A Culture of Encounter by Mollie Clark

enough humility. There is too much righteous indignation and not enough curiosity. There is too much reactivity and not enough spacious generosity.

Shortly after I returned from Rome, a dear friend who is a Jewish faith leader lamented that discourse around the current violence in the Holy Land lacks nuance and minimizes the incredible complexity of the conflict. As I listened to her fear, hurt, and frustration, my heart was moved. I thought of the photos of hundreds of delegates from around the globe seated at round tables sharing spiritual conversations. I thought of the conversations our team facilitated among university students and shared among ourselves. These conversations create the kind of space for which my friend was longing. They strengthen our muscles for relationships across differences.

We are in desperate need of the countercultural example of synodality that is “salt and light” (Matt. 5:13–16) to a fractured world. Synodal practices, modeled by delegates sharing in spiritual conversation in the synod hall and in listening sessions throughout the world, encourage mutual listening and making room for the other.

“Why was I chosen to observe such a monumental moment of church history? How can I share this gift with others?”

A Culture of Encounter

BY MOLLIE CLARK

For me, synodality at its core is about encounter. Sharing my story is only effective if, in doing so, I invite the person with whom I am speaking to do the same. This experience of encounter has manifested itself in a multitude of ways.

Last October, I had the immense privilege of taking a pilgrimage to Rome to bear witness to the first part of the Universal Stage of the Synod on Synodality as part of a class devoted to the study of the synodal process and its place in our church today. In the weeks leading up to our departure, I was consumed by doubt. In prayer, I frequently asked God: “Why was I chosen to observe such a monumental moment of church history? How can I share this gift with others?” However, my time in Rome proved to be transformational.

In the words of a letter from the delegates released at the close of the assembly, “the Church’s vocation is to proclaim the Gospel not by focusing on itself, but by placing itself at the service of the infinite love with which God loved the world.”

This echoes the vision of Gaudium et Spes (The Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World) that the church is to be leaven.

Pope Francis has called for Christians to be “artisans of peace.” This call is intrinsically related to Pope Francis’ challenge to become a listening church and embrace “this path of synodality which God expects of the Church of the third millennium,” to not only have a synod but to “be a synod.” As the people of God walk the synodal path, we are salt, light, and leaven for a world in need.

Rhonda Miska is a preacher, teacher, writer, lay ecclesial minister, and spiritual director currently serving in the Archdiocese of St. Paul-Minneapolis. She is a graduate of the Boston College School of Theology and Ministry, is active in Discerning Deacons, and writes regularly for print and digital Catholic publications.

My class had the opportunity to spend time with people who authentically embody synodality. This included voting synod delegates, members of Sant’Egidio, a volunteer organization that serves those on the margins, and representatives from Discerning Deacons and IPJC, who spent their time educating students about the application of synodality in the real world. Each interaction was imbued with the Holy Spirit, and every person imparted their own wisdom.

During our time with Discerning Deacons, we participated in a Conversation in the Spirit, voting members’ primary method of discernment. This experience enabled me to immerse myself in the deep, prayerful listening and discernment that are pillars of a church whose members truly journey together. In that moment, synodality became tangible to me. I finally had

an answer to my previous concerns. Sharing what was in my heart and receiving the stories that poured out of others, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, served as an example of “being church” in a spirit of radical inclusivity and love.

Just as the synod is an ongoing process, one that will not end in October 2024, so too are the diverse ways we are called to embody synodality. Human beings are fallible, and even as I try to work with my classmates to share our experience in Rome with the Fordham community and beyond, there are many stumbling blocks along the way. Doubt still creeps in. This is new territory, and while it is such a gift to have a role in “widening the tent,” even in a small way, there is still so much to learn and embrace. I’ve found that a meaningful way to bring synodality to campus life is to recognize that it is something meant to be lived, not simply a concept to be taught.

As a final project for our class, three other students and I organized a “synodal art gallery.” We commissioned students from Fordham and other institutions to create art that reflected their experiences with the divine and their hopes for the future of a synodal church. During campus events, we initiated conversations with students regarding the synod, particularly with those who were unfamiliar with the concept. We invited these students to reflect on their unique experiences with the church, both empowering and difficult. These individual encounters are the source and summit of my experience of synodality on Fordham’s campus.

The beauty of synodality is that it can be embodied in innumerable ways. This semester, in response to the Synod Office’s call to hear more voices from the U.S. church, I am collaborating with another student who journeyed to Rome to organize Conversations in the Spirit for members of the Fordham community. This would not be possible without the invaluable participation of students training to be facilitators, creating content for social media outreach, and participating in the dialogue itself, sharing their stories with the church and one another. The contribution of each person’s time, gifts, and voice has culminated in a genuine embodiment of a synodal church. Even before the Conversations in the Spirit unfold, synodality is breathing life into our community and, consequently, the church.

Mollie Clark is a sophomore at Fordham University majoring in English and theology with a concentration in American Catholic Studies. Since her return from witnessing the Synod on Synodality, she is passionate about bringing the concept of synodality to her fellow students in an accessible manner.

Images from the "synodal art gallery" organized by Fordham students. © Mollie Clark