Society
Of The Divine Word

Since synodality is a spiritual journey of pastoral conversion, our sharing is enriched by expressing our experiences, the personal challenges we feel when listening to the Word. Homilies, anecdotal speeches, and long exhortations do not reflect the meaning of these meetings.

Objectives:

• Nourish our spirituality in Jesus’ missionary discipleship through his Gospel and daily life.
• Maintain a climate of fraternal sharing, attentive listening to others, listening to the Spirit (the last sentence would provide the form) to discern together in a participatory manner.
• Deepen some of the characteristics of a synodal Church and their concrete implications for our community of belonging, as the Church as the People of God, baptized with diverse charisms, gifts, and ministries, spaces for participation and leadership.
• Promote a journey of pastoral conversion within ourselves and in our communities from the perspective of a Church on a missionary outreach and a transformative social-ecological commitment.
• Continue with the methodology of “sharing in the Spirit” to strengthen a spiritual journey characteristic of a synodal Church that discerns and decides communally.

Methodology:

The proposal consists of 12 guidebooks for sharing as a community some of the specific features of the synodal Church. Each booklet presents its particular theme within one of the four areas presented at the January meeting (Synodality, Communion, Participation, Mission). The suggested moments for sharing are intended to align with the method of “Conversation in the Spirit.” We do not hope to enter into a theoretical debate on the topics, but rather to encourage a reflective, sapiential exchange based on shared life, open to the Spirit of God, where each person’s voice matters.

Group timing:

We suggest a maximum duration of one and a half hours for the meeting. A participant will be required to guide the group within the allotted timeframes.

To help us maximize our time, we suggest the following:

• Welcome, introduction, and prayerful atmosphere – 15 minutes
• First moment – ​​20 minutes
• Second moment – ​​20 minutes
• Third moment – ​​20 minutes

Facilitator:

It’s essential that each group have a facilitator. This person will help the group navigate the designated moments of the meeting and will moderate the discussion to ensure everyone’s participation.

Memory:

The richness of sharing can help others. Therefore, it is highly recommended that, at the end of the meeting, all participants contribute a phrase that resonated most with them, and that these phrases be collected by a secretary. At the end of the 12 meetings, we will have invaluable material that could be used as input for the pastoral coordination spaces we have or later be used at a general assembly.

Animation Team:

• We suggest that each community form a team of two or three people who can assist, guide, and encourage the groups on this path of reflection.
• The steps outlined in the booklets can be enriched with your own contributions, taking care not to stray from the topic or go on too long.