What does this mean?
Synodality is the expectation that everyone will be heard, that the Spirit speaks to us through all parts of the Church’s body – the laity, and the clergy, the lost, the seeking and the found. A listening heart will strengthen the bonds that bind us together and to Christ.
How will we achieve this?
Here’s what we shall do to address area 3:
- Create a new advisory body that will replace the Archbishop’s Council as the consultative body that meets regularly with the Archbishop. Its membership will include laymen and women, as well as clergy.
- Create an archdiocesan synodal council which will also be given the responsibility of monitoring the implementation of the pastoral plan.
- Clarify the relationship between the various bodies that underpin synodality (e.g. Trustees, Synodal Council, Archbishop’s Council [or successor], Council of Priests, etc.) and inculcate ways of working in each that support synodality.
- Implement synodal ways of working at all levels of the archdiocesan support services.
- Be alert to ways in which we can do some things ‘better together’ ecumenically.
Click here to read the full description of area 3 | Click here to listen to the full description of area 3
The area development co-ordinators for area 3 are Fr Aidan Prescott and Kate Wilkinson school chaplain at All Hallows Catholic High School.