Listening Sessions Planned In Diocese

The Diocese of Baton Rouge will be holding a series of listening sessions in every deanery during the next several months in response to Pope Francis’ call to engage in a synodal process titled “Toward a Synodal Church:  Communion, Participation, Mission.”  

Earlier this year the pontiff had called for archdioceses and diocese worldwide to begin the synodal gatherings but the aftermath of Hurricane Ida delayed the process in the diocese. 

Bishop Michael G. Duca announced the upcoming dialogue sessions during a letter read at Masses the weekend of Dec. 11-12. In the letter, Bishop Duca explained that to understand “synodality” one must understand the concept of a synod.   

“Simply stated, a synod is a meeting or assembly of church leaders,” the bishop wrote in the letter. “Such gatherings are rooted in Scripture (Acts of the Apostles) and can take place locally, on a regional level, nationally or internationally. 

“Such opportunities for gathering and dialogue have often been used to raise important issues and seek consensus in the church’s history.” 

He said synodality refers to the way in which decisions are made that involves listening to a broad range of the faithful and discussing issues that impact the church and the world, constantly open to the Holy Spirit’s call for direction and action.  Conversations are meant to be had with “parrhesia,” a Greek word that appears in the New Testament that can be translated as “frankness” or “boldness.”  

 After such discussions, documents are drafted, and these documents assist church leaders in decision making, Bishop Duca said.  

He mentioned that Pope Francis believes the church should best practice synodality, first beginning on a local level.  He has appointed Episcopal Vicar Father Jamin David as the contact person in this process.  Father David will serve as the liaison between the USCCB and the diocese and be the main point of references for parishes and other groups in the diocese regarding synodal consultation and how the process will be engaged.

“I think Pope Francis’ mission in this synod is best described in this way:  ‘By journeying together and reflecting together on the journey that has been made, the church will be able to learn through her experience which processes can help her to live communion, to achieve participation, to open herself to mission,’ ” he said.

Bishop Duca is encouraging individual parishes, if they are interested, to hold synodal sessions. At a minimum, each dean will convey to Father David a time and location for a deanery session so that all of the faithful will have a proximate place to participate should a parish not provide its own session.

Once the meetings are completed, the reports will be sent to the diocesan offices for compilation.  

 Reports nationwide will be submitted to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops to assist with a “continental phase” of dialogue in late 2022 or early 2023.  A final phase of dialogue will conclude on a universal level at the Holy See October 2023.  

 “The reasonable expectation of these sessions will likely be an apostolic exhortation from the Holy Father with ideas and decisions to grow ecclesial life,” Bishop Duca said. “I ask all of the faithful of our local church to consider participating in a dialogue session if not in your own deanery then at another location in the diocese. 

“While this process might be unusual for many, Pope Francis’ aim is for the church to ‘walk together,’ and while there may be disagreement, I know the process will encourage listening with humility to the needs of our church and the world.” 

Father David is also hoping to engage as many of the faithful as possible.

“Know that the synod, though, is encouraging the church to reach out to those on the margins who may not normatively be included in the dialogue.,” he said. “This could include the poor, women, non-Catholics and non-Christians, the disenfranchised – indeed anyone to whom the church reaches out.”  

For anyone unable to participate in person, an online form will be created to submit ideas directly and those suggestions will aid in the creation of a diocesan report, the bishop said. 

“The Synod of Bishops has developed a guide to engage in such dialogue while highlighting the experiences of people so they can contribute richly in this consultation,” Father David said. “They have identified what they are calling 10 ‘nuclei’ that show different facets of lived synodality.  

“These will be developed into a guide to inspire moments of prayer, reflection and exchange.”