Newsletter - 8 October 2023
PARISH NEWS
Prayer for the Synod
Dear Parishioners,
I would like to inform you about an important matter for the Catholic church. From 4-29 October, nearly 450 bishops, priests, religious and lay men and women, from all over the world are meeting in Rome for the Synod on “synodality” – the way in which all members of the church participate in the life and mission of the church.
This gathering marks the beginning of the 3rd stage of the Synod. In the first stage, beginning in 2021, parishes and other groups from each diocese were consulted on the state of the local church. Their reports were gathered at the national level to prepare for Stage 2 - gatherings of the churches on each continent. In the third phase the synod brings together the whole or universal church. A second gathering of the universal church will bring the Synod to a conclusion next year.
Below are excerpts from a letter sent to the bishops of the world urging them to call upon all members of the church to pray for this synod gathering. It begins with these words from Pope Francis - “Without prayer there will be no synod.”
The Synod is, above all, an event of prayer and listening that involves not only the members of the Synodal Assembly, but every baptized person … all of us are called to unite in communion of prayer and invocation of the Holy Spirit to guide us in discerning what the Lord is asking of his Church today.
The different forms of prayer are expressions of the different dimensions of the synodal process.
· Prayer is listening The first step in prayer is listening to the Word of God and listening to his Spirt - the essential condition for discernment.
· Prayer is adoration Listening must be followed by adoring silence in awe at what God is saying to his Church and for what the Spirit arouses in the Church today.
· Prayer is intercession To intercede means to assume responsibility, to declare before God our participation and our involvement.
· Prayer is thanksgiving The prayer of thanksgiving is a true “therapy” which move us from our withdrawal into ourselves to openness, that is able to discover all that God continues to work in in his Church.
To learn more and follow news you can go to the Synod website www.synod.va
Fr Christope Brunet, ccn
Focus of the Week
Bible Study
Have you ever set out to read the Bible cover to cover and didn’t get through Genesis?
This Bible study is designed to help you find your way through Genesis and learn some basic skills which can help with the other 72 books of the Bible. Meetings will be on Zoom. Mondays, 7:30-8:30pm, 25 September to 4 December. Sessions will also be available in person in the parish library at 7:30pm.
Led by Deacon Ted Wood. To register call the parish office and leave your email address.