By Bob Choiniere, Facilitator

During our pre-Chapter meetings, I offered two presentations on synodality in the life and mission of the Church to help ground the upcoming Provincial Chapter in the goals and methods of the emerging Synodal Church. Synodality is not a new concept, but a re-claiming of the origins of Christian communal discernment that began at the Council of Jerusalem as recorded in the Acts of the Apostles. Synodality is a way of being church that roots decision-making in a shared discernment of the will of God in our midst: in our communities of faith, in the hearts of all believers and in the fabric of the universe. 

Grounding our upcoming Chapter in synodality includes a process of discernment that is inclusive, prayerful, inquisitive and attentive to how the Holy Spirit is calling us in light of the world we live in. When the Chapter delegates meet in June, their discernment will not be beginning but culminating. The process has already begun and continues as every member of the Passionist Family is invited to be part of the prayer, inquiry and reflection that will lead to a true discernment of the Spirit’s call. 

I would like to invite each of you now into this process to fan the flames of the Holy Spirit among us. Over the next few months you are invited to listen, study, pray and then share the fruits of your experience. In this way, we will follow the synodal path outlined by the Apostles who prayed together, considered the signs of their times and made decisions together.

To be more specific, the Chapter will take up critical issues that will define our ministry and our shared life for years to come. These issues include the environmental crisis, cultural and racial diversity, immigration and migration, leadership, vocations and stewardship. We must all now prepare to have these critical conversations that will lead to decisions around these areas.

Throughout the spring, we will be holding a series of conversations on each of these topics to gather a sense of direction as we head to the Chapter. These conversations will be an opportunity to share the fruit of your preparation. 

Before coming to the conversation, each individual and community is asked to become informed through study and inquiry. We invite each community to continue or begin listening to the signs of the times in your local area. Synodality includes becoming aware of what is happening around you in order to respond. 

1. What are the environmental issues in your region, the struggles of inclusion and diversity, the stories of immigrants and migrants, the concerns and hopes around leadership, stewardship and vocations for the Province? 
2. Where is Christ present in each of these areas where you live and minister? 
3. Where is Christ being crucified in your backyard? 

This process of inquiry can begin with reading a local newspaper, seeking out local organizations working on these issues, talking with one another, your neighbors, local activists and especially the marginalized and forgotten about the critical issues they face, their fears and hopes. The preparation also includes seeking formation and education to learn more and acquire a new lens through which to evaluate what you are learning through your listening and inquiry. The various committees of the Province will be offering learning opportunities to assist in this. 

After a time of study and inquiry, you are invited to enter into a time of prayer and reflection. Prayer allows a space for the Spirit to speak to our hearts about these important matters, reveal new insights, bind the pain of the world to the cross of Christ that leads to new life. Prayer is a necessary and central component of the Passionist charism and the synodal path. The Passionist Way document encourages each member of the Passionist Family to take 20 minutes of silent prayer each day. This could be a time to bring what you are learning to God and ask for insight and prompting.

The topical conversations will be a time of reflection. These meetings are designed as a space to offer, listen and respond to the insights that came from our inquiry and prayer. In these meetings we will learn how to best shape the conversations that will occur at the Chapter. The Chapter will be a time of discernment and decision-making that will be based on this preparation. The quality of the Chapter then depends on the level of engagement and the depth of the preparation that precedes it. Those who will be attending the Chapter will receive the results of the reflective conversations. They will be asked to read, consider and pray over these responses as they prepare to attend the Chapter. 

So, we invite you and every member of the Passionist Family to begin to listen, to inquire, to pray and then to attend the upcoming conversations. Together, we can discern the ways that the Holy Spirit is calling us to respond most effectively and faithfully to the crucified of our world and continue to live and proclaim our Passionist Charism in all that we do.