WelCom March 2022
Archdiocese of Wellington Church Mission Team
Archbishop of Wellington, Cardinal John Dew says, ‘I want you to be involved in this Synod process. Your baptism calls you and entitles you to be involved.’
The Synod process invites each of us to read, reflect and respond to questions about the Church’s direction and to experience the process of discerning as a group.
Diocesan phase
We are currently in the ‘diocesan phase’. This encourages groups of six to eight people to meet online or in person to prepare responses to the Synod questions. This phase will continue for the archdioceses over the next two months, and responses will be collected by 30 April 2022. Everyone in the archdiocese is encouraged to submit a response. If you have not yet done so, please take part in this process over the next few weeks.
Upcoming events
The Samoan Chaplaincy held a community gathering at Ss Peter and Paul, Lower Hutt in February and will hold another workshop 12pm–3pm, Sunday 6 March, St Anne’s Hall, Newtown.
St Francis of Assisi has a community meeting for potential Synod facilitators, 7pm–9pm, Tuesday 1 March, Ss Peter and Paul Church, Johnsonville.
Synod Youth Day, Sunday 13 March, Mercy Centre, Wellington. Please contact Louise at youth@wn.catholic.org.nz to join in.
Catholic teachers plan to meet from 4.30pm, 15, 16 and 17 March either by Zoom or at venues to be confirmed.
The Church Mission Team is arranging a Zoom option for those unable to join a local group, 11–12pm, Monday 21 March, 2pm–3pm, Tuesday 22 March, and 7pm–8pm, Wednesday 23 March. Please email l.hensel@wn.catholic.org.nz or c.walkerdine@wn.catholic.org.nz to register.
Student involvement
Synod materials, being sent to all Catholic schools this month, are designed for students to engage with the Synod questions in a fun and creative way, in classrooms and at home. An online submission tool has been created to receive students’ submissions by 30 April. These will be considered as part of the archdiocesan response.
Visit www.wn.catholic.org.nz/about/archdiocesan-synod/synodinschools2022/
Get involved
If you have questions about how you and your community can get involved, or for resources, the Synod Team are here to help. Contact Chris or Lucienne at l.hensel@wn.catholic.org.nz or c.walkerdine@wn.catholic.org.nz or ph (04) 496-1706 or (04) 496 1715.
Visit wn.catholic.org.nz/about/archdiocesan-synod/ for Synod resources.
Synodal and spiritual journeying together
Sr Catherine Jones, smsm
The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is held in January in the northern hemisphere, and here in the south during the octave between Ascension and Pentecost.
In January this year, Pope Francis noted the link between the theme: ‘We saw the star in the East, and we came to worship him’ (Matt 2:2) and the synodal process. The Magi journeyed together, each one of them bearing their gift.
This is something we are doing in our synod reflection group in Waikanae on the Kāpiti Coast.
Our group at Bishop Snedden Village has been blessed to be ecumenical from the beginning with the inclusion of a Methodist couple. We have walked together through the topics suggested in the archdiocesan synod participation booklet:
Journeying Companions in Hope; Listening; Speaking Out; Sharing Responsibility for Mission; Dialogue in Church and Society; With other Christian Denominations… and the journey continues.
We have tried to remain faithful to the synodal process with:
- prayer and silence before we share; then
- entering a second time into silence; and
- listening to the spirit speaking in the others.
This has been a gift, and we have experienced a deepening spiritual friendship as the weeks go by.
We are a living cell of Receptive Ecumenism as pioneered by Paul Murray at the University of Durham, and of Churches Together in England (cte.org.uk).
As we journey towards the unity for which Jesus prayed (John 17:21), we are confident the prayer of Jesus is more powerful than any obstacle we can put in its path.
This begins with small groups seeking where the Spirit is leading.
Synod activities in Palmerston North Diocese
Isabella McCafferty
UK priest and theologian, Prof Thomas O’Loughlin suggests a ‘meeting point’ at an airport can be a basic image we can use in exploring the concept of synodality. He explains this kind of meeting point assumes we are all coming from different places and directions – we have different needs, problems and insights but that we meet on common ground, as equals.
Synodality is about us meeting on common ground as equals. It’s about being with one another, really listening to one another and, importantly, to the Holy Spirit. I believe if we can find ways to gather together, leave our own agendas behind and enter in openness to the ill-defined but unfolding reality of synodality right now, then we’ll all be better for it. And our Church will be better for it.
On a practical level, during March 2022, that means engaging in the local phase of the synod underway around the world. Beyond that, I hope it means a renewed way of being Church together.
Getting involved
- Updated resources for 2022 have been published for everyone to be involved in this process. They can be found at pndiocese.org.nz/synod
- Groups of people across the diocese are encouraged to gather locally in some way to take part, either physically or online.
- Resources have been developed for our Catholic schools to involve students, staff and whānau. We also hope to gather staff and student representatives for sessions online. Resources for schools can be found at pndiocese.org.nz/synodinschools
- A series of activities related to the synod have been developed for the young and young at heart and are online at pndiocese.org.nz/synodactivites
- Due to the current Red Traffic Light restrictions, we expect discernment groups to be hosted online towards the end of March 2022. Keep an eye on our website for up-to-date details tumanako.pndiocese.org.nz/2022/02/synod/
- The pilgrimage of Te Ara a Maria is taking place around the diocese. Korty Wilson, Kaiwhakarite Māori Apostolate, will be accompanying this taonga and our hope is that synod korero will take place simultaneously.
In the Diocese of Palmerston North, submissions are open until 31 March 2022, however growing as a synodal church has no end date!