Synod participants attending a retreat. Photo: ©synod.va/Lagarica
The mission of the Catholic Church in our times continues to be outreach. However, for many of us, it is no longer primarily about inviting others to join the Catholic Church. There is an ancient prayer that is often recited at the beginning of meetings at which we are searching for pathways into an ever evolving understanding of Christian mission:
Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful
and kindle in them the fire of your love.
Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created,
and you shall renew the face of the earth.
The first two lines are the verses sung with the Alleluia before the Gospel on Pentecost. The third and fourth lines are from the Latin translation of Psalm 104, verse 30.
The prayer implies that the primary missionary challenge is to renew the face of the earth, which, in this period of ever increasing global chaos, is obviously a daunting task, and even more so when we consider that our focus these days must be much broader as we recognise planet earth is definitely not the centre of the universe (or multiverse, as some prefer to call all that occupies space).
With our modern telescopes, we can now see beyond our own solar system, but how many more solar systems exist? Do any of their planets support life similar to what we know? Is there any chance we might discover the end of the galactic system?
There is so much that we don’t know, but we do know that we have been entrusted with the care of our home, planet Earth.
However, since the beginning of the industrial age, our planet’s stability has steadily eroded. If we continue on as we are our future seems bleak. We are already seeing huge signs of global instability due to what we send into Earth’s atmosphere. Add to that the destructive wars fought over the past 104 years. Today, we seem to be living in a global war zone in which we have the capacity to destroy everything living on our planet.
So, how do we take on today’s primary missionary challenges, which seem to be effectively caring for planet Earth, our home, moving from warfare to peaceful means, and seeking to establish a culture of peace and respectful dialogue?
Pope Francis has proposed that we engage in a synodal way, which invites us to engage in a respectful, prayerful, and listening way. We focus on listening to others and the Holy Spirit, sharing what we have heard from others and the Holy Spirit. In this form of encounter, listening, not debating skills, becomes the key factor. However, there is also space for discussion of differences at the end of the listening process.
This method of searching for the appropriate way ahead provides elected or appointed decision makers with the raw material for making decisions.
Earlier this year, we Columbans held a General Assembly with representatives from all our missions. This happens every six years. Andrei Paz, the Columban elected as our Society Leader for the next six years, wrote in his letter introducing the conclusions of the Assembly:
The synodal path invites us to walk together in faith, discernment, and mutual respect. It calls us to renew our commitment to partnership, inclusivity and shared responsibility. It leads us beyond traditional hierarchical structures to a model of engagement that values every voice and welcomes fresh perspectives.
Hierarchical structures imply top-down leadership. Synodal structures invite all to share in giving feedback to leadership and so promote a stronger sense of belonging, along with greater possibilities for genuine friendships.
When I was baptised 80 years ago, Catholics understood baptism as a cleansing from original sin, which has never been convincingly explained to me, along with membership of the Catholic Church.
Baptism is now described as Christ calling us to share his ongoing mission to bring us all together as one, to be a unifying force in our world.
Clearly, we have a long way to go, but, as the Spanish poet says: 'Walking, we make our path' or 'caminando se hace camino.'
Columban Fr Peter Woodruff lives and works in Australia.
Related links
- Read more from the current Columban eBulletin
