Day 532 Monday, August 30th, 2021

Why we need to insist that our voices be heard at a Synod

Next month, each diocese will receive a questionnaire from the Office of the Synod of Bishops inviting the people to voice their opinions and concerns about the future of the institutional Church. From October 2021 through April 2022,

Pope Francis has called upon every diocese throughout the world for bishops and the people to engage in dialogue.

The pope wants to hear from all the people - not only those who are engaged in regular Mass attendance but even those who've walked away from the institutional Church valuing their personal faith over so-called "Church laws" and prescripts.

We have a rare opportunity to let our voices be heard through a petition and also by mailing a letter to our local priests and bishops. We need a synod to express our thoughts and feelings about our Church.

Read why so many are signing the petition:

"I'm signing because I can no longer accept the Catholic Church as it has evolved. I now pray to Christ who began our Faith but did not include the manner in which it has evolved. I have learned that the Church that we know began to evolve at least 1,000 years later and was totally delivered by men who did not marry and did not include women." Dublin, Ireland

"The Church has strayed and needs to get back on mission and reflect its true role. We also owe it to those who have left and are leaving the Church in droves, particularly young people, and again become relevant to the times we live in, the needs we have, and the new understandings we have gained." - John, Melbourne, Australia

"I believe all that is written in this petition from the depths of my being! We have lost so much that Vatican II enabled - and we desperately need to get it back before this patriarchal hierarchy smothers us all. We need to pray for those who stand in the way of Pope Francis’ efforts to bring us back much more closely to what Jesus had envisioned!" - Mary, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA

"I am deeply committed to the Catholic Church because this is how I came to know God. Most of my heroes have been and are here. I love the Mass and Sacraments, but I think that we have to move beyond the present clericalism and learn to better hear Jesus and live the Gospels." - Kathryn, Raleigh, N. Carolina

“I am signing because I believe in an evolutionary Church; that Jesus expects and guides us to change in order to grow. I believe our young people are underscoring this understanding.” - Harry, St Paul, Minnesota, USA

Sign this petition (Link)

Pope Francis has called for a diocesan synod to be held in every diocese throughout the world beginning this coming October. This first step is scheduled to conclude by April 2022. Without encouragement from the People, some bishops will choose not to hold this synod in their diocese.

Below you will find a model letter in your own language that you are encouraged to use to help you formulate your own letter to your bishop, pastor, or priest. The purpose is to let the clergy know how important it is for the People of God to be included and listened to in these forthcoming diocesan synods.

Here's a model letter each of us can use to create our own, personal letter in WORD and PDF Formats to local priests, the bishop of Santa Rosa and other Bishops areas too. Let our voices be heard!

For more information about this important conversation please link to this page:

https://www.catholicchurchreform.org/216/index.php/news/news/327-engaging-the-people-in-pope-francis-synods