Synodality in Jesus Youth - 2022 (BJMM028)
Synodality in Jesus Youth
“It is precisely this path of synodality which God expects of the Church of the third millennium,” said Pope Francis at the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the institution of the Synod of Bishops. He stressed that synodality “is an essential dimension of the Church”, in the sense that “what the Lord is asking of us is already in some sense present in the very word 'synod’.”
In October 2021, Pope Francis announced a two-year process of listening and dialogue of the Catholic Church, known as the “Synod on Synodality.” - 'Synod' from 2 Greek words - Sun - together; Hodos - way/journey >> Synod = journeying together >> Synodality = Journeying together mentality.
Understanding Synodality
Synodality means journeying together as the People of God. It is a way of listening to each individual person as a member of the Church to understand how God might be speaking to all of us. In this way, synodality reminds us of the work of the Holy Spirit through each of us and through all of us working together for our common mission.
Synodality has 3 important concerns quite relevant to the movement:
1. Communion >> Bringing alive the fundamental reality of our existence, that is, we live together and for one another because we are in the image of our creator, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, who exist in unity and love.
2. Participation >> Urging everyone to get involved, especially to exercise deep and respectful listening to one another.
3. Mission >> Being sent by the Lord to build his Kingdom on the earth by communicating to others in words or deeds that God truly loves them.
Synodality, the DNA of Jesus Youth
Looking back, we see how the Spirit of the Lord led Jesus Youth ‘step by step’, teaching us to be the Lord’s new witnesses in a fast-changing world. On the one hand, we were awed and challenged by the immense task before us. Still, the consolation of the indwelling Spirit together with the joy experienced in the community, impelled us forward. Painfully conscious of our poverty of skill and experience, we gathered to pray together and seek the Lord’s strength and guidance. Eagerness to listen to the Lord naturally led us to search the Word and listen to one another’s inspirations. Very often, the outcome was truly surprising. There used to be an outpouring of inspiration, clarity, and enthusiasm. Each person was charged with a newfound anointing for daring witness and the group in turn, became an effective instrument of mission. This has been the path of forming missionary disciples, outgoing communities, and missionary initiatives in Jesus Youth movement.
We experienced this in most of our mission-enthused youthful groups during our initial steps of 1978, the spirit of the monthly First-line gatherings in early 1980’s, in our planning of the ’85 conference, in the formation of each of our ministries and the dynamic of Jesus Youth groups responding to challenges when a beautiful dream of mission possibility was put before them. All the while we did not have a comprehensive word for it, but now we know that this is what today’s Church calls Synodality or synodal approach.
Synodality in the Life and mission of Jesus Youth
"Every renewal of the Church is essentially grounded in increase of fidelity to her own calling". So, in carrying out her mission, the Church is called to constant conversion, which is a "pastoral and missionary conversion", too; this involves renewing mentalities, attitudes, practices and structures in order to be ever more faithful to her vocation. An ecclesial mentality shaped by synodal thinking joyfully welcomes and promotes the grace in virtue of which all the baptized are qualified and called to be missionary disciples. The great challenge for pastoral conversion that follows from this for the life of the Church is to intensify the mutual collaboration of all in evangelizing witness based on everyone’s gifts and roles, without clericalizing lay people and without turning the clergy into lay people and in any case avoiding the temptation of "an excessive clericalism which keeps them [lay people] away from decision-making" (# 104, Synodality in the life and mission of the Church, 2018)
The process of the synodal approach
It is all about responding effectively to challenges/changes that arise from time to time ֍ ֍ praying together ֍֍ reconciling and becoming a community ֍֍ Proclamation of the Word and reflecting on it ֍֍ Creating spaces to listen to and dialogue with everyone ֍֍ urging every member to listen to the Lord and speak out ֍֍ Communal discernment ֍֍ effective decision making ֍֍ Celebrating together what the Lord reveals ֍֍ asking one another how to incarnate the new revelation, i.e., arrive at effective plans ֍֍ Going out together on mission ֍֍ Doing mission in the unity of spirit, in diversity of charisms and as a large team ֍֍ Gathering together to examine and recollect the victories and pains to continue the journey.
What kills Synodality
A vision of Christianity as personal piety and prayer for favors ǁ being overly upset of challenges and change ǁ elitism-clericalism ǁ intolerance to differences of opinions and variety in charisms ǁ over emphasis on obedience ǁ authoritarian attitude or top-down approach of decision making ǁ program driven, task focused group life ǁ institutionalization
What promotes synodality
Trinitarian understanding of spirituality = Incarnational understanding of mission = Awareness of the work of the Holy Spirit = reading the signs of times/ awareness of challenges = Participative approach starting with listening to everyone = an approach of humility = exercising leadership as service = inclusive approach, everyone having a role and mission = attention to the diversity of charisms and mission
A path to witness among the nations
Pope Francis: Our gaze also extends to humanity as a whole. A synodal Church is like a standard lifted up among the nations (cf. Is 11:12) in a world which — while calling for participation, solidarity and transparency in public administration — often consigns the fate of entire peoples to the grasp of small but powerful groups. As a Church which “journeys together” with men and women, sharing the travails of history, let us cherish the dream that a rediscovery of the inviolable dignity of peoples and of the function of authority as service will also be able to help civil society to be built up in justice and fraternity, and thus bring about a more beautiful and humane world for coming generations. (17Oct2015)
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