Archbishop Bernard A. Hebda
I invite all people of goodwill to join me this month in prayer for Pope Francis and those participating in the Vatican’s Synod on Synodality, which begins today and runs through October 29. The Holy Father has called people to Rome from around the globe to listen to the Holy Spirit, engage with one another, and discern how we are being called to move forward together in proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ. You can learn more about this important moment in the life of our universal Church by reading The Catholic Spirit or visiting the Vatican website.
Pope Francis reminds us, “The Synod is not a parliament or an opinion poll; the Synod is an ecclesial event and its protagonist is the Holy Spirit. If the Spirit is not present, there will be no Synod.”1 Let us pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit on all the Synod participants chosen from the 1200 women and men in North America who participated in the Continental Phase of the synodal process, especially the Minnesotans among them: Bishop Robert Barron of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester (elected by the American bishops) and Dr. Cynthia Bailey Manns, a laywoman from Minneapolis chosen by Pope Francis.
While our Archdiocesan Synod and this month’s Vatican Synod are both rooted in listening and discernment, the Vatican Synod is completely distinct from our local Synod, which has been underway since 2019. For information on our Archdiocesan Synod, including the Pastoral Letter and its Implementation Plan, please visit this page. Come, Holy Spirit, Come!
1“Address of His Holiness Pope Francis for the Opening of the Synod.” October 9, 2021.
