Thought for the week
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Reflection for 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Pope Francis initiated a "Synod on Synodality" in 2021, aimed at engaging all levels of the Catholic Church—from laity to bishops—in a process of listening and discernment. The Discernment Phase of the Synod ended in October 2024, and the Church is now in the Implementation Phase.
A new document from the Synod of Bishops, Pathways for the Implementation Phase, published in June, offers “local Churches throughout the world a shared framework that will make it easier to walk together,” promoting dialogue that will lead the entire Church to the Ecclesial Assembly in October 2028, which will mark the culmination of the synodal process.
The document is intended “to provide an interpretive key for understanding the implementation phase of the synodal process," offering an explanation of the implementation phase and its objectives. It also provides suggestions on how to engage with the Synod’s Final Document (October 2024), along with advice on methods and tools to help "shape our path during the implementation phase."
Commenting on the new document, Cardinal Grech, the Secretary General of the Synod of Bishops, said: “We convey these pathways to the entire People of God, who are the subjects of the synodal journey, and in particular to the Bishops and Eparchs, to the members of the synodal teams, and to all those who are involved in various ways in the implementation phase.” You can learn more about the Synod here.
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Reflection for 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time