Dear Fathers/Brothers/Sisters/Laity,
Our Holy Father Pope Francis wants every human being to encounter the
crucified Jesus who is also the Risen and glorious God of history. Christ’s
resurrection is not an event of the past; it contains a vital power, which
has permeated this world. The Holy Spirit is the gift of the Risen Christ.
The Spirit leads us into the divine life as true Children of God, as sons
and daughters in the only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. The Spirit changes us
and wants to transform the world in which we live. It is clear then that
Pope Francis seeks newness, renewal and change modeled upon Jesus and
animated by God’s Spirit. To achieve this, the Holy Father invites all
people of God to journey together, listening to each other, understanding
one another and live a participative and inclusive ecclesial process that
offers everyone – especially those who for various reasons find themselves
on the margins – the opportunity to express themselves and to be heard; and
then to recognize and appreciate “the wealth and the variety of the gifts
and charisms that the Spirit liberally bestows for the benefit of
the whole human family.
For this reason, guided by the Holy Spirit Pope Francis has decided to
convoke the 16th Ordinary Assembly of the Synod of Bishops in
Rome in October 2023. The theme chosen for this Synod is
“For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, Mission.”
‘Synod’ comes from the Greek ‘Syn’ and ‘hodos’.
It simply means ‘journeying together’. As a Church, we
journey together with the Holy Spirit and Jesus who is the “Way” (Jn 14:6).
Jesus’ passion, death and resurrection gave rise to a movement of his
disciples called ‘The Way’ (Acts 9:2; 19:9; 22:4). This “Way” of people
with diverse spiritual gifts and charisms (1Cor 12) was filled
with a deep sense of service and mission. They saw themselves as servants
of the community. However, in today’s context, the Church has become
heavily institutional and structured as a result communion and
participation is missing. What the Holy Father expects from this assembly
is, through a synodal journey to put the entire Church in a
position to live on authentic synodal experience; a time of
listening to the Spirit in which everyone will learn a form and style of Synodal Church; in which it assumes the choice that is most
valuable in the Synodal Church, journeying together. It invites us
to look at how the Christian community can be accredited “as a credible
subject and reliable partner in paths of social dialogue, healing,
reconciliation, inclusion and participation, the reconstruction of
democracy, the promotion of fraternity and social friendship; as well as
how we can regenerate relationships among Christians, with representatives
of other Christian confessions, and with other social groups, with the
organizations of civil society, and with popular movements.
At the same time, the document recognizes that the synodal process
is being undertaken in a context in which “The Church herself must face the
lack of faith and the corruption even within herself, emphasizing that “we
cannot forget the suffering experienced by minors and vulnerable people due
to sexual abuse, the abuse of power, and the abuse of conscience” committed
by clergy. Also the context of the global tragedy of the Covid-19 pandemic,
which has devastated the whole world. These are occasions to offer ample
space for renewed participation and appreciation of the Laity, and
especially of women and young people, as requested by recent synods. Pope
Francis insists that in a synodal church everyone, the faithful,
the Bishops and the Bishop of Rome himself has something to learn. All
listening to each other, and all listening to the Spirit of truth.
The preparations for the synod is already begun by the Pope appointing
Cardinal Mario Grech as the General Secretary of the Synod of Bishops with
the General Secretariat in Rome who have already sent out the preparatory
document along with a vademecum to indicate the guiding principles
that will direct the path of the Synod on Synodality.
Pope Francis will officially open the Synod on Sunday, October 10, in
Rome with the celebration of the Holy Eucharist, which will be
live-streamed worldwide.
Kindly publicize this papal inaugural event by making announcements in all
Masses and through other social media.
A week later, on Sunday, October 17, 2021, in the whole diocese we will
introduce the Synod by the Eucharistic celebration at 5 P.M. in St.
Joseph’s Cathedral, Meerut,
which will be live-streamed in our YouTube Channel. I request you to
encourage all the faithful to participate online in this great event. On 17
October, being Sunday you will have the morning Eucharist with your
parishioners in which you can exhort them about the Synod.
To facilitate and help the preparation the CCBI Commission for Theology and
Doctrine would be responsible for coordinating our nationwide preparatory
phase of the synodal journey and Fr. Francis Gonsalves, the
Executive Secretary of that commission, is appointed as the coordinator. He
will mediate between the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops in
Rome and the contact persons in our diocese. Fr. Roy Chowalloor and Sr.
Meena RJM are appointed as the diocesan contact persons. For the success of
the synod a prayer “Adsumus Sancte Spiritus” is made available in
Hindi, which has to be said after all masses in the Churches and in
communities and in families. A poster of the synodal symbol has to
be set up in a prominent place in the parish. Further information will be
communicated to you from time to time.
Let us pray for the success of the synod by invoking the Holy Spirit and
the powerful intercession of Our Lady of Graces the Patroness of Our
diocese.
Yours in Our Lord
Fr. Valerian Pinto