel through this life with the goal of eternal happiness in the life that is to come. The pope’s goal of this worldwide synodal process is to give the entire People of God the opportunity to share insights, hopes, and dreams for the future of the Church.
Bishop Daly inaugurated the process for eastern Washington on Sunday October 17th by offering a special Mass at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Lourdes. His homily may be viewed by clicking here: https://youtu.be/jVZ7Xlx59Lg
The Diocese of Spokane is organized according to “Deaneries” or regions which are led by a priest who is called the Dean. On October 18th, Bishop Daly met with each of the Deans of the diocese to distribute the Vademecum (Vatican handbook) and to outline consultation plans for each of the deaneries over the course of the next seven months. Each Dean is responsible for seeking assistance from the laity in tailoring the consultation process for his particular Deanery. All parishes, Catholic schools, and Catholic institutions will have an opportunity to offer input.
On December 1, 2021, a survey link will be posted to the diocesan website with questions from the Vademecum. Those who are unable to participate in a Deanery consultation or who are uncomfortable with in-person gatherings are encouraged to use this electronic form of consultation.
Listening sessions and consultations will be complete by March 15, 2022. Summaries will be prepared by various religious, lay, and clerical leaders and submitted to the diocesan synodal team. The information will then be compiled into one document and submitted to Bishop Daly.
The bishop encourages parishioners to invoke the prayers of Our Lady of Lourdes, patroness of the Diocese of Spokane, as we humbly seek to discern the will of the Holy Spirit.
