The idea of synodality was given much attention in the last two synods of the bishops. The first chapter of the last part of the closing document of the synod on the youth in 2018 carries the title: The missionary synodality of the Church. The synod participants realize that the Church is called to take a relational face that places emphasis on listening, welcoming, dialogue and common discernment in a process that transforms the lives of its members (122). A year later, in the closing document of the synod on the Amazon, we read, “ To walk together the Church requires a synodal conversion, synodality of the People of God under the guidance of the Spirit … With this horizon of communion and participation we seek new ecclesial paths” … (86).

Being together on the way is a common experience in crises such as the COVID-19 Pandemic. Pope Francis said in his reflection on March 27, “We are together in this.” We are together in facing the suffering, and we are together in looking for ways to respond to it. This is the time for us to make our choices: to walk along or be separated and encapsulated in egoism, clericalism, racism, or nationalism.

We thank God for calling us to participate in God’s mission. We are grateful to our Founder and the Founding Generation for having laid a common ground for our missionary spirituality. Our past generations tried to find ways to help our congregations enrich each other and work together to respond to missionary situations. In recent years, we have come to realize the importance and necessity of inviting our mission partners1 to walk along with us, sharing our missionary spirituality and responsibility.

We are convinced that working together is only possible if we walk together. Sharing responsibility has to be based on and accompanied by mutual spiritual enrichment. We are walking and working together as sisters and brothers from different cultural backgrounds.

Reconfirming a resolution of the 17th General Chapter, the 18th General Chapter of the SVD tasks the General Administration to develop a reflection guide for the local communities. This guideline is meant “to promote appreciation of and mutual enrichment by different cultural expressions of spiritualities present among the members of our community” and “for mutual enrichment in spirituality with lay associates to strengthen our collaboration.” The SSpS Congregational Leadership Team also sees the same need. Therefore a joint team was established to prepare the said guidelines. We now present to you this reflection guide, the result of a long process. It involved many of the members of our congregations and our mission partners. We thank the members of the Ad Hoc Committee, namely Peter Dusicka, SVD; Roger Schroeder, SVD; Stanislaus Lazar, SVD; Maria Illich, SSpS; and Leonie Pregunta, SSpS; and all who contributed to this publication.

We recommend that these guidelines be used in our communities and groups. When we meet together as brothers and sisters, may these guidelines strengthen our experience of being together. They are also for the good of people we serve, and the glory of Triune God, the God on the way.

Maria Theresia Hörnemann, SSpS Congregational Leader
Paulus Budi Kleden, SVD Superior General