South Texas Catholic
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VOL. 60 NO. 4
Publisher Bishop Michael Mulvey, STL DD
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Correspondents
Rebecca Esparza and Jessica Rohr
Translator/Correspondent
Gloria Romero
Contributors: Alan Thyssen, Dr. Robert Choiniere, Lisa Feighery and Jenny Nutzman
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INSIDE
INTERVIEW WITH OUR BISHOP MICHAEL MULVEY: “First, we need to be in communion with one another”
ENTREVISTA CON NUESTRO OBISPO
MICHAEL MULVEY: “Primero, necesitamos estar en comunión los unos con los otros”
COLLECTIVE LISTENING: Synodality is a significant topic in the Church today – but what is it? What is its purpose? And what is it not?
AUDICIÓN PUBLICA: Sinodalidad, es un tema significativo en la Iglesia actual, pero ¿qué es? ¿Cuál es su propósito? ¿Y qué no es?
OUR MISSION BEGINS AT THE DINNER TABLE: We have more impact than we’d imagine if we learn to participate in conversations
LISTENING HAS COME A LONG WAY!: How each one can be prepared for a synodal Church and synodal sessions
WALKING THE SYNODAL PATH: How a parish implements synodality in its activities
BEING WHO WE TRULY ARE: A reflection on Synodality by Bishop Michael Mulvey
“WE WANTED TO START A FIRE, NOT A PROGRAM”: What remains from the National Eucharistic Congress? Three main takeaways
Agape listening begins with empathy and moves to mutuality
The group of Corpus Christi in Indianapolis
FOLLOWING JESUS: “It is the decision of the Holy Spirit and us …”: Fr. Brady Williams, SOLT reflects on Communal discernment in a synodal Church
SIGUIENDO JESUS: “Es decisión del Espíritu Santo y de nosotros:” Discernimiento comunitario en una Iglesia sinodal
BIOETHICS 101: TOLERATING BAD SIDE-EFFECTS: The principle of Double Effect goes back to St. Thomas Aquinas
WOMAN OF STRENGTH: St. Catherine of Siena, a singular soul
NEWS FROM OUR DIOCESE: Being of Service - ten men will be ordained as permanent deacons on November 9
ON THE COVER: Photo by Jacob Bentzinger, in partnership with the National Eucharistic Congress
Submit your News and Stories! Send us your parish, school, ministry news stories, pictures and calendar events via our online form at diocese.org/sendnews or via email to stc@diocesecc.org. If you have any questions, call STC at (361)693-6609. We are looking forward to hearing from you!
Bishop Michael Mulvey and the staff of the Office for Safe Environment and Child and Family Resources are committed to assisting those who have faced abuse of any kind. For immediate assistance, support, and referral information, please call Victim Assistance Coordinator Stephanie Bonilla at (361) 693-6686.
El obispo Michael Mulvey y el personal de la Oficina del Medio Ambiente Seguridad y Recursos para Niños y Familias están comprometidos a ayudar a aquellos que han sufrido abusos de cualquier tipo. Para asistencia inmediata, apoyo e información de referencia, llame al Coordinador de Asistencia a Víctimas Stephanie Bonilla al (361) 693-6686.
In the spirit of proper stewardship, the Diocese of Corpus Christi encourages reporting any financial abuse concerns or related issues. Report confidentially to: financialconcerns@diocesecc.org
En el espíritu de una administración adecuada, la Diócesis de Corpus Christi alienta a informar cualquier inquietud de abuso financiero o problemas relacionados. Informe confidencialmente a: financialconcerns@diocesecc.org
St. Catherine convinced the pope to move back to Rome
INTERVIEW WITH OUR BISHOP MICHAEL MULVEY
“First, we need to be in communion with one another”
Some people are still skeptical when they hear the word synodality. How do you see it? What does it mean for the life of the Church?
Bishop Mulvey: I understand the skepticism because it’s new to many of us. We are not accustomed to that term. A synod is a meeting St. Pope Paul VI reintroduced after the Second Vatican Council, though its roots run deep in the Church’s history. Pope Paul VI began gatherings with the bishops to discuss specific topics, like the diaconate, the Word of God, or the Eucharist. The primary goal was to listen to each other’s experiences and reflect on the Church’s thoughts and history regarding the topic at hand. Over time, priests and laypeople were also included. Pope Francis is now guiding us to live synodality beyond just these gatherings. Synodality means walking together in an ongoing process of listening to the Holy Spirit. It’s not about holding meetings to make decisions or to change things, which is where some of the skepticism arises. People might fear that we are going to create something that does not follow our Church’s tradition. However,
that is not who we are, and that is not synodality. It means the Church journeying together, listening to each other’s needs, listening to each other’s hopes, and most importantly, listening to the Holy Spirit.
This approach benefits not only the global Church, the Body of Christ, but we can also take the same principles home: bishops and priests listening to one another and walking together, parish staff and members engaging in dialogue, our families fostering open communication…
Listening is not easy. How can we become better listeners?
Bishop Mulvey: Often, we hear each other, but we don’t truly listen. One major barrier to listening is our tendency to hold firm opinions on everything. If I’m too convinced about how things should be, I can’t genuinely listen to you.
Loving ourselves, our ideas, and with our prejudices more than our neighbors goes against Jesus’ teachings. To love one another (the greatest commandment) means to listen to one another and to enter into each other’s lives. We must let
go of the notion that we alone have the right perspective. There’s always something to learn! It might be challenging for an American bishop to listen to bishops from other continents because we’re not accustomed to their way of life, but their wisdom can help us in areas where we are lacking.
If someone presents ideas that are contrary to the Church’s teaching, we trust the Holy Spirit to guide us, but we still need to listen to them first.
What is the role of synodality in the life of our diocese?
Bishop Mulvey: We have already begun hosting “Synodality Retreats” across our diocese. These retreats introduce the concept of synodality and teach us how to listen to one another better. It will affect how we live as parishioners with each other and in our homes, which I think will be significant for the future of our Church and our diocese. In many cases, our families are falling apart because they don’t know how to communicate to get along with one another. These retreats will help us acquire the tools to listen to each other, starting within the family, the parish and the diocese. It’s going to have an impact on specific areas that we want to address, such as vocations, family life, education, and evangelization.
The three essential pillars of synodality are communion, participation, and mission. We are to be in communion every Sunday as we come to Mass. But are we in communion with each other before we receive Communion – Jesus in the Eucharist? That is the first question we all need to ask ourselves.
I may approach the altar for Holy Communion, communion with God, with Jesus Christ, but what if I’m not in communion with my own family? What if I’m angry with someone, or I don’t like the priest, or I have issues with others in the congregation? These are the things that need to be healed in this process.
How can synodality affect the life of a parish?
Bishop Mulvey: The first impact of synodality is fostering communion—understanding, accepting, and respecting one another. Only then can we fully participate in Communion with a capital “C,” and be in true communion with others, for example, at a parish meeting.
The second key element is participation. Often, we attend events out of obligation, being physically present but not truly engaged. We don’t share our opinions or listen to others. But if I’m in communion with my neighbors, I want to participate. I want to be part of the parish family and the Catholic Church and not just sit back and
be a number in the crowd. If we all come together with this mindset, the Holy Spirit can manifest Himself and guide our endeavors.
The third element is mission. If I am in communion and actively involved, we can define a mission together. This mission could be as simple as organizing a yard day to clean up the church grounds – that’s our mission for that day. But it is also valid for larger projects like renovating the parish hall or a project to help the poor or those in need: if I am in communion, we can look at these issues together and talk about them. We participate by giving our ideas. And when we’ve come up with a decision together with the pastor, we then have a mission to accomplish. Then let’s do it! Even if some of us can’t physically help due to age or health, there are many ways to participate—through prayer, preparing meals, or offering support in other ways.
Sometimes, we see a need and immediately act without being in communion or participating fully. Synodality is a new way of living together— not standing on the sidelines but being actively involved.
ENTREVISTA CON NUESTRO OBISPO MICHAEL MULVEY
“Primero, necesitamos estar en comunión los unos con los otros”
Algunas personas todavía se muestran escépticas cuando escuchan la palabra sinodalidad. ¿Qué le parece a usted? ¿Qué significado tiene para la vida de la Iglesia? Obispo Mulvey: Entiendo el escepticismo porque es un término nuevo para muchos de nosotros. No estamos acostumbrados a escucharlo. Un sínodo es una reunión. El Papa Pablo VI reintrodujo este tipo de reuniones después del Concilio Vaticano II, aunque sus raíces están profundamente arraigadas en la historia de la Iglesia. El Papa Pablo VI comenzó a reunirse con los obispos para discutir temas específicos, como el Diaconado, la Palabra de Dios o la Eucaristía. El primer objetivo era escuchar las experiencias de cada uno de ellos, y después reflexionar sobre los pensamientos de la Iglesia a través de su historia con respecto al tema en cuestión. Con el tiempo, se han ido incluyendo sacerdotes y laicos en este tipo de reuniones. Ahora, el Papa Francisco nos está guiando a vivir la sinodalidad de una manera mas profunda, yendo más allá de estas reuniones. La sinodalidad significa caminar por la vida juntos, en un proceso continuo de aprender a escuchar al Espíritu Santo. No se trata de celebrar reuniones para tomar decisiones o cambiar cosas, que
es el mal entendido de donde surge el escepticismo. La gente teme, que vayamos a crear algo que no siga la tradición de nuestra Iglesia. Sin embargo, eso no es lo que somos, ni lo que hacemos. Sinodalidad significa que la Iglesia camina junta, escuchándose los unos a los otros, tanto en sus necesidades como en sus esperanzas, pero sobre todo haciéndolo a la luz del Espíritu Santo.
Este enfoque no solo beneficia a la Iglesia global, como Cuerpo de Cristo, sino que también podemos aplicar estos mismos principios en casa: entre obispos y sacerdotes; escuchándose unos a otros y caminando juntos, entre personal y miembros de la parroquia; entablando un diálogo, en nuestras familias; fomentando una comunicación abierta...
Escuchar no es fácil. ¿Cómo podemos convertirnos en mejores oyentes?
Obispo Mulvey: A menudo, nos oímos entre nosotros, pero no nos escuchamos realmente. Una de las barreras más importantes que ponemos para escuchar, es la tendencia que tenemos a mantener opiniones un tanto radicales. Si estoy demasiado convencido de cómo deberían ser las cosas, no puedo escucharte genuinamente.
Amarnos a nosotros mismos, a nuestras ideas y a nuestros prejuicios más que a nuestro prójimo va en contra de las enseñanzas de Jesús. Amarnos unos a otros (como lo dice uno de los mandamientos principales) es también escucharnos unos a otros y entrar en la vida de los demás. Debemos dejar a un lado, la noción de que solo nosotros tenemos la perspectiva correcta, porque ¡Siempre hay algo que aprender!
Puede ser un desafío para un obispo Estadounidense, escuchar a obispos de otros continentes, porque no estamos acostumbrados a su forma de vida, sin embargo su sabiduría puede ayudarnos en áreas en las que quizás tenemos carencias.
Si alguien presenta ideas que son contrarias a las enseñanzas de la Iglesia, debemos escucharlo primero y confiar en la guía del Espíritu Santo.
¿Cuál es el papel de la sinodalidad en la vida de nuestra diócesis?
Obispo Mulvey: Ya hemos comenzado a organizar “Retiros de Sinodalidad” en toda nuestra diócesis. Estos retiros introducen el concepto de sinodalidad y nos enseñan a escucharnos mejor los unos a los otros. Ello afectará la manera en que vivimos como feligreses, tanto entre nosotros como en nuestros hogares, lo cual creo, será significativo para el futuro de nuestra diócesis y nuestra Iglesia. En muchos casos, nuestras familias se están desintegrando porque no saben cómo comunicarse para llevarse bien entre sí. Estos retiros nos ayudarán a adquirir las herramientas para aprender a escucharnos. Empezando por la relación inter-familiar, siguiendo con la parroquia y la diócesis. Esto tendrá un impacto en áreas específicas que queremos abordar, como las vocaciones, la vida familiar, la educación y la evangelización.
Los tres pilares esenciales de la sinodalidad son la comunión, la participación y la misión. Debemos estar en comunión todos los domingos cuando venimos a misa. Pero, ¿estamos en comunión unos con otros antes de recibir la comunión, a Jesús en la Eucaristía? Esa es la primera pregunta que todos debemos hacernos.
Puedo acercarme al altar y recibir la Sagrada Comunión, la comunión con Dios, con Jesucristo, pero ¿qué pasa si no estoy en comunión con mi propia familia? ¿O si estoy enojado con alguien, o si no me gusta el sacerdote, o si tengo problemas con otros en la congregación? Estas son las cosas que necesitan ser sanadas en este proceso de la sinodalidad.
¿Cómo puede la sinodalidad afectar la vida de una parroquia?
Obispo Mulvey: El primer impacto de la sinodalidad es fomentar la comunión: comprendiendo, aceptando y respetando a los demás. Solo entonces
podemos participar plenamente en la Comunión con “C” mayúscula y estar en verdadera comunión con los demás, como por ejemplo, en una reunión parroquial.
El segundo elemento clave es la participación. A menudo, asistimos a eventos por obligación, estando físicamente presentes pero sin participar realmente. No compartimos nuestras opiniones ni escuchamos a los demás. Pero si en verdad estoy en comunión con mis vecinos, tengo el deseo de participar. Quiero ser parte de la familia parroquial y de la Iglesia Católica y no solo sentarme y ser un número más en la multitud. Si todos nos unimos con esta mentalidad, el Espíritu Santo puede manifestarse y guiar nuestros esfuerzos.
El tercer elemento es la misión. Si estoy en comunión, participando activamente en el grupo, podremos llegar a definir una misión en conjunto. Esta misión podría ser tan simple como organizar un día en el jardín para limpiar el patio de la iglesia: esa seria la misión para ese día. Pero eso mismo es válido para proyectos más grandes, como renovar el salón parroquial o la creación de un proyecto para ayudar a pobres o necesitados. Si estamos en comunión, podremos observar estos asuntos y hablar sobre ellos, juntos. Participamos aportando nuestras ideas. Y cuando lleguemos a una decisión en conjunto con el párroco, podremos decir que tenemos una misión que cumplir. ¡Entonces hagámoslo! Incluso si algunos de nosotros no podemos ayudar físicamente debido a la edad o la salud, hay muchas maneras de participar: bien sea a través de la oración, preparando comidas u ofreciendo apoyo de cualquier manera.
A veces, vemos una necesidad y actuamos inmediatamente sin estar en comunión o participando plenamente. La sinodalidad es una nueva forma de vivir juntos y no quedarse al margen, sino involucrarse activamente.
SYNODALITY IS A SIGNIFICANT TOPIC IN THE CHURCH TODAY –BUT WHAT IS IT? WHAT IS ITS PURPOSE? AND WHAT IS IT NOT?
Collective listening
BY SUSANNE JANSSEN
One of the polarizing topics in the U.S. Catholic Church today is synodality. While some are excited about it and hope for more participation, others fear it will damage the Church’s tradition. Isn’t the Church founded on the followers of St. Peter? Can the laity – or a majority – change our faith tradition?
It is essential to examine what synodality means and how Pope Francis, who called for the Synod on Synodality (2021-2024), describes its goals. Synodality comes from the Greek words synodía, which means “journeying together,” and synod derives from the two stems of sýn (meaning “together”) and hodós (“way” or “journey”). The concept describes the process of discerning the Holy Spirit’s guidance for the Church through collaboration and listening.
Journeying together as the People of God indicates a way of listening to each person as a member of the Church to understand how God might be speaking to all of us. While the Church’s hierarchy (especially the pope, the cardinals, and the bishops)
has a specific role in the guidance of the faithful, the Holy Spirit is not limited to clergy. Synodality reminds us of the work of the Holy Spirit through each of us working together for our joint mission.
Synods were always part of the Church
In the history of the Church, synods have already taken place in the first centuries. In the Church’s history, they were called ecumenical councils. The first one is known through the Acts of the Apostles (chapter 15) and happened around the year 50. Paul and Barnabas went to Jerusalem to clarify if Gentile converts needed to follow the Law of Moses. They met with the Church elders and apostles. After discussing the matter, a concluding letter was written: “It has been decided by the Holy Spirit and by ourselves not to impose on you any burden beyond these essentials: you are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and illicit marriages. Avoid these, and you will do what is right” (Act 15:28-29).
The Synod on Synodality focuses on mutual listening and sharing.
Throughout the following centuries, councils were held to decide cornerstones of the faith: The First Council of Nicaea (325) formulated the original Nicene Creed, in Constantinople (381), the divinity of the Holy Spirit was expressed, and the Council of Ephesus (431) proclaimed Mary as Theotokos (Mother of God). Later, councils dealt with Arianism and said Jesus was “true God and man.” Questions about the celibacy of priests, liturgy, confession etc., followed up to the Second Vatican Council (1962-65).
After Vatican II, synods appeared on the calendar. They were meetings of bishops meant to discuss different questions and get a global view of the Church’s life. These synods were often dedicated to a specific topic. However, often, the final document was already carefully drafted, leaving little space for deep discussions. And the vast majority of the Church—the laity—was mostly not present.
Pope Francis tried to change that by inviting more people to the synods – starting with the Synod on Family (2015) and the Synod on Young People (2018). However, these meetings only took place in Rome, with a few chosen people representing the faithful. He understood that listening and discerning together should be a path for the Church everywhere, on all levels – from the Vatican down to the smallest parishes and missions.
Synodality as a way of life
Pope Francis called synodality the path “which God expects of the Church of the third millennium” because it is “a constitutive element of the Church.” In a rapidly changing world, while the truths of our faith will never change, misunderstanding and generally the challenges that people face today need collaboration and discernment. “Precisely at this time, when there is much talk and little listening, and when the sense of the common good is in danger of weakening, the Church as a whole has embarked on a journey to rediscover the word together,” he said to media representatives on August 26, 2023.
“Walk together. Question together. Take responsibility together for community discernment, which for us is prayer, as the first Apostles did: This is synodality, which we would like to make a daily habit in all its expressions,” he added.
What synodality is not
Many feared that synodality is used by people to launch a specific agenda, to campaign for topics close to their heart (like diaconate for women, allowing marriage for priests). Pope Francis, accompanying and correcting the synodal path in Germany, made clear that this is not the task of a synod. The pope ironically stated that “a very good Protestant Church already exists in Germany” and that “we don’t need a second one.”
Some hot topics, like priesthood for women, are
not on the agenda for the next synodal meeting, which will be held from Wednesday, October 2, to Sunday, October 27, in the Vatican. The synod’s role is not to decide about doctrine but rather to listen to the difficulties and challenges, learn from initiatives that work and bring about new life.
Pope Francis stated that it is not a parliament to demand rights or claim needs. Thus, it is not a democratic body: “Synodality is not even the search for majority consensus... It is not a plan, a program to be implemented.
“No. It is a style to be adopted, in which the main protagonist is the Holy Spirit, who expresses himself above all in the Word of God, read, meditated upon, and shared together” (January 13, 2022).
This way, the Synod on Synodality is not just a temporary experience. Instead, the synod’s goal is to help the entire Church, including both clergy and laity, work together more effectively to advance the Church’s mission.
The role of the Holy Spirit
In his opening remarks for the first session of last year’s sessions of the Synod on Synodality, Pope Francis pointed out: “The protagonist of the Synod isn’t us, but the Holy Spirit.” If the Spirit is in charge, the pope continued, it is a good synod, and if He is not, “it is not.”
He mentioned in the opening Mass “trust in the Holy Spirit” as a requirement for synodality because the Holy Spirit is guiding the Church. Therefore, every synodal session or every discernment process should be accompanied by prayer, starting with the prayer Adsumus Sancte Spirite (which is adapted from the prayer that opened each session of Vatican II), and each participant is invited to reflect and listen to the Holy Spirit before speaking. In this way, it will not be a forum to advocate for one’s own preferences but rather a collective listening to what all contributions mean for the Church’s future direction
The synod starts in Rome but is meant to affect the life of the entire Church.
SINODALIDAD, ES UN TEMA SIGNIFICATIVO EN LA IGLESIA
ACTUAL,
PERO ¿QUÉ ES? ¿CUÁL ES SU PROPÓSITO? ¿Y QUÉ NO ES?
Audición Publica
POR SUSANNE JANSSEN
Uno de los temas más controversiales en la Iglesia católica estadounidense es la sinodalidad. Mientras que algunos se muestran entusiasmados, con la esperanza de una mayor participación, otros temen que dañe la tradición de la Iglesia. ¿No está la Iglesia fundada sobre los seguidores de San Pedro? ¿Pueden los laicos—o una mayoría–-cambiar nuestra tradición de fe?
Es esencial examinar lo qué significa sinodalidad y de cómo el Papa Francisco, describe sus objetivos al convocar el -Sínodo sobre Sinodalidad (2021-2024)-. Sinodalidad es un término que proviene del griego synodía, que significa “caminar juntos”, y sínodo es una palabra derivada de dos raíces: sýn (que significa “juntos”) y hodós (“camino” o “viaje”). El concepto describe el proceso de discernimiento, bajo la guía del Espíritu Santo, en servicio para la Iglesia a través de escuchar y colaborar.
El caminar juntos como Pueblo de Dios es también una manera de escuchar a cada persona como miembro de la Iglesia y poder entender cómo Dios puede estar hablándonos a todos. Si bien la jerarquía de la Iglesia (especialmente el Papa, los Cardenales y los Obispos) tiene un papel específico en la guía de los fieles, el Espíritu Santo no se limita al clero. La sinodalidad nos recuerda la obra del Espíritu Santo en cada uno de nosotros y a través de la cual trabajamos unidos por nuestra misión conjunta. Los sínodos siempre han sido parte de la Iglesia. En la historia de la Iglesia, los sínodos han tenido lugar desde los primeros siglos. Fueron llamados, concilios ecuménicos. El primero de ellos, se conoce a través de los Hechos de los Apóstoles (capítulo 15) y sucedió alrededor del año 50. Pablo y Bernabé fueron a Jerusalén para aclarar si los gentiles conversos debían seguir la Ley de Moisés. Se reunieron con los ancianos de la Iglesia y los apóstoles. Después de discutir el asunto, concluyeron en escribir una carta: “El Espíritu Santo y nosotros hemos decidido no imponeros ninguna carga más allá de lo indispensable: absteneos del alimento ofrecido a los ídolos, de la sangre, de la carne de animales estrangulados y de los matrimonios ilícitos. Evitad estas cosas y obraréis bien” (Hechos 15:28-29).
A lo largo de los siglos siguientes, se celebraron concilios para decidir sobre los cimientos angulares
de la fe: el Primer Concilio de Nicea (325) formuló el Credo Niceno original; en Constantinopla (381) se expresó la divinidad del Espíritu Santo; y el Concilio de Éfeso (431) proclamó a María como Theotokos (Madre de Dios). Más tarde, otros concilios trataron sobre el arrianismo y concluyeron en que Jesús era “verdadero Dios y hombre”. Otros concilios siguieron donde se trataron cuestiones sobre el celibato de los sacerdotes, la liturgia, la confesión, etc., hasta llegar al Concilio Vaticano II (1962-65).
Después del Concilio Vaticano II, los sínodos aparecieron en el calendario. Eran reuniones de obispos destinadas a discutir diferentes cuestiones y obtener una visión global de la vida de la Iglesia. Estos sínodos a menudo se dedicaban a un tema específico. Sin embargo, a menudo, el documento final ya estaba cuidadosamente redactado, lo que dejaba poco espacio para discusiones profundas. Y la vasta mayoría de quienes conforman la Iglesia,- los laicos- no estaban presentes.
El Papa Francisco intentó cambiar eso invitando a la participación de más personas a los sínodos, comenzando con el Sínodo sobre la Familia en el 2015 y el Sínodo sobre los Jóvenes en el 2018. Sin embargo, estas reuniones solo se llevaron a cabo en Roma, con algunas personas elegidas en representación de los fieles. El Papa comprendió que escuchar y discernir juntos, debía ser el camino a seguir para la Iglesia en todas partes y en todos los niveles, desde el Vaticano hasta las parroquias y misiones más pequeñas.
La sinodalidad como forma de vida
El Papa Francisco llamó a la sinodalidad el camino “que Dios espera de la Iglesia del tercer milenio” porque es “un elemento constitutivo de la Iglesia”. En un mundo de constantes cambios, mientras las verdades de nuestra fe nunca cambian, los malentendidos y en general, los desafíos que enfrenta la gente hoy en día necesitan colaboración y discernimiento. “Precisamente en este momento, cuando se habla mucho y se escucha poco, y cuando el sentido del bien común corre el riesgo de debilitarse, la Iglesia en su conjunto se ha embarcado en un viaje para redescubrir juntos La Palabra”, dijo a los representantes de los medios de comunicación el 26 de agosto de 2023. “Caminar juntos. Preguntar juntos. Asumir juntos la responsabilidad del discernimiento comunitario,
Throughout the centuries, the Church came together to define its teachings and mission - Council of Trent (1545 - 1563). Italian school, 16th century.
que para nosotros es la oración, como lo hicieron los primeros Apóstoles: esto es sinodalidad, lo cual nos gustaría convertir en un hábito diario en todas sus expresiones”, agregó.
Lo que no es sinodalidad
Muchos temían que la sinodalidad fuera utilizada por las personas para lanzar una agenda específica, como una forma de hacer campaña para asuntos cercanos a su corazón (como el diaconado para las mujeres, o permitir el matrimonio para los sacerdotes). El Papa Francisco, acompañando y corrigiendo el camino sinodal en Alemania, dejó en claro que esta no es tarea de un sínodo. El Papa irónicamente afirmó que “ya existe una muy buena Iglesia protestante en Alemania” y que “no necesitamos una segunda”.
Algunos temas candentes, como el sacerdocio femenino, no están en la agenda de la próxima reunión sinodal, que se celebrará del miércoles 2 de octubre al domingo 27 de octubre.
El papel del Sínodo no es decidir sobre la doctrina, sino escuchar las dificultades y los desafíos, aprender de las iniciativas que funcionan y generan nueva vida.
El Papa Francisco afirmó que no es un parlamento para reclamar derechos o reclamar necesidades. Por lo tanto, no es un órgano democrático: “La sinodalidad ni siquiera es la búsqueda del consenso mayoritario... Ese no es el plan, no es un programa para implementar.-No-
“Es un estilo de vida que hay que adoptar, en el
que el protagonista principal es el Espíritu Santo, que se expresa sobre todo en la Palabra de Dios, leída, meditada y compartida en conjunto” (13 de enero de 2022).
De esta manera, el Sínodo sobre Sinodalidad, no es solo una experiencia temporal. En cambio, el objetivo del Sínodo es ayudar a toda la Iglesia, con clero y laicos incluidos, a trabajar juntos de manera más eficaz y lograr avanzar en la misión de la Iglesia.
El papel del Espíritu Santo
En su discurso de apertura de la primera sesión del Sínodo sobre Sinodalidad del año pasado, el Papa Francisco señaló: “El protagonista del Sínodo no somos nosotros, sino el Espíritu Santo”. Si el Espíritu está a cargo, continuó el Papa, será un buen sínodo, y si no, no lo será”.
En la Misa de apertura dijo: “Confiar en el Espíritu Santo, es un requisito para la sinodalidad porque el Espíritu Santo está guiando a la Iglesia. Por lo tanto, cada sesión sinodal o cada proceso de discernimiento debe ir acompañado por la oración, comenzando con la oración Adsumus Sancte Spirite (que es una adaptación de la oración que abrió cada sesión del Vaticano II), y cada participante está invitado a reflexionar y escuchar al Espíritu Santo antes de hablar. De esta manera, no será un foro para abogar por las propias preferencias, sino más bien una escucha colectiva de lo que significan todas las contribuciones para la dirección futura de la Iglesia.
WE HAVE MORE IMPACT THAN WE’D IMAGINE IF WE LEARN TO PARTICIPATE IN CONVERSATIONS
Our Mission Begins at the Dinner Table
BY DR. ROBERT CHOINIERE, D.MIN.
When I was growing up, dinnertime was always at 6:00 pm. Participation was not optional. No matter what was happening, what time of year, if it was a typical Wednesday or Christmas Day, my brother, sister and I were expected to show up at the dinner table at 6:00 sharp. Dinner was where we learned that our presence mattered. It is where we learned how to be in a relationship with each other as a community, as a family. Dinner is what taught us that we belonged, that we had a literal place at the table. Our absence was also felt, and we knew we were missed when we were not there.
Years later, in graduate school, I studied with Sharon Parks, a renowned theologian and educator from Seattle, Washington. She and her husband had conducted a study of individuals across the U.S. who demonstrated a commitment to the common good. The group included teachers, organizers, nonprofit founders and clergy. In her research, she tried to identify a common experience or trait that all her subjects shared that might begin to explain their commitment to service and participation in bettering their local communities. She considered various factors such as education, faith, birth order, and parenting. Surprisingly, the only common experience that all shared was their experience at the family dinner table.
Dr. Parks then turned her attention to the impact of this shared experience. She concluded that the family dinner table is where people learn belonging. They learn that they matter and their presence (or absence) impacts those around them. They also learn that they can affect the world. They learn to participate by sharing their ideas, and their input changes the course of conversation and choices made by those around them. In short, they realize that through participation, they could change the world around them, and the experience also changed them. They were agents, not just subjects.
The Synod on Synodality, called by Pope Francis in 2021, has Communion, Participation, and Mission as its theme. The same insights surrounding the family dinner table ground the progression of these themes, too. Communion leads to Participation, which leads
to Mission. The result is a unified and mobilized body of disciples rooted in a sense of belonging, confident in their ability to make a difference, and engaged in the lives of others to enhance the common good and serve those most in need. In short, the fruit of synodality is missionary discipleship.
The journey towards missionary discipleship begins with communion. In our Catholic tradition, the family dinner table finds its spiritual counterpart in the Eucharistic table. We often say that all are welcome, without exceptions, to gather around this table. In this sacramental action, we are invited into union with the God who called us into being. We belong to this family of humanity, to all who have also been called. We are connected to each other and to God through this invitation and communion. Through communion, we are invited to participate. Participation is more than attendance, though. It is active. When we were called to dinner, more was expected of us than just to attend the dinner. We were expected to participate. Sometimes, that meant setting the table, passing the dishes, and clearing the plates, but this also meant listening to what others were sharing, offering your thoughts, and sharing about your own day. Simple attendance
Dr. Robert Choiniere participated in the 2023 synod at the Vatican
Courtesy of R. Choiniere
does not lead to deep engagement of others or create the possibility of being changed by that engagement. It is a passive reception. Participation means getting involved, helping out, and giving of yourself. When that happens, you learn that your actions make a difference, more than belonging; you are now impacting, leaving others changed by your presence. Now, you are part of something; without you, something is missing.
When this sense of agency is embraced, you recognize that when you push on the world, the world responds, and then you have a choice. How do you want to affect the world? What difference do you want to make? You could complain and gripe, find fault, tear down and abuse those around you, or you could use your new-found agency to lift up, heal, include and improve the lives of those you touch. Our mission now is a call to recognize that we can make a difference through our participation and to make that difference by giving life to others, not by defeating them. We can work for a greater good beyond us because we recognize that our life is not just about us. We participate in the Church and world more significantly than we can imagine. We belong to this world, and our actions make a difference, positively or negatively.
As Christians, we are called into communion around the table of God, challenged to embrace our participation as agents who can make a difference. We are incorporated into the compassionate mission of Christ to use our agency to make a positive change in the lives of others. In this way, we become reflections of the God who is relying on us, trusting and believing in us, to claim our powerful place as participants in the great work of God’s love. It all begins by coming to the table, taking our place, and giving our very
selves as gifts to the world.
When it comes to parish life, many people attend Mass and may wonder why they do not feel transformed or changed, but attendance alone does not lead to much transformation. It is magical to think that simple proximity is all needed to effect religious conversion. The step from attendance to participation is required to engage the heart and soul in true discipleship. Just as strangers can only become friends by engagement, God can only enter our lives when we open ourselves and offer our gifts to others, especially those in need. St. Vincent de Paul once said, “May the poor forgive me the bread I must give them.”
St. Vincent recognized that charitable giving could sometimes put us outside our comfort zone. It can be an awkward exchange, but such generous action, getting our hands into the work and genuinely participating, is necessary for salvation and authentic discipleship. Participation requires some vulnerability, but it is only by taking a step to active participation that the most profound truths of the Christian faith can take hold. Only by pouring ourselves out in generosity, like Jesus, can we know what it means to be truly fulfilled. This is the paradox of participation that the mind alone cannot grasp. It can never be known by remaining only a passive recipient of services. Christianity is a faith that must be lived to be understood. Once experienced, a disciple becomes a living witness to the transformative power of participation in the love and mission of God, who calls each of us to show up to the table and, once there, offer ourselves as a gift to others.
Dr. Robert Choiniere, D.Min., is the Executive Director of Ignatian Encounter Ministry Inc.
Sharing food and your day around the dinner table are essential to experience community.
HOW EACH ONE CAN BE PREPARED FOR A SYNODAL CHURCH AND SYNODAL SESSIONS
Listening Has Come a Long Way
BY ALLEN THYSSEN
Our understanding of listening skills has come a long way since the term “active listening” was coined back in 1957. I recall in that year hearing a sermon on the subject of James 1:29, “Let everyone be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to wrath…” I was only 12 years old! Active listening was followed in 1996 by its more elegant sibling, “agape listening.” Today, we recognize active and agape listening as two sides of the same coin. And they are integral to the synodal Church model.
I perceive agape (love-oriented) listening as having three distinguishing marks: First, there is a commitment to the healing of the other. Second, it originates as a divine command (“Love one another as I have loved you…”). And thirdly, you can say anything
to me if I believe you care about me. As Glenn Boyd writes, “Agape listening begins with empathy and proceeds to mutuality toward the promise of transformation.” I like to illustrate this as a circular process infused with the Holy Spirit at its center. But it begins with one’s own healing. John Savage wrote, “You cannot go any deeper into someone else’s pain than you have gone into your own.”
Then, there is the practical subject of active listening. It acts as the toolbox for agape listening. Active listening aims to eliminate misunderstandings and establish clear communication of thoughts and ideas between the speaker and listener. By actively listening to another person, a sense of rapport, belonging, and mutual understanding is
Allen Thyssen has experienced bridge-building through agape listening
S. Janssen
created between the two individuals. Active listening demonstrates that you fully understand what the other is trying to communicate, whether they understand it or not.
When a person experiences that you are genuinely trying to understand things more clearly from his or her perspective without fear of criticism or judgment, an expression of empathy often encourages him or her to share more and to be less defensive. In the end, “love wins!”
The Greek word agape may mean much more than our common use of the term “love.” For example, Glenn Boyd writes in his book, “The A.R.T. of Agape Listening,” that agape love in the form of caring deeply for one another is the central ethical principle in Christianity. Another writer has suggested that Agape relationships rise to the same level of importance as belief in Jesus as the Son of God. For example, just after he washed the disciples’ feet and just before his arrest, Jesus said, “This is my commandment, that you love [agape] one another as I have loved you” (John 15:12). If we acknowledge and love Jesus, we must also love one another, regardless of our relative status in life. This includes loving one another in the midst of heated discussions and differences of opinion or other difficult daily activities. We wish the other well in all circumstances!
Active and agape listening are two sides of the same coin. Neither is worth much without the other. Without agape, active listening becomes just another way to manipulate the other. On the other
hand, agape listening is so powerful that eventually, it morphs into Agape living! Agape listening affects both the listener and the speaker. Therein lies the “magic.” This caring-based conversation between two people eventually leads to the healing of both.
Yes, our understanding of listening has come a long way! This month, my thoughts are focused on this special kind of caring, a caring that is characterized by a special kind of conversation. It uses the toolbox of active listening skills to unlock the divine dictum of agape listening, which soon evolves into agape living. And agape living can change the world.
Allen Thyssen is a parishioner at St. Laurence Catholic Church in Sugar Land, Texas. He teaches workshops on the subject of listening. In addition, he serves as a chaplain and is a Lay Cistercian of Gethsemane Abbey. Allen and his wife, Judy, have three children and five grandchildren. He enjoys silent retreats in his “mobile hermitage” and periodic moments of madness with a euphonium horn.
References:
Active Listening, Rogers and Farson, 1987 (Excerpt from Communicating in Business Today)
Listening and Caring Skills, John Savage, 1996
The A.R.T of Agape Listening, Glenn Boyd, 1996
Agape Listening: Caring as Conversation, Glenn Boyd, 2002, Leaven published by Pepperdine University
Small steps can help everyone increase listening skills.
HOW A PARISH IMPLEMENTS SYNODALITY IN ITS ACTIVITIES
Walking the Synodal Path
BY LISA FEIGHERY AND JENNY NUTZMAN
Listening to one another and walking together is the essence of the synodal path we strive to walk at St. Laurence Parish in Sugar Land, Texas. The synodal path takes many different forms. This article is to show how our parish endeavors to listen well to one another and walk the synodal path together.
We strive to walk alongside young families. Parents of young children requested support and the resources needed to educate their young families in the Catholic faith. A gap in ministry to infant and toddler children exists in our parish. The age group 0-5 was not included in formal faith formation programs. Families expressed a desire to connect with other families in the same phase of life to build community and create a network. The parish staff sat down with young families to listen to their needs and desires and discuss the ideas and possibilities of meeting these together. As a result, several new initiatives began, including an organized gathering of young families
after Mass so kids can play together and parents can get to know each other. We developed Mass Bags containing age-appropriate liturgical and scriptural items so parents can engage their children during Mass. Beginning this Fall, we are creating a new home-based family faith formation initiative to equip and support young parents as the first teachers of the faith.
We also are planning a social night for parents to give them a space to get to know one another, inviting them deeper into marriage enrichment. We plan to offer these social nights periodically throughout the year, and parish staff will engage children during these social nights so parents can focus on each other.
We strive to walk alongside ministry leaders. Recently, we had the opportunity to practice the “Conversation in the Spirit” method at our annual Ministry Leader’s Breakfast. Over one hundred ministry leaders and staff came together to learn how to work better within the context of our parish.
St. Laurence Parish in Sugarland, TX implemented “Conversations in the Spirit” in different parish endeavors.
Courtesy of Lisa Feighery
This method is a tool of discernment for us to bring into our individual spaces.
We highlighted how the structure of the conversations overcame natural obstacles like inhibition and power imbalances. First, we practiced it with scripture as a tool of discernment. With practice, we can move into “tougher issues” each ministry may face, such as leadership transitions, shifting needs of those we served, and evaluations of a ministry’s effectiveness. From there, we can move into large-scale questions. Who is falling through the cracks. What are our blind spots or unaddressed wounds? Who is God calling to serve that we have not seen, and how do we listen with the ears of the Holy Spirit and not just speak? Each of the questions points to relevant realities within any parish. We hope our ministry leaders can use this tool to discern how to answer tough questions as a group, requiring genuinely listening to one another through scaled practice.
At any parish, individuals working in the name of the “church” and the institution’s structure will have blind spots. Mistakes will occur and wounds will hurt. St. Laurence parish is no different, but we have sincere clergy, staff members, and lay ministry leaders who can acknowledge these weaknesses, and with encouragement and helpful tools, move toward healing in the context of the work of each. Practicing the “Conversation in the Spirit” method at our parish has proven to be a moving experience. The word “practice” is key
since it will require “practice” by all of us to adopt a listening posture. Authentic listening is a practice of humility that does not come naturally during constant distraction and defensiveness. Listening cultivates silence, creating space for God’s voice instead of our own. Practice not merely forms our responses but helps us truly to hear the other.
As a parish we continually discover how necessary it is to learn to listen well, not just active listening, but agape listening, listening with love. When we enter a conversation, we strive to enter with a disposition of listening as Jesus listened, truly opening the ears of our hearts to the other. To be open to conversation is to be open to conversion. And so, we listen to understand and with the openness of heart and mind so that a conversation may transform us.
Pope Francis continually encourages us to listen to one another. He says, “Let us ask: Are we good at listening in the Church? How good is the hearing of our heart? Do we allow people to express themselves, walk in faith even though they have had difficulties in life, and be part of the community’s life without being hindered, rejected or judged? Let us not soundproof our hearts” (Homily on October 9, 2021). Let us listen with the ears of our hearts and respond to the promptings of the Holy Spirit so we can authentically walk the synodal path together.
Jenny Nutzman S. Janssen (2)
Lisa Feighery
SYNODALITY IS BRINGING US BACK TO THE BASICS
Being who we truly are
BY BISHOP MICHAEL MULVEY
Iwant to begin with the story of Eden, where God placed Adam and Eve to enjoy the fullness of His creation, yet not to transgress their intended nature. However, through temptation, they did just that: they wanted to go beyond themselves, exceed their limits and be above God.
I use this as a starting point because this has happened throughout history. We constantly strive to go beyond who we are.
God saw in them humanity He created in His image and likeness, but by eating the forbidden fruit, they disfigured themselves. The first dialog of God had with humanity was with Adam and Eve saying three simple words: “Who are you?” In essence, he was saying, “I don’t recognize you.” You are not who I created because sin had entered their lives, leading to confusion, disorder, lack of peace, and a broken unity with creation, with each other, and with God. These are the same issues we face today: war, racism, and lack of care for others—none of which were part of God’s original plan. Throughout the history of salvation, God has tried reaching out to us to say, “Be who I created you to be.”
That is a simple way of explaining the concept
of synodality: returning to our true nature and understanding that we are created in God’s image and likeness. God is a communion of persons—Father, Son and Holy Spirit, three equal persons. That is our identity, as God has thought of us to be from the beginning, and that identity was evident in the early Church, where believers were of one mind and heart, walking together, holding things in common, praying together, celebrating the Eucharist, and listening to the apostles’ teachings.
Recently, I attended a workshop on synodality in Houston with hospital administrators, bishops, ethicists, lawyers, and theologians to examine the issues of medical procedures required by the government in Catholic hospitals. Of course, everyone had their understanding of the truth, leading to tensions—this is just normal. But when we think of being “of one mind and one heart,” that’s our goal. We aim to be brothers and sisters.
Saint Paul had a particular love for the people of Philippi. In the second chapter of his letter to the Philippians, he expresses his desire for them to be “of one heart and one mind” (Phil 2:2). He also provides a principle that I hold dear: consider the other as more important than yourself.
The group attending a workshop in Synodality at the Oblate School of Theology in San Antonio
S. Janssen (2)
I’d like to share an experience from my first assignment as a pastor at a small parish—a community of hardworking, wonderful people. I was eager to attend every meeting, and one of the first gatherings was the ladies’ club in preparation for Christmas dinner. The menu would be fried chicken, but the main question was: which fried chicken company to choose? One spoke about the virtues of Church’s Chicken, the other of Chickfil-A, and the third of a local company… among all these pros and cons, I tried to listen to everything, and I realized how important this decision was to them.
Even more, it was the other’s idea that was more important. After a solid hour of discussion, someone finally asked the magic question: “Well, I wonder what Father thinks.”
I am sure the Holy Spirit guided my response. I innocently said, “Well, I think it would be good if we served a little bit of each one.” Everyone agreed, and the decision was made.
This is a simple example of synodality. It’s the principle of valuing others as more important than ourselves, with their unique personalities, cultures, and opinions. Because if I had favored one option over the others, I would have alienated some people. Listening is one form of self-denial.
St. John XXIII said that we have to examine how we communicate the Gospel in today’s language and culture. This doesn’t mean losing our tradition but rather
bringing it into contemporary contexts. Looking at our world, one of the greatest needs is overcoming the divisions within our Christian family. There is a need for dialogue in order to be one.
In February, I attended a conference in Germany with 60 bishops from different denominations. We didn’t come together to convert each other; we gathered as brothers and sisters. And while we cannot yet share the Holy Eucharist, we can pray together!
In his letter Nova Millennium Ineunte, St. John Paul II made a plea: to make the Church a “home and school of communion.” He said that this is the great challenge we must face in the new millennium if we want to be faithful to God’s plan and meet the world’s deepest yearning.
This is why we must return to God’s original plan. What was God’s intention in sending Jesus Christ? What is God’s plan for me? What is His plan for your parish and the Church?
It’s the same message from St. John XXIII to St. John Paul II and Pope Francis: dialog, communion, and coming together as brothers and sisters. We may have all of our prayer groups, Parish Council, Finance Council, and Executive Council, but if there’s no love for each other, it’s not relevant. If we instead build relationships of mutual love and truly listen to one another, the Holy Spirit will be present to guide us.
Bishop Mulvey with workshop facilitator Andrew Camilleri.
WHAT REMAINS FROM THE NATIONAL EUCHARISTIC
“We wanted to start a fire,
BY SUSANNE JANSSEN
1The Church in the U.S. is diverse
The crowds were enormous, and one could find everything: the homeschool family with kids in matching dresses and shirts, a priest on a Segway, one with a pierced ear, and another with a cassock. Girls with pink-green striped hair dressed in shorts, others in long dresses. Youth groups with matching T-shirts and ladies in designer clothes on high heels. Mariachi and Matachines, Bluegrass-singing monks and pro-life activists.
All are here for the same purpose: to witness that Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist, to celebrate their faith, to invite others, and to deepen their insight and knowledge. There was 24/7 adoration, long lines for confession, and energizing music. It was indeed a feast for the whole family of Christ.
The center and culmination of every day was the adoration in the evening in the Lucas Oil Stadium. Each evening focused on different music styles; one evening, there was a procession, and another time, a healing prayer—all showing that there are not one but many different forms of adoration, always ending with benediction, which is universal and unifying.
Bishop Andrew Cozzens, who spearheaded the Eucharistic Revival, said that the Eucharistic Congress had Jesus himself at its heart, not a program or speakers, which made it a universal event: “The focus was on Jesus and the Eucharist and surrendering our hearts more to him and drawing close to him, and then also asking him to strengthen us for a mission.” 2 Young people are looking for meaning and devotion
Almost 60,000 people attended the National Eucharistic Congress. It was a sign of the beauty and vitality of our Church.
S. Janssen
CONGRESS? THREE MAIN TAKEAWAYS
fire, not a program”
All generations were present at the National Eucharistic Congress; there were many young people: teenagers who attended the Youth track and jumped tirelessly in front of the stage to Matt Maher’s music. They went to adoration, were taken by the Gregorian chants, and stood in line for the relics of Blessed Carlos Acutis and others. In a world so invaded by social media, pressure and noise, they look for adoration more than for passionate discussions. Several religious communities came with their novices and young members, showing that God is still calling today.
At the Eucharistic Procession through downtown Indianapolis, everyone could see 900 religious in their habits, among them many young faces.
What attracted young people to the congress? A
generation marked by disillusionment, experiencing a divided society with few common values, is looking for something that lasts and outlives all the fast-fading trends on TikTok or YouTube.
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Heb 13:8), as St. Paul wrote to the Hebrews. He can ground young people who need to find their path in a world that tends to be relativistic and overwhelming.
3 We need to seek unity in the Church if we want to give witness to the Eucharist
Gloria Purvis, podcast host, said, “God comes before our party affiliation. Don’t put political party allegiance ahead of allegiance to Christ.” Purvis said we need to seek unity and respect Pope Francis and his teachings. She also called out the sin of racism
because it hurts what we are—God’s family, brothers and sisters.
Bishop Robert Barron urged the participants, too, to seek unity because we are one in the Body of Christ: “We become what we eat. We become a body given to others.” Every Christian is meant to be light for the world.” This revival would be a failure if we didn’t change our society.
In the numbers, the National Eucharistic Congress was impressive. Sixty thousand people attended the gathering. Father Christopher Sullivan, Master of Ceremonies in Lucas Oil Stadium, confirmed that the total number of hosts consecrated throughout
the Congress was 200,000. For Mass and adoration, 12 cases of wine, 400 charcoals for incense, a gallon of incense and 30 cases of water to purify vessels were used.
However, while the National Eucharistic Congress might be over, the Eucharistic Revival has just started. Everyone is now a missionary. Cardinal Luis Tagle explained in his homily of the closing mass that now every participant of the NEC is sent out on a mission: “Go and share what you have touched and felt—share Jesus’ gift of reconciliation and peace with others. A Eucharistic people is a missionary and joyful people.”
Young people praying to worship music at a Youth Mass.
S. Janssen (6)
Our Deacons Fred Castillo, Javier Ebertowski and Jim Craig served at a morning Mass in the Convention Center.
Eucharistic adoration in the Lucas Oil Stadium marked the culmination of each day.
Ten thousands of participants on the move between Lucas Oil Stadium and the Convention Center
Our Diocesan pilgrims at the National Eucharistic Congress attending the procession through downtown Indianapolis.
The monstrance was four feet high and weighed over 20 pounds.
Quotes from the NEC
“Your Christianity is not for you. Christianity is not a self-help program, something designed just to make us feel better about ourselves. Your Christianity is for the world.”
— Bishop Robert Barron, founder of Word on Fire ministries and Bishop of Winona-Rochester, MI
“The Lord is not overwhelmed by you. He loves you, and He sees you, and He’s not deterred by anything.”
— Sister Miriam James Heidland, SOLT
“The Eucharist, for me, is healing. The Eucharist, for me, is peace. The Eucharist, for me, is my grounding. The Eucharist for me is His heart within me.”
— Jonathan Roumie, the actor who portrays Jesus in “The Chosen”
“He who made the promise is true, and so we can be people who repent with courage and joy. What a contradiction to be people who say, ‘I’m broken, and I’m sinful, and I’m joyful, and I’m hopeful.’ What would the world do with a pilgrim people like that?”
— Sister Josephine Garrett, counselor and podcast host, Tyler, Texas
“We believe that God desires to renew his Church and that this renewal will happen through you. And that in renewing His Church, He will renew the world.”
— Bishop Andrew Cozzens, head of the Eucharistic Revival
“We have Him, and nobody can take Him away from us.”
— Mother Olga of the Sacred Heart, founder and servant mother of the Daughters of Mary of Nazareth in the Archdiocese of Boston.
“Knowledge can make one great, but only love can make you a saint.”
— Father Mike Schmitz, host of the “Bible in a Year” podcast, director of Youth and Young Adult Ministry for the Diocese of Duluth
FOLLOWING JESUS: COMMUNAL DISCERNMENT IN A SYNODAL CHURCH
“It
is the decision of the Holy Spirit and us …”
BY FR. BRADY WILLIAMS, SOLT
In recent years, we have become more familiar with the word “synodality” as referring to a way of walking together and listening to the Holy Spirit to follow His voice and inspirations in the Church today. We hear in the Acts of the Apostles: “The community of believers was of one heart and mind, and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they had everything in common” (4:32).
At first, we might get the impression that the oneness of heart and mind meant that there were no disagreements among the disciples and apostles, and they were living in a kind of utopian community. However, nothing could be further from the truth. Within twenty years, the newborn Church would have to discuss some very pertinent issues and come to a clearer discernment of God’s will. The Council of Jerusalem in chapter 15 of the Acts of the Apostles is a great example of some of the earliest disagreements among members of this new community. It is inspiring to hear the account of how they came to the decision not to require circumcision for the new Gentile converts.
The apostles and disciples met in Jerusalem, and three significant things happened. First, they listened to their various experiences, and “after much debate” (15:7), Peter gave two accounts of God’s work among the non-Jewish believers, and Paul and Barnabas shared their experience of preaching to the Gentiles. Secondly, in between these accounts, “the assembly fell silent” (15:12), allowing time for interior reflection. Thirdly, the apostle James opens the Scriptures and gives a kind of Lectio Divina, thus allowing the Word of God to guide their reflection. Three ways of listening emerge: a) sharing of experience, b) silent reflection, and c) turning to the Word of God. Then comes their decision. It is written that they were “in accord” (15:25) and even had the bold confidence to say that “it is the decision of the Holy Spirit and of us…” (15:28).
The account in Acts of the First Council appears, at first, harmless enough and the “much debate” as simply inconsequential hubbub. However, St. Paul recollects in his Letter to the Galatians 2:4-5 that certain false “brothers” wormed their way into the
debate. Whatever ‘agenda’ they were attempting to impose was thwarted and it was the Holy Spirit that prevailed. This, indeed, should give us the confidence and hope we need to move forward in our synodal way of communal discernment. It should be noted that in communal discernment, not every opinion or experience is equally valid. Each person needs to have the proper disposition to listen to the Holy Spirit. As well, it must be identified that what we are discerning communally is good, right, and just. To try to discern anything that would undermine or change essential Church teachings is not discernment at all. We are trying to discern God’s will, not ours. Also, the result is not to come to a consensus for the sake of placating everyone. We should not be afraid of conflict. There should be ‘much debate’ and good conflict in our communal discernment
Fr. Brady Williams, SOLT, is the Director of Our Lady of Corpus Christi Retreat Center and Novice Servant of the SOLT.
as long as it focuses on discovering God’s will. For this to really happen, ‘falling silent’ is essential. St. Ignatius of Loyola, in his rules for discerning God’s will, proposes that through prayer and meditation, the person comes to be ‘like a balance at equilibrium,’ not swayed by his/her passions or prejudices for one choice or another, but rather able to be moved toward that choice to which the Holy Spirit is leading. It may take days, weeks, or even months to come to such freedom of will. If I am able to come to a point where I am more disposed to the movement of the Holy Spirit, then I can be ready to listen to His direction. At this point, the Word of God can find good soil so that we can encounter the Lord in our communal discernment process. The Word of God will convert us, call us to repentance, renew us, and confirm the choice that the Holy Spirit is indicating. Listening to one another, to our hearts, to the Spirit, and to the Word of God provides us with a pattern of communal discernment in harmony with the early Church and the synodal way proposed by our Holy Father, Pope Francis for the Church today.
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The Apostles needed to discern together how to bring ahead the early Church after Jesus’ death and resurrection.
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SIGUIENDO A JESUS: DISCERNIMIENTO COMUNITARIO EN UNA IGLESIA SINODAL
“ES DECISIÓN DEL ESPÍRITU SANTO Y DE NOSOTROS…”
POR PADRE BRADY WILLIAMS, SOLT
En los últimos años, nos hemos familiarizado más con la palabra “sinodalidad”, entendiendo por ella, una manera de caminar juntos y escuchar al Espíritu Santo para seguir su voz e inspiraciones en servicio de la Iglesia de hoy. En los Hechos de los Apóstoles escuchamos: “La comunidad de los creyentes tenía un mismo corazón y una misma alma, y ninguno decía ser suya, propia cosa alguna de las que poseía, sino que tenían todas las cosas en común” (4:32). Al principio, podríamos tener la impresión de que la unidad de corazón y alma significaba que no había desacuerdos entre los discípulos y apóstoles y que vivían en una especie de comunidad utópica. Sin embargo, nada podría estar más lejos de la verdad. Dentro de veinte años, la Iglesia naciente tendría que discutir algunos temas muy pertinentes y llegar a un discernimiento más claro de la voluntad de Dios. El Concilio de Jerusalén, en el capítulo 15 de los
Hechos de los Apóstoles, es un gran ejemplo de algunos de los primeros desacuerdos entre los miembros de esta nueva comunidad. Es inspirador escuchar el relato de cómo llegaron a la decisión de no exigir la circuncisión a los nuevos gentiles convertidos.
Los apóstoles y discípulos se reunieron en Jerusalén y sucedieron tres cosas significativas. En primer lugar, escucharon sus diversas experiencias y, “después de mucho debatir” (15:7), Pedro dio dos relatos de la obra de Dios entre los creyentes no judíos, y Pablo y Bernabé compartieron su experiencia de predicar a los gentiles. En segundo lugar, entre estos relatos, “la asamblea guardó silencio” (15:12), lo que permitió tiempo para la reflexión interior. En tercer lugar, el apóstol Santiago abrió las Escrituras y dio una especie de ‘Lectio Divina’, permitiendo así que la Palabra de Dios guiara su reflexión. Surgen así tres formas de escuchar: a) compartir la experiencia, b) reflexión
A painting of one of the councils of the early Church.
Wikicommons
silenciosa y c) recurrir a la Palabra de Dios. Luego viene su decisión. Está escrito que estaban “de acuerdo” (15:25) e incluso tuvieron la audacia de decir confiados “Es decisión del Espíritu Santo y de nosotros…” (Hechos 15:28).
El relato de los Hechos de los Apóstoles, del Primer Concilio parece, a primera vista, bastante inofensivo y el “mucho debatir” es considerado, como un simple alboroto intrascendente. Sin embargo, San Pablo recuerda en su Carta a los Gálatas 2:4-5 que ciertos falsos “hermanos” se abrieron paso en el debate. Cualquiera que fuera la “agenda” que intentaban imponer fue frustrada y fue el Espíritu Santo el que prevaleció. Esto, de hecho, debería darnos la confianza y la esperanza que necesitamos para avanzar en nuestro camino sinodal de discernimiento comunitario.
Cabe señalar que en el discernimiento comunitario, no todas las opiniones o experiencias son igualmente válidas. Cada persona necesita tener la disposición adecuada para escuchar al Espíritu Santo. Además, debe identificarse que lo que estamos discerniendo comunitariamente es bueno, correcto y justo. Tratar de discernir algo que pueda socavar o cambiar las enseñanzas esenciales de la Iglesia no es discernimiento en absoluto. Estamos tratando de discernir la voluntad de Dios, no la nuestra. Además, el resultado no es llegar a un consenso con el fin de apaciguar a todos. No debemos tener miedo al conflicto. Debería haber
“mucho debatir” y un buen conflicto en nuestro discernimiento comunitario, siempre centrado en la búsqueda de descubrir la voluntad de Dios. Para que esto suceda realmente, es esencial “quedarse en silencio”. San Ignacio de Loyola, en sus reglas para discernir la voluntad de Dios, propone que a través de la oración y la meditación, la persona llegue a ser “como una balanza en equilibrio”, no influida por sus pasiones o prejuicios, o por una u otra opción, sino más bien capaz de ser movida hacia esa elección a la que el Espíritu Santo le está guiando. Puede llevar días, semanas o incluso meses llegar a esa libertad de voluntad. Si soy capaz de llegar a un punto en el que estoy más dispuesto al movimiento del Espíritu Santo, entonces puedo estar listo para escuchar Su dirección. En este punto, la Palabra de Dios puede encontrar tierra fértil para poder encontrarnos con el Señor en nuestro proceso de discernimiento comunitario. La Palabra de Dios nos convencerá, nos convertirá, nos llamará al arrepentimiento, nos renovará y confirmará la elección que el Espíritu Santo nos está indicando. Escucharnos unos a otros, escuchar a nuestros corazones, al Espíritu y a la Palabra de Dios, nos proporciona un modelo de discernimiento comunitario en armonía con la Iglesia primitiva y el camino sinodal propuesto por nuestro Santo Padre, el Papa Francisco para la Iglesia de hoy.
BIOETHICS 101: TOLERATING BAD SIDE-EFFECTS
The Principle of Double Effect goes back to St. Thomas Aquinas
BY FR. RICHARD LIBBY
Have you ever had to make a decision that was intended to bring about a good result but that held a strong possibility of a bad one, too? If you know that there will be a bad result, can you choose to pursue the good result? The question comes up at times, especially in medical matters. This is the reason that the Catholic Church approves the use of the Principle of Double Effect. If applied properly, the principle of double effect will help you to have clarity about the moral permissibility of actions and decisions that entail both good results and bad ones.
The Principle of Double Effect has developed over the centuries, thanks to the work of Catholic philosophers and theologians. One of those who contributed to its development was St. Thomas Aquinas; his contributions came from his writings, not on medicine, but on self-defense. St. Thomas held that the act of self-defense may have two effects: first, protecting one’s own life, and second, ending the life of the attacker. If the intention is to protect one’s own life, then the act is justified, even though the possibility of the aggressor’s serious injury or death is foreseen.
In its classic formulation, the Principle of Double Effect has four conditions. First, the action under consideration must not be intrinsically evil. If it is an intrinsically evil act (one that is evil in itself and that cannot become good under any circumstances), then the principle of double effect will not apply; intrinsically evil acts must be rejected.
Second, the foreseen bad effect must not be willed but only tolerated. Third, the good effect must not be caused by the bad effect. Both the good effect and the bad effect must be the results of the action itself. Finally, there must be a due proportion between the good and bad effect effects. The bad effect cannot outweigh the good effect; the moral value of the good effect must be equal to that of the bad effect, if not greater. When all four of these conditions are met, then it is morally permissible to choose a treatment that will have a bad effect as well as a good effect.
The principle of double effect holds a place of honor in the moral assessment of medical matters. The classic medical moral dilemma is the case
of a pregnant woman who is diagnosed with cancer of the uterus. Imagine that her cancer is spreading so rapidly that it threatens both her life and her baby’s life and that there is no possibility of saving both. In a case like this, could the mother submit to a hysterectomy? A hysterectomy is not inherently evil; the resulting death of the baby in the womb would be foreseen but not willed, the good effect (the saving of the mother’s life) would not be caused by the bad effect (the death of the baby), and the two lives are equal in value. Under such circumstances, the mother may opt for a hysterectomy.
Here’s another example: imagine a terminally ill patient who is not expected to live for more than a week and who is in a lot of pain. The doctor could increase the patient’s pain medication, even knowing that the increase might shorten the patient’s life. The use of pain medication is not intrinsically evil; the shortening of life, though foreseen, would not be directly willed (the direct
Fr. Richard Libby, Chancellor of the Diocese and Pastor at St. Helena of the True Cross of Jesus parish in Corpus Christi, answers questions on bioethics.
In medical treatment, the positive effect must be equal to or greater than the adverse side effects. According to Catholic moral theology, the positive effect in medical treatment must be equal to or greater than the adverse side effects.
intention is to decrease the pain); the good effect would not be caused by the bad effect; and there would be a due proportion between the two effects since the patient’s last days would be more comfortable than they would have been otherwise.
Let it be understood that the principle of double effect helps us to make decisions in difficult matters when no better option exists. It should be
seen as a way to navigate difficult decisions, not as a way to excuse behavior that the Church does not condone. If there is an option that would avoid any bad effects, that is the one that should be chosen, but the principle of double effect exists to help people to be at peace when the only option includes a bad effect along with the desired good effect.
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WOMAN OF STRENGTH: ST. CATHERINE OF SIENA
A Singular Soul
BY ELIZABETH MORALES
Born Caterina di Jacopo di Benincasa on March 25, 1347, in the city of Siena, a region in Tuscany, Italy, St. Catherine of Siena was the 23rd of 25 children for her parents Jacopo and Lapa Benincasa. Her mother was forty when she gave birth to twin girls, Caterina and Giovanna, with Giovanna passing away during infancy.
Growing up a cheerful child, Catherine’s family gave her the nickname “Euphrosyne,” which is Greek for “joy.” As a teenager, Catherine’s older sister passed away during childbirth, and Jacopo and Lapa wanted Catherine to marry the widower. Out of refusal, Catherine cut off her hair to appear less attractive to prospective suitors.
Unwilling to marry, Catherine neither desired to enter a convent. Instead, she chose to live a religious lay life with a group of women who followed the Dominican rule, a community that would become the Dominican Third Order.
Due to her association with the Order, fellow
Dominican sisters taught Catherine to read, and although she remained living at home, Catherine cloistered herself from her family.
During this time, she would give away food and clothing without her family’s permission, causing stress within the home, but she would endure their complaints and not ask anything for herself.
At twenty-one, Catherine experienced a vision she described as her “mystical marriage with Jesus,” where she was given a ring from Jesus that only she could see upon her request. In this vision, she was told to reenter active life with society and devote herself to helping the sick and poor. She served the community this way from 1367 to 1374, developing a reputation as a holy woman.
With her involvement in serving the needs of those within Siena, Catherine began dictating letters to scribes who helped her ministry, engaging in correspondence with leaders regarding politics
The head of St. Catherine is preserved in a reliquary in the Basilica of San Domenico in Siena, Italy – the saint’s hometown.
and reform of the Church. One day, she traveled to Florence, probably related to matters concerning the Dominicans, and around this time, she became the spiritual directee of Bl. Raymond of Capua. In Bl. Raymond’s biography, he says Catherine received the stigmata seen only by her, upon her request.
Catherine’s engagements with religious and political activities of the time developed into her multiple writings to Pope Gregory XI, the last Avignon Pope, in which she expressed the need for unity within the Church. Seven popes tied to the French monarchy resided in Avignon, France, and Catherine pleaded with Pope Gregory XI to return to Rome.
Her letter writing also included communications with kings of France and Hungary, the Queen of Naples and the Visconti family of Milan. Her letters are now celebrated texts within early Tuscan literature.
She also began dictating her most wellknown work, Dialogue, which focuses on divine providence, discretion, prayer, and obedience. It encapsulates her conversations with God in moments of divine ecstasy.
Pope Gregory XI returned to Rome in 1377 and passed away in 1378, then the Great Schism of the West developed.
Living a life of austerity and fasting, Catherine remained devoted to building unification within the Church upon this new division, but her health had declined. Bl. Raymond advised her to eat more, but she claimed illness prevented her from doing so.
Catherine’s earthly life departed April 29, 1380, at the age of 33, eight days after suffering from a stroke.
Though her young life drew to a close, her example of faithfulness to the magisterium of the Catholic Church lived on. Pope Pius II canonized her in 1461.
Catherine was later declared co-patroness of Rome by Pope Pius IX in 1866 and co-patron of Italy, along with St. Francis of Assisi, by Pope Pius XII in 1939. Additionally, in 1970, Pope Paul VI named Sts. Teresa of Avila and Catherine of Siena the first female Doctors of the Church.
Catherine also was made co-patron saint of Europe by Pope John Paul II in 1999; alongside Sts. Benedict of Nursia, Cyril and Methodius, Bridget of Sweden, and Teresa Benedicta of the Cross.
Her relics remain at Santa Maria sopra Minerva in Rome and the Basilica of San Domenico in Siena.
St. Catherine of Siena’s feast day is April 29. She is also the patron saint of fire prevention.
The Mystic Marriage of Saint Catherine of Siena on a painting around 1645.
Saint Catherine of Siena was passionate about the unity of the Church.
Being of Service
BY STC
They attended classes for five years; they met regularly, and they studied and passed exams.
Now, the Church deems them ready to be ordained as permanent deacons. Bishop Michael Mulvey will ordain them at Corpus Christi Cathedral on November 9 at 10 am. During their last monthly gathering, some of them reflected on what they expected from becoming deacons—and the first answer all of them had was “Serve the Church.”
The future deacons will assist the liturgies; they can hold baptisms and funeral services, be assigned
to a parish and help in different ministries.
The word diakonos derives from Greek and means “helper.” In the Acts of the Apostles, there were complaints that the Greek widows were neglected during the daily food distribution. Therefore, the Apostles chose seven men of good reputation to help with the practical duties, while the Apostles focused on preaching the Word of God (see Acts 6:1—7). These seven men were the first deacons – responsible for the practical and charitable needs of the church, while over time also assisting the ministry of priests.
Here are the ten candidates and their home parishes:
• Michael Jeffrey Brady, St. Philip the Apostle in Corpus Christi
• Thomas Christopher Gonzalez, Ss. Cyril & Methodius, Corpus Christi
• Brian Richard Iber, St. Pius X
• William Herbert Larson, St. Philip the Apostle, Corpus Christi
• Charles Edward Mendoza, St. Philip the Apostle, Corpus Christi
• Edward Lee Mireles, St. John Nepomucene, Robstown
• Adrian Perez, St. Joseph, Corpus Christi
• Adrian Rodriguez, Sacred Heart, Sinton
• Ray Antony Saenz, St. John Nepomucene, Robstown
• Vincent John Stark, Most Precious Blood, Corpus Christi
The future deacons were installed as acolytes last September at St. Philips.
S. Janssen
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