January 2022 – Introduction
“The whole Church is convoked in Synod” – with these simple but dramatic words, Pope Francis has issued an historic invitation to us all to participate in the most extensive consultation the Catholic Church has ever seen. We are asked to reflect prayerfully on our experience of the Church, both the joyful and the painful, and to discern where the Holy Spirit has been at work in our lives. Out of this exercise of prayer and discernment, we are asked to share our hopes and dreams for the future of the Church.
The word synod means “walking or journeying together”. We are a pilgrim people, always on life’s journey towards our God, just like the People of God led by Moses through the desert to the Promised Land. And, just like the Israelites, we sometimes take wrong turns and get lost, or are fed up with our lot, or prefer other gods and other priorities. But God’s guiding Spirit is always faithful and patiently awaits our return to the right path. The Synod called by Pope Francis is a one of those opportunities to return to our vocation – the call of God’s Spirit to build the Kingdom of God on earth, to be leaven and light for the world.
Everyone in our parish is invited by the Pope to participate in this synod. You will hear a lot more about the synod in the coming weeks. Until then please visit the Paisley Diocesan website for more information and to read Bishop John’s pastoral letter.