November 18th, 2021
What is a Synod?
What is this Synod About?
Introduction
Background
In 2014,
priorities and goals for the Diocese of Ogdensburg were prayerfully developed
and announced after an extensive envisioning process facilitated by the
Catholic Leadership Institute. The process included eleven listening sessions
held around the Diocese by Bishop Terry R. LaValley. The priorities and goals
developed continue to guide the diocesan mission and are intended to be living,
continuously revisited and refreshed. Bishop LaValley views the Synod journey as
an opportunity to discuss anew the diocesan goals and priorities while engaging
in the wider synodal discussions and journey at the parish level, diocesan
level and for the universal Church. The Synod also coincides with the Diocese
of Ogdensburg’s 150th anniversary and is part of the celebration.
Rather than repeating the diocesan-level process used in 2014,
Synodal conversations were held largely at the parish level. To that end, each
pastor was asked to appoint a delegate for his parish or parish group. Pastors
and delegates participated in one of three regional delegate training sessions,
which were designed to explain and model synodal conversations. A three-phase
approach was suggested. The three phases include reaching out to:
1. Existing
ministry groups
2. “People
in the pews”
3. Those
outside or on the margins of the Church
Pastors and delegates were
provided packets with resources to aid them in facilitating Synodal
conversations. Delegate packets and additional resources were also distributed
via email and on the diocesan website. Delegates were further supported with
weekly online discussions that enabled them to share and discuss ideas and
challenges.
Figure 1. Yellow indicates synodal discussion summary(ies) received. Click image for larger map.
Response
We received feedback
from approximately half of the parishes, see Figure 1. The majority of feedback
came from the first two phases referenced above, ministry groups and people in
the pews.
Delegates found limited success
reaching out beyond the parish or to those on the margins of the Church. Recognizing
there were parishes with little participation and a lack of response from the
margins, the diocesan Synod Committee created and published an online survey with
a paper option to collect individual responses and linked to them from our
Anniversary page https://150.rcdony.org.
During our compilation of this
report, the committee closely reviewed the My2Cents statistical reports. Reaching
out through in this manner did not reach phase 3 people – those outside the
Church or in the margins. In fact, 114 of 119 responses (96%) listed themselves
as Catholic. Of the 113 responses to “How often do you attend Mass?”, 104
responded daily or weekly. The My2Cents survey succeeded in providing a
platform for those unable to participate in synodal discussions for health or
security reasons. However, it failed to reach those outside the Church.
Difficulties arose from the
timing of the start of the Synodal process. Delays occurred due to the busy
Advent season and parishioners leaving for warmer
climates. COVID also hampered the gathering for synodal conversations. For
those who were able to participate, delegate reports indicated many
participants were surprised by how much they enjoyed the in-depth discussions
about how we journey together as Church. The Diocesan Synod Committee and
Bishop LaValley reviewed all feedback received from the parish conversations as
well as individual responses such as from the My2Cents survey. Areas of consensus
in the feedback received from the parish conversations are reflected in this
report. The My2Cents feedback was used to supplement the synthesis, providing support
or counter-voice in communion with the Holy Spirit.
Writing the Synthesis
This synthesis was composed in a
synodal fashion. The diocesan Synod Committee reviewed the feedback as a group,
asking, “how are we journeying together, what do we hear, what is the consensus,
and where is consensus lacking?”The synthesis is intended to reflect what
was shared without clarification or conclusions.
Synthesis
Consensus
Two major themes emerged from the
responses: “Who are the people of God?” and “How are we journeying together?”
Who are the people of God?
The universal Church allows and
encourages diversity including expressions of spirituality.[i] Rather than divide us, our
diversity should be a source of strength. A variety of discussions reflected
the idea that input from diverse voices should be sought by Church leadership
at all levels. Anxiety exists regarding the institutional Church and her leadership’s
perceived lack of connection to the modern world.
There is strong consensus that
people are hungry for relationship with each other and with their priests,
especially sacramentally.[ii] The pastor's attitude and
presence set the tone for the parish and school.
Joined or merged parishes need to
see themselves as real, singular faith communities, journeying together and
sharing resources. As parishes come together, mission and vision must override
the tendency to compete.
There is a call to recognize the
giftedness of the laity and encourage collaboration and co-responsibility for
the mission of the Church. We promote collegiality by identifying and promoting
the talents of others.
The Church is seen as judgmental
and rulebound; we need to reach out and journey with people on the margins. Those
coming to church out of obligation, visitors and parishioners not involved in
ministry may not feel welcome. Some of the marginalized were identified as lapsed
Catholics, transient, poor, those struggling with moral teachings, elderly,
homebound, prisoners, women, divorced/separated, young, LGBTQ, those preferring
the Extraordinary Form of the Mass[iii], liberals, non-whites,
special needs and broken families. Due to the abuse scandal, some rejected the
Church, creating a new group on the margins.
There is a desire to better
understand Church teaching regarding marginalized groups, especially LGBTQ.
Many of the responses also indicated a desire to understand how to apply and live
applicable Church teachings.
At the diocesan Youth Rally, “In
HIS House”, on April 2, 2022, the Evangelization Office offered youth ages 12
to 18 a fifteen-question survey that breaks down into five categories. Students
were asked to rank a statement’s validity on a scale of 1 (Not true at all) to
5 (Very true). A link to the survey used at the Youth Rally is available in the
Appendix. The highest scoring category is Celebrating, where youth were
asked about participating in religious celebrations and the meaning those
celebrations have in their lives.
[i] Comes from several discussions regarding the Novo Ordo and Extraordinary Form.
[ii] This comment arose from parishes struggling in a parish grouping or with unrealized
expectations or a pastor that may be struggling.
[iii] The Extraordinary Form of the Mass was not the term used. References were to
the Latin Mass or lack of reverence in the Ordinary Form of the Mass.
How are we journeying together?
The diocese and parishes need to
clarify their mission and vision statements. Many of those participating in the
discussions recognize a lack of understanding of worship and sacramental life
and would like to hear homilies that connect the Gospel and Church teaching to their
lives.
Formation
In a number of discussions, the
faithful expressed that many of their fellow parishioners have not encountered
Christ in the Eucharist. There is concern some see Him or the Eucharist as
unimportant, irrelevant and not present in their lives.
On the other side of the coin,
conversations indicate the importance of articulating the tenets of the faith
in a way that is accessible and understandable to the inadequately catechized.
There is strong consensus that
parental involvement in catechesis is necessary and lacking. Some discussions
also pointed out a need to balance catechesis with experiences of faith and a relationship
with Christ.
The need for catechesis is not
limited to children. Adults seek opportunities to learn the teachings of the
Church, the rationale behind those teachings and how to apply Church teachings
in their daily lives. People want to be taught to pray; they want their
churches open and available for both personal and communal prayer. There is also
a genuine desire for opportunities to participate in devotions.
There is strong consensus that
the breakdown of the family has made passing on the faith more difficult and
hinders all aspects of formation and vocational awareness. Participants in the Synod
discussion broadly desire to engage youth and accompany them on their faith
journey.
We need to promote church
vocations.
Community
The theme of community appeared
in the majority of comments. Community is described in many forms in the varied
discussions.
There is consensus that community
is created within parishes through shared experiences. Examples of shared
experiences include outreach and service, events and intentional small groups
meant to promote deeper sharing and opportunities to be vulnerable. Hospitality
and fellowship are viewed as means to strengthen and support community. Invitation
is critical to improving our sense of community, engaging the marginalized and
sharing the Gospel. Invitations should be personal, joyful and enthusiastic.
They need to be expressed through widely varied channels such as individual
contact, phone calls, preaching, bulletins, social media, mailings and other
means. The value of good greeters is mentioned often.
Participation and discussion
Discussions reveal a longing for
opportunities to be heard and for safe, non-judgmental dialogue. Participants
indicate they do not engage in conversations related to faith or Church decision-making.
This is attributed to fear or a lack of deep knowledge, as well as the
perception that people do not listen unless it fits their viewpoint. Polarization,
created by unexamined biases in modern culture, makes listening to each other very
difficult.
At the Youth Rally, the second
lowest score was given to the statement “I feel heard when I have participated
in some activity of event at the parish, in parish groups, etc.” Of the five
categories of questioning, the categories of Listening and Discern
and Decide tied for the second lowest average scores. The category Participation
and Responsibility scored second best.
A sense of disconnection between
the Church hierarchy and the people is described in a number of comments. It is
asked, “Does the Catholic bureaucracy inhibit sharing?”
Whether anything will come of
this Synodal process is a source of both hope and pessimism. The Synod was
compared to the Diocese of Ogdensburg’s 2014-2015 Census which several comments
described as a missed opportunity for evangelization due to a lack of follow up
in many parishes.[i]
[i] LaValley, Most Rev. Terry R., Pastoral Letter “Find Your Home in Christ”, April
9, 2014, https://www.rcdony.org/about/mission.html.
Outreach
Comments indicated the Church
must go forth and convert the world and affect the culture rather than building
a fortress to protect herself. The faithful are called to service to God and
His people. It is through this service we bring others to a joyful encounter
and a relationship with Christ. Many outreach ministries were mentioned such
as: phone trees, soup kitchens, drivers, and bereavement and prison ministry. Community
outreach can happen in collaboration with other agencies and faiths.
For some Synod participants,
COVID created a disconnect from the sacraments, the Church and community. In
others, it reinvigorated the longing for community and sacraments. Livestreamed
liturgies offered many people a connection to the celebration of the Mass which
some recognized as imperfect.[i]
Specifically, outreach to the
homebound and additional ministers for that outreach were expressed as needs. Comments
emphasized that the homebound remain part of our parish communities. As such, the
homebound can participate in ministry through actions such as praying for
others.
Responses
suggested communication to internal and external audiences needs to increase
and improve, especially via digital means. This was supported when “The voice
of the Church is heard in our society, denouncing injustice and announcing the
message of Jesus” received the lowest average score and poorest distribution of
scores on the Youth Rally Survey. The questions in this category, The Church
and the World, received the lowest average score.
Outliers
Feedback received from parishes revealed
consensus on the themes above, desire for community, hospitality, relationship,
adult faith formation and faith sharing opportunities, and concern for youth.
Other themes are mentioned in only one or two parishes and corroborated in the
My2Cents survey feedback or repeatedly emerge in the My2Cents feedback alone. Most
of these themes qualify as being on the extremes of the theological spectrum. These
comments are included to ensure the synthesis remains as synodal as possible, supporting
a listening environment where individuals have the courage to speak and be
heard.
Included in those comments is a call for a
greater role for women in the Church, with some calling for women’s ordination
to priesthood or diaconate. This is expressed by some as solution to the
shortage of priests. In response to the lack of priestly vocations, there is a
call for married priests.
Generally, there is a recognition that LGBTQ
persons are marginalized. There are comments and questions about how to welcome
members of this community while upholding Church teachings. However, there are voices
that call for recognition of gay/same-sex marriage or blessings of same sex
unions. At the same time, other voices counter that it is vital that the church
continues to promote and proclaim difficult teachings such as those related to life
issues and homosexuality.
In some conversations and in the survey,
especially with young adults, a hunger for the “rejuvenation of the Mass” rises
to the top. There is a desire for reverence, quality music and homilies, prayer
and a sense of welcoming. For many others, the desire for tradition is a
pre-Vatican II mentality that is divisive and polarizing.
Especially in the My2Cents survey, respondents feel
as though they marginalized and not part of the community. Many indicate they feel
unwelcome in their parishes. Others opine that they are marginalized because
they hold opinions on an extreme of the theological spectrum.
Although there were not many conversations with
those who left the Church, whether they became non-affiliated or joined another
denomination, there is a need to share the few such comments submitted. For
some, there is a great sadness. Most speak about their experience of Church
being uninformed and consisting of boring ritual. The Church is seen as
judgmental, and participants feel rejected.
On the other hand, many respondents to the survey
wrote beautiful stories of their journeys back to the faith or of conversions
to the faith. These stories came as responses to a question about their
experience of Church or faith.
Although these outlying themes did not rise to a
level of diocesan consensus and communion, they speak to the greater theme of
how we journey together. They speak to the themes of community, inclusion, and
the need to overcome division and polarization. There is a need to be able to
speak courageously and a need for all to listen.
[i] The livestream connection many found during COVID highlights a distorted understanding
of presence and communion.
Committee observations
The process of writing this
report attempted to continue in the spirit of the Synod and included prayer,
open discussion and seeking a communion of ideas. After hosting and
participating in dozens of synod sessions and during the synthesizing of group
discussions and responses collected, the Synod Committee developed observations
and ideas derived from the Synod discussion but not stated.
The Synod provides a much-needed
opportunity for dialogue among the people of the diocese. The overarching area
of consensus is the need for community, including such themes as hospitality,
inclusion, invitation. Even the theme of marginalization speaks of including
and inviting those on the margins back into community. The theme of outreach
speaks to inclusion of the marginalized, but also speaks to how service and
working with others on a common mission builds community and spiritual
friendships. There is a deep sense of isolation and loneliness that existed
before and became more prevalent with COVID.
Despite the predominance of the community
theme, responses almost never make any connection between the Mass, the
Eucharist and the community being sought. One quiet comment was, “There is a
lack of understanding of worship and the sacramental life.” That lack of
understanding extends to the teaching and structure of the Church. This misunderstanding
appears occasionally in discussion groups and more frequently in private
responses. The good news is many desire adult catechesis and formation on how
to compassionately live the teaching of the Church. The bad news is many are
shopping for a Church where they can pick and choose the personality,
spirituality and teachings they value personally. A disconnect exists between
an individual’s desires and being in communion with the people of their parish.
This consumer mentality is
present in remarks about traditional and progressive Catholics. On a positive
note, it primarily emerges from discussions that acknowledge a fear of division
in the Church community. The consumer mentality questions the validity or desirability
of the other side of the spectrum. It limits or extinguishes dialogue, any attempt
to appreciate others’ perspectives and recognition of the value of other
expressions of spirituality. Some of this stems from a lack of understanding of
Church and Mass.
Many discussions regarding the
lack of youth engagement in the parish disregard the need for parents to lead
the family to Church and God. Similarly, many comments about vocations do not
recognize that vocations come primarily from family life and a wider
understanding of the daily realities of clerical and religious life. Zero
comments were received about the lack of men, especially fathers, participating
in sacramental life.
The biggest contributor to the
health of a parish seems to be its pastor. It is difficult to replace a
pastor’s presence. The dwindling number of priests and need for pastors to take
on more parishes or worship sites presents enormous challenges. The committee asked
repeatedly, “What happens to parishes when struggling or inadequate pastors are
left in place?”
There was both surprise and
disappointment at how little discussion related directly to current social
justice and political issues. The committee speculates some participants
self-censored to avoid political and cultural polarizing topics. Polarization is
a most effective form of anti-communion.
In several discussions about
marginalized groups, it is evident that quality catechesis is needed. For
example, statements regarding the marginalization of the LGBTQ community seemed
to reflect media assertions rather than Church teaching or practice.
Catholics struggle to understand
and apply Church teaching to many of today's hot button topics like marriage,
divorce and annulments, the critical role of family in vocations,
evangelization, Eucharist, sexuality and science. Leading the faithful through
the quagmire calls for knowledgeable presenters to build a foundation of
understanding Church teaching and demonstrate how to live the Christian life.
Diocesan staff and other appropriate subject matter experts need to be present
in parishes.
In general, there is a strong
desire for adult faith formation and small-group faith sharing. The committee
sees many Catholics struggle to share their faith because they do not recognize
God’s grace in their lives and are reluctant to share their stories with
others.
Many parishioners do not feel
they have the ability or comfort to use language of faith especially with family
or friends. Parents are the primary teachers of their children. The practice
and transmission of the faith is fundamentally damaged.
Although it was helpful during
COVID, people are mainly tired of online events and desire opportunities to
gather, share and learn from one another.
Conclusions:
Thanks are given to God for this
opportunity to journey together, to the Holy Father for convening this Synod,
and to all who participated in the Synod process and conversations. These
efforts will help us continue to strive for Our Sacred Purpose: “Christ-led,
Christ-fed, and hope-filled, the Diocese of Ogdensburg joyfully invites the
people of the North Country to the journey of faith through the proclamation of
the Gospel, the celebration of the Eucharist and the Sacraments, and the loving
service of neighbor.”
Toward that goal, these
discussions and what we learned from them strengthen our resolve to revisit and
refresh our efforts as they relate to the Diocesan Priorities developed in 2014:
Building Parishes with Living Stones, Strengthening Faith Formation in Family
Life, and Creating a Culture of Vocations.
Building Parishes with Living Stones
To build strong parishes, the
living stones, the people of God, must be connected, supporting and
strengthening one another. An overarching area of consensus in the Synod
discussions was the need for community. As part of the Body of Christ, all should
grow in relationship with Christ and so with one another through prayer,
fellowship, faith sharing, hospitality, dialogue, inclusion, and invitation.
Pastors are ordained to model Christ’s love and participate actively in their
parish communities, setting the tone for their parishes.
There is need for continued and
increased outreach to those on the margins. Continued dialogue within parishes
and communities to increase empathy and understanding is a means to overcome
polarization and division and marginalization. Joined or merged parishes,
especially, need to prioritize creating opportunities for community and collaboration.
As the Body of Christ, we should
recognize and encourage the giftedness of the laity, involve diverse perspectives
and voices in leadership and decision making, and encourage collaboration and
co-responsibility.
Strengthening Faith Formation in Life
The domestic Church, the family,
is the critical transmitter of the faith and is responsible for bringing
children to a relationship with Christ and His Church. Parents should be engaged
in catechesis for their children and their own ongoing faith formation.
Additionally, there is a yearning
among adult faithful to deepen their knowledge of the truth of the Gospels and
Church teachings and how to live those truths in the world. The faithful seek
to know Christ through learning to pray and encountering Him the sacraments.
Creating a Culture of Vocations
All are called to holiness by
virtue of their baptism. There is a need to ensure youth are taught and shown
the importance of discernment and vocational awareness, whether to the
dedicated single or married life, priesthood or consecrated life, which is a
primary responsibility of the family. The entire Church community, as the
living stones, provides support, call and formation for all vocations.
Steps Going Forward
In light of this report, which is
a snapshot in time, we, as members of the Body of Christ, need to envision anew
our mission, goals and priorities. What steps do we take to actually build
community and form leadership so as to build parishes with living stones? How do we encourage our people to engage in
formation, continual life-long learning and deep conversations about their
faith so that they can be confident to go out as missionary disciples and
become courageous witnesses to the love of Christ in the world? How do we
improve our communication, both internally and externally, to show the beauty,
truth and goodness of God mediated through the Church so that all will be drawn
in, and desire to come and see and experience the joy of following Christ?
May we continue this synodal
process, as members of the Body of Christ, re-learn the art of listening to God
and one another, and speaking the truth in love, and truly journeying on this
pilgrimage together while inviting all to join us on the way.
