“Synods are by God’s grace something powerful in the life of the Church, a way to grow together. Our community will come together in the midst of the Holy Spirit to discern where He seems to take us in order to re-evangelize ourselves and our culture. By listening to what the members say in the synod, I will be able to discern and ratify the work of the Holy Spirit, and it will be a time of great grace.” Most Rev. Allen H. Vigneron, Archbishop of Detroit

The first time I recall hearing about a synod was in 2014ish when Pope Francis announced the Synod on the Family. For good reason too…in 2000 years, this was only the 14th synod of ALL the bishops in the Church.

Still, even watching the coverage, I only knew the basics. Synods are:

rare

places of discussion

focused on important issues in the church

This could be said about a couple of things…like the Conclave where the pope gets elected.

So last year when my dad mentioned that my pastor was looking to nominate parishioners to the 2016 Synod of the New Evangelization…I was like DAD YOU SHOULD DO IT! Never guessing that in a few short weeks, I would be the one prayerfully considering the application.

Still, I was pretty clueless about what a synod is, even after being accepted. I had a google definition and a few paragraphs from the application…but really, I had no idea what I was getting into. So I made sure to attend a Theology on Tap with Bishop Byrnes (more on this another day) to get a better idea of what the Holy Spirit signed me up for.

The long and short of it (quoted from the AOD’s synod website is:

A Synod is both an event and a process that sees people – clergy, religious, and laity – gather to discuss important matters of the faith. Synods are transformative events that lead to renewal in the Church’s life. After a Synod takes place, the church emerges different, changed.

Synod 2016 will direct the future of the New Evangelization in the archdiocese of Detroit. What is the New Evangelization? you might ask. During Vatican II, a sense of need to begin evangelizing anew came about. However it was St. John Paul the Great that coined the phrase “New Evangelization.” He called for an evangelization of the Church, reaching out to people who are in the pews at Church or who have left the Church and showing them the Beauty of a relationship with Christ. Or, as Bishop Byrnes put it, we must re-propose Jesus to people.

“where entire groups of the baptized have lost a living sense of the faith, or even no longer consider themselves members of the Church, and live a life far removed from Christ and his Gospel. In this case what is needed is a ‘new evangelization’ or a ‘re-evangelization.’” -St. John Paul the Great

Synod 2016 is focused on a huge task, bringing Christ to a world that knows who He is, but rejects Him. This is new mission ground, much different from converting non-believers. We have to show people how to encounter Christ and how He works in our lives in an real, concrete manner. So the Synod is going to be focused on practical steps the archdiocese can take, from perspectives of many groups. There will be priests, religious, lay people from all walks of life. Just think of the diversity in the Church and how beautiful our conversations will be!

Leading up, we’re asked to pray for the Holy Spirit to guide us. One way we do that is a weekly adoration hour. Another is attending an Encounter Christ retreat. And to read Pope Francis’s encyclical “Evangelii Gaudium” or “The Joy of the Gospel”. Please pray for me and the other members of the synod that we are faithful to this calling and that the Holy Spirit fills our hearts!

My goal with this blog is to document my experience participating in the synod and provide insight to what the Synod will look like. You’ll find in the future: more about the New Evangelization, my selection process, Synods in general, and the preparation we’re all undergoing in the lead up to the November 2016 meeting.

I’m happy to answer questions or entertain topic ideas.

God bless!