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by Fr. Antonio M. Pernia, SVD photos from Divine Word Missionaries “Et Tui Erant” The ringing of the bells that morning was longer than usual. And everyone in Steyl knew that the Superior General, Arnold Janssen, had died. It was the early morning of Friday, 15 January 1909. At the first hour of that day, at 1:00 AM, the founder of the Steyl religious missionary congregations passed away peacefully and without any struggle. Although the final illness had set in already in early November, Arnold Janssen was confined to bed only during the last ten days. From 05 January, the founder could no longer get up from bed. His right side was completely paralyzed and the paralysis had now spread to the left side. On 10 January it seemed that the death agony had begun. The last rites were administered, and the Prayers for the Dying were said. Despite his condition, the founder joined in the responses. The hymn to the Holy Spirit, Veni Sancte Spiritus, was heard repeatedly from the founder. And in the midst of his prayers, a small Latin phrase escaped from his lips—“Et tui errant.” At first the phrase seemed irrelevant and meaningless. But he kept saying it—until one of those around him remembered: “Et tui erant”—And they were yours! It was a phrase from the final prayer of Jesus before he went forth to his death (Jn 17:6ff). “I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word .... I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for the ones you have given me, because they are yours.” On the night before he died, Jesus prayed for his disciples. In a strikingly similar way, a few days before he died, Father Arnold prayed for his spiritual sons and daughters. And his prayer revealed a profoundly modern missiological insight—Missio Dei. Mission is God’s first and foremost. The missionary congregations which he painstakingly founded, the missionary vocations which he carefully nurtured, the mission work around the world which he efficiently organized—this great work, his missionary vision, his lifelong mission—all this was God’s. Everything that he lived and died for, everything that he worked hard and sacrificed for, everything was God’s. ET TUI ERANT! There was nothing he could claim as his own. It was all Missio Dei. The founder may never have used the terms themselves, but his lifestyle and spirituality showed that he understood the call to mission as a call to collaborate with God’s mission. It is therefore understandable that the search for God’s will was a central concern of the founder throughout his life. For if mission is fundamentally collaboration with God’s mission, then it is essential that one is constantly attuned with God’s will. Thus, he sought all his life to learn to discover God’s will and follow it. And he demanded the same of his priests, brothers and sisters. Before making any major decision, he discerned hard and waited for God’s will to be revealed more clearly. In discerning God’s will, the founder generally combined both prayer and study, or contemplation and dialogue. First, prayer and contemplation. While Father Arnold was no “mystic” in the classical sense of the term, those who knew him closely testify to his “mystical disposition” or “prayerful frame of mind”. Thus, while Father Arnold was not gifted with extraordinary mystical manifestations such as visions, ecstasies and revelations, he appeared to walk in the presence of God and gave the impression that he was constantly conversing with God. Biographers of Father Arnold inevitably refer to his “communion with God” and love for prayer as prominent characteristics of his personality. It was from this that he drew the energy and strength for the many tasks that he had to do. And it was through this that he contemplated God’s heart and discerned God’s will about a particular question. Second, dialogue and study. For Father Arnold, discovering God’s will was not only a question of prayer and contemplation. It also required serious study and research. No important decision was ever made without first demanding detailed information regarding a concrete situation, consulting with members of the general council, dialoguing with confreres or groups of confreres, asking advice from experts and persons in authority. Indeed what emerges from the founder’s style of reaching a decision is the image of a person of dialogue. The many consultations he undertook, the innumerable letters he wrote, the various reports from the missions he required—all these bespeak of a man striving to discover God’s will by being open to hear the other, to learn from concrete situations, and to dialogue with confreres. Thus, in his lifetime, Arnold Janssen sought only to do God’s will—in such a way that whatever he achieved was not his but God’s. At his death, that Friday morning of 15 January 1909, he handed over to God his life’s work and labor. Because they are yours! Et tui erant! It is beautiful to remember that the founder prayed for his followers just before he died. But it is also important to note that in his prayer he considered his followers as belonging not to himself but to God. Et tui erant. Because they are yours. In other words, what was important for Father Arnold was not that the members of the congregations he founded be his followers but that they belong to God and be truly “persons of God”. That is to say, that by being followers of the founder, members of the congregations he founded would become like him—a man of God, someone who placed at the center of his life the holy will of God, which is the salvation of all peoples. This is the real meaning of our vocation as followers of Arnold Janssen—becoming persons of God, as companions of the Divine Word and servants of the Holy Spirit. Because this experience of being of God or of belonging to God is the very source of mission. For such experience is the experience of being chosen by God or of being loved by God—an experience which impels us to share the Gospel with others. Thus mission no longer seems like an obligation or a duty, but an expression of our experience of belonging to God or of being of God. It is in this light that St. Joseph Freinademetz could say: “I do not consider being a missionary as a sacrifice which I offer to God but as the greatest grace that God gives me.” Today we bring to a close the “Centennial Year of Arnold and Joseph” with the theme, “Precious is the Life given for Mission.” We opened the year with a reflection on St. Joseph Freinademetz and dwelt on the marble plaque which announced his death in Taikia on 28 January 1908. “Infatigabilis Evangelii praeco, verbo et opere clarus”! We close our centennial year with a reflection on the image of St. Arnold Janssen breathing his last and praying for his followers. Et tui erant. For they are yours. Contemplating his life and work, we his followers can only whisper in prayer: “Et tuus erat!” For he was yours. Totally yours. The inscription on his tomb reads: “Dulcissimus in Christo. Arnoldus Janssen. Pater, Dux, Fundator noster. In pace.”

Homily of H.E. Most Rev. Charles John Brown D.D., Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines January 15, 2024 | Solemnity of St. Paul the First Hermit Cathedral Parish of Saint Paul the First Hermit | Gospel: Matthew 11:25-30 “[I] consider everything as a loss because of the supreme good of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have accepted the loss of all things and I consider them so much rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him…” (Philippians 3:8-9a). My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this morning in this beautiful Cathedral Parish of Saint Paul the First Hermit, here in San Pablo City, Laguna. For me as your Apostolic Nuncio, it gives me so much joy and happiness to be part of your Parish and Cathedral Fiesta Celebration this year, 2024. I'm delighted to be here with your Apostolic Administrator, His Excellency the Most Rev. Mylo Hubert C. Vergara. I was very grateful for the invitation that was extended to me by Msgr. Jerry Bitoon, the rector and the parish priest of the cathedral, to join you this morning. Of course, during our Mass this morning, we pray in a special way for the good health of Bishop Buenaventura Famadico, who, as all of you know, resigned his office as Bishop last September. He's with us spiritually at Mass, and we pray for his good health, and his complete recovery. Year of Prayer, 2024 Brothers and sisters, we celebrate this feast day of Saint Paul the First Hermit, St. Paul the Anchorite, he's also called, or St. Paul of Thebes. We celebrate this wonderful saint, your patron in this cathedral, which I believe, if I'm not mistaken, is the only cathedral in the entire world dedicated to Saint Paul the First Hermit. We celebrate this Mass and we celebrate this Fiesta under the patronage of Saint Paul the Hermit during this Year of Prayer. 2024 has been declared by Pope Francis to be a Year of Prayer, which is leading up to the Great Jubilee Year 2025. Which will be next year. Every 25 years or so, the Church Universal celebrates a Jubilee year, in which we call the Gift of Christ and the Gift of Redemption; and the most recent Jubilee year was during the Year of Mercy, not so long ago. Pope Francis has asked us to have another Jubilee Year 2025; and to prepare for that, this year that we're in right now is the Year of Prayer. Saint Paul the Hermit, an Example of Prayer Life We couldn't have an example or a patron more appropriate for the Year of Prayer than your patron saint, Saint Paul the Hermit. Let me explain why. Let me tell you first of all that Saint Paul the Hermit, as you probably know, was from Egypt. He lived in the 3rd and 4th centuries. He was born in the year 227, and he died in the year 341. If you do the math, that means he was 113 or 114 years old. He lived a very, very long life. Why is he important for this Year of Prayer? Because he is a bridge. He is a transition figure in the history of the Church. The first, we can say, 250 years of the Church's history, from the birth of Jesus to about the year 270, were years of fierce and relentless persecution of the Catholic faith: the years of the Roman persecution, which took different forms under different Roman emperors. So during that first, say, 250 or 300 years, the Church was severely persecuted. We have all of those martyrs The early Christian martyrs from that initial period of Church history, that first 250 or 300 years. Wonderful, glorious virgin martyrs: these young girls, young women, who refused to renounce their faith in Jesus and who were martyred for their faith. There's a statue of one of them right next to me here, Saint Cecilia, the early Christian martyr teenage girl who was faithful to Jesus even unto death. Those first 250 years / 300 years of martyrdom: Cecilia, Anastasia, Agnes, Lucy ... so many martyrs. And among the men: martyrs like St. Sebastian. Many martyrs during that period. But then in the year 313, Christianity was no longer persecuted. Christianity became no longer a crime in the Roman Empire. So in 313 this persecution period ended and a new period began. A new stage of Christian history. We went from the period of the martyrs - the period of persecution, to the period of the monks - the period of prayer. Why? Because after the time of martyrdom, Christians who wanted to live their life as Christians to the full, who wanted a radical commitment to Jesus, to know Him, to love Him, to follow Him, to count everything as loss because of the supreme good of knowing Jesus. In the first 250 or 300 years that was expressed in martyrdom, then it began to be expressed in the life of prayer, the life of the monks. This is a long way of me explaining to you why your patron is so important, because he is the first in this second period, the first of the hermits, the first of the men and women of prayer who left the cities and went into the deserts of Upper Egypt, to live as desert dwellers in the desert, totally consumed by prayer, praying day in and day out. Saint Paul is the first hermit. You know, “hermit”, means a desert dweller, someone who goes to the desert to pray. Saint Paul the Hermit was born in 227. When he was born, the persecution period was still raging against the Church, and maybe he knew martyrs during his youth. Then that ended. He went into the desert to pray, to have his life completely dedicated to prayer as a hermit, as a monk. Monk, the original word “μόνος” (monos) means to be alone, alone with God, to seek the one thing necessary, to sit at the feet of Jesus in prayer, to listen to His words, to adore Him, to pray to Him, to know Him. So Saint Paul the Hermit is the perfect patron, the perfect example for the Year of Prayer that we're in right now, 2024. The Primacy of Prayer That's one reason why I'm so happy to be with you here in your cathedral for this parish fiesta. Saint Paul, the First Hermit, teaches us the primacy of prayer. That means that all of us as Christians need to put prayer in the first place. We need to be men and women of prayer. Jesus tells us that in the gospel. He asks us to be like children. He says, “No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son”, but He says “these things are hidden from the wise and the learned but are revealed to the childlike”. We need to be childlike in our prayer. We need to be people consumed by prayer if we are going to be Christians in today's world. Maybe in the past, it was possible to live a Christian life with a little bit of prayer; but now, with all the, you can say, opposition to Christian life in the world, we need, like Saint Paul the First Hermit to be men and women of prayer. Otherwise, our Christian life is not going to survive in our hearts. Childlike Quality in Prayer We need to have that childlike quality. We have an English, you know those two words, we have “childlike” and we have “childish”. We say parents tell their children “Don't be childish”, right? Childish means the negative qualities of being a child. Childish means being spoiled, or immature, or self-centered. That's childish. Don't be childish, but be childlike. What is childlike? Innocent, trusting, believing. Children believe what they are told by us. That's why it's so important for us to teach them the truth. Children are trusting. And if we want to be men and women of prayer, we need to learn to trust Jesus like a child. Be like a child in front of Him. He says that again and again in the gospel, “Unless you change, become like children, you cannot enter the Kingdom of heaven” (Mt. 18:3). Children are trustful. We need to trust Jesus and that trust grows when we pray. When we pray, trust grows in our hearts. We learn to seek the one thing that's necessary in this world. That's to know and to love Jesus. To sit at His feet the way Saint Paul the Hermit did in the deserts of Egypt. To know Jesus, to be childlike in front of Him, to trust Him, to depend on him, to know that He is with us. If we do that, we will be wise and learned in the most important things. Wise and learned in the sentiments of the heart of Jesus. It's not the intelligent people who go first into the Kingdom of God necessarily. It's the people who have the spirit of prayer, the people who are childlike, not the wise and the learned but those who have a childlike confidence in Jesus. It doesn't matter whether you are poor or rich, whether you ride in a beautiful automobile or you ride in a tricycle. What's important is that trusting love of the Lord, which we find through prayer. This year of prayer is designed to help us to rediscover the beauty of prayer. So, brothers and sisters, be men and women of prayer. Have a rule of prayer in your life. What do I mean by a rule? The monks have rules that they follow. They do things at certain points during the day. That's how they keep their life regular, productive, consistent, and constant. We need to have the same thing, a rule of prayer. It should be a simple rule of prayer, a doable rule of prayer. Things that we do every day. Don't make it too exaggerated, too glorious. Make it doable. Make it something you can actually accomplish. Say to the Lord every day “I will pray for five minutes in the morning”, “I will pray before every meal”. Maybe you can say to the Lord “I will pray the rosary every day”, or you can say the Lord “I will make a visit to the Blessed Sacrament even for five minutes or ten minutes every day”. Make a rule of prayer. Make one that's doable, make one that's realistic, and then keep to it. Keep to your promise, and make a promise, a rule of prayer during this beautiful Year of Prayer. Then that childlike trust will grow in your heart and you will know God more and more. A theologian is not necessarily one who reads and writes many books. It's someone who knows Jesus, who knows Jesus. “No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son.” Through prayer we move in “knowledge of the Lord, the supreme good of knowing Christ Jesus, my Lord”, as Saint Paul says in his letter to the Philippians. Conclusion So, brothers and sisters, for me as your Apostolic Nuncio, it gives me so much joy to begin this Year of Prayer with you, in this wonderful cathedral, for your fiesta under the patronage of Saint Paul the Hermit, a man of prayer, a man who teaches us how to pray. Of course, when we pray, we always need to pray under the watchful eyes of Our Lady. She is the master of prayer, the teacher of prayer. That's why I said earlier, praying the rosary is such a beautiful way of allowing that childlike trust and confidence in the Lord to grow in our hearts to pray the rosary. It's something that's possible for all of us. For commuting, you can be praying the rosary, kind of silently and surreptitiously in the jeepney, or when you're walking to work. Find time for the rosary. Find time for Mary. Allow Mary to be your Mother and your Queen. Allow her to bless you. Allow her to shower the blessings of God, to intercede for you, to give you the blessings of God in your life. So, dear brothers and sisters in Christ, I wish you a most wonderful fiesta. I ask you to make the most of this Year of Prayer, which has been called by Pope Francis. I ask you to remember Pope Francis in your prayers, as I always do, and remember me also your Apostolic Nuncio. God bless you and happy parish Fiesta. Transcribed by Joel V. Ocampo

Homily of His Excellency Most Rev. Pablo Virgilio S. David, D.D. Bishop of Kalookan and President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines January 13, 2024 | Carmelite Monastery, Angeles City Mayap a gatpanapun pu kekayu ngan! Good afternoon, everyone! Allow me to share three points today about discipleship, on the basis of our three readings for the 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (1 Sm 3:3b-10, 19; 1 Cor 6:13c-15a, 17-20; and John 1:35-42). I draw my inspiration from the theme song of that old stage musical, Godspell (1973). The theme song there is “Day by Day”. To grow in our life of Christian discipleship “day by day”, there are three things that we must experience: “to see the Lord more clearly, to love the Lord more dearly, and to follow the Lord more nearly, day by day”; but I will add something to each one of the three. To See You More Clearly, and To Listen to Him More Attentively Let's start with “to see you more clearly”. Discipleship is a call, not just “to see the Lord more clearly”, but also to listen to Him more attentively. Iyon ang dagdag. The Gospel tells us that when Jesus saw the two disciples of John [the Baptist] following behind Him, He asked them “What are you looking for?” (Jn. 1:38). In my reflection on this Gospel in our talk show Men of Light, which I know many of you are following, I began by saying that when God calls us for a mission, He deals with us as intelligent people who are capable of making informed decisions for ourselves after going through a process of discernment. Therefore, even if we know that obedience is important, we do not equate obedience with subservience or blind obedience. That's not a value for us, because God's call never comes as an imposition. Hindi kailan man namimilit ang Panginoon. God’s call comes, rather, as an invitation that awaits a free response. Nag-aanyaya lang naman Siya. So, in addition to the “seeing more clearly”, I will add one more thing: to listen more attentively. Our First Reading is about “The Call of the Little Boy, Samuel” (1 Sm 3:3b-10, 19), who would later on become a great prophet. How he was introduced to his vocation? By learning to listen well, and to be familiar with God's voice. According to the author, Samuel was not yet familiar with God’s voice, God’s will. He needed some mentoring from the old priest Eli, who understood, the reason behind the boy’s repeated waking up and coming to him saying “You called me?” “Did you call me?”. Well, finally, the old man understood that maybe it was God’s voice that this child was hearing. That is why after the second time, the old priest gave him the following instruction: Go to sleep, and if you are called, reply, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” “Your servant is listening.” Eli taught the boy Samuel how to listen to the voice of the Lord. You know what I call that? “A lesson in prayer”. Unfortunately, we commonly associate prayer with talking to God. I’m sure, when you come to church, you talk to God. There is nothing wrong with that. That is presupposed. While prayer is indeed an opportunity to express ourselves to God, actually, the more important thing is to listen to God. If we talk to God, let listening be our response to God who talks to us. To Love the Lord More Dearly, and to Stay with the Lord What the disciples saw and heard motivated them to stay, and to remain with the Lord. Now, this is what we're going to add to the second dynamic of discipleship: to love the Lord more dearly. Not just “to love the Lord more dearly”, but to stay with the Lord, to remain with the Lord, and to be part of the Body of Christ. When the Lord asked the two disciples what they were looking for, they answered, “Rabbi, where are you staying?” (Jn. 1:38). They were not just asking for an information about his home address. The invitation of Jesus, “Come and see for yourselves”, did not end with the seeing. Hindi ‘yung sumama sila, nakita nila, tapos umuwi na sila. No. John tells us, “They went and saw where Jesus was staying, and they stayed with Him” (Jn. 1:39). That's very important. “They stayed with Him.” This reminds me also of the two disciples on the way to Emmaus (Lk. 24:13-35) who did not feel that it was enough to have walked with Jesus and listened to Him. Of course, they did not know that it was Jesus they were walking with. All they knew was their hearts were like burning in listening to Him speaking. So, as He he was going on farther, they said, “Stay with us, Lord” (Lk. 24:29). “Stay with us a little bit longer.” Of course, Jesus stayed with them. That led to the table fellowship, and at the breaking of the bread, their eyes were opened, and they recognized who this stranger truly was: it was the Risen Lord. Well, discipleship is a call to a relationship. It is a call to friendship. Jesus, in John chapter 15 said, “I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know what his master is doing. Instead, I have called you friends” (Jn. 15:15). So, the response of loving the Lord more dearly, is supposed to lead to staying with the Lord, to the act of remaining with the Lord, to enter into a committed relationship with Him. “Remain in me as I remain in you” says the Lord (Jn. 15:4a). John tells us, “They went and they stayed with the Lord” (Jn. 1:39). “They stayed”, the other word is “They remained with the Lord. “Remain”, that is a favorite vocabulary of John, the fourth Gospel writer. Remember? In John 15, again, the beginning of the chapter itself, John is using the image of the vine. “I am the vine, you are the branches, apart from me, you will die” (cf. Jn. 15:5). If you want to bear fruit, you must remain connected to Jesus. That’s a beautiful description and what it means to stay. In English vocabulary, we usually talk about the beginning of love as “falling in love”. Yet, the important thing beyond falling in love is remaining in love. I know that some people, yes, they fall in love, and sometimes cannot sustain the relationship, and they fall out of love. Remain in love, through thick and thin. St. Paul uses the vocabulary “in season or out of season” (cf. 2 Tm. 4:2). Napapanahon man o hindi. Sometimes, there are reasons why we are tempted not to stay. There are situations that could lead to a falling out, or to a parting of ways. Do you remember that scene when some disciples who could not take the teaching of Jesus about giving one's flesh as food, or giving one's blood as drink? We've heard that they were scandalized and they abandoned Him (Jn. 6:60-66). John tells us there was a point when Jesus faced Peter and He asked him, “Are you also going to leave me?”, and this was the response of Peter, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (Jn. 6:67-68). It is his way of saying, “Hindi Panginoon, walang iwanan.” We call that “commitment”. It is no longer just a feeling that comes and goes. It is an act of the will. Sa totoo lang, may nagtanong sa akin ng ganito, ang sabi niya sa akin, “Bishop, okey lang ba na magsisimba nalang ako kapag ‘feel’ ko? Kasi parang napaka-hipokrito ko naman kung nagsisimba ako pero wala naman akong gana.” Ang sabi ko sa kanya, “Alam mo, noong maliit ka pa, noong musmos ka pa, noong sanggol ka pa, sa palagay mo ba, all the time, ‘feel’ ng nanay mo na gumising sa gitna ng hatinggabi para palitan ang lampin mo? Sa palagay mo ba, sa lahat ng pagkakataon na kailangan mo ng konting atensyon ay ‘feel’ nila iyon? Sigurado ako na kung minsan, pagod na pagod na rin sila. Sigurado ako na kung minsan, inaantok na rin sila, pero gigising sila. Bakit? Dahil mahal ka nila. Love is not just a feeling. Sometimes, you’ll do what you do not feel like doing. You will do it anyway, as an act of love. Because love is more than just feelings. It’s an act of the will. To Follow You More Nearly, and Represent the Lord That brings us finally to the third point: to follow You more nearly. Our addition here is, well, discipleship as not just following the Lord, but by being sent to represent the Lord. This is the point of St. Paul in our Second Reading (1 Cor 6:13c-15a, 17-20). Once you have seen the Lord more clearly, and once you have listened to Him more attentively, once you have loved the Lord more dearly, and stayed and remained with the Lord through thick and thin, once you have followed the Lord more nearly and become His friend, like St. Paul, you will be able to say, “Ang buhay ko ay hindi na akin. Ito’y kay Kristo, na nabubuhay sa akin” (cf. Gal. 2:20). In our Second Reading today, from 1 Corinthians chapter 6, St. Paul says, “Your bodies are members of Christ, and whoever is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with the Lord” (v. 15 & 17). That is what happens to us when we receive the Lord, in Word and in Eucharist as spiritual food. According to St. Augustine, “Unlike physical food that we absorbed into our bodies, what happens when we receive the Lord as food is we are the ones who are transformed. We are the ones who are absorbed by Him to become part of His body, the Church.” When that happened, Saint Paul says, we become “temples of the Holy Spirit.” Then we can say, “We no longer belong to ourselves anymore, we belong to the Lord”, and because we belong to the Lord, the Lord becomes present in us, and the Lord becomes present through us. We become the very presence of the Lord in the world. When people look for Christ, therefore, it's not enough to point at symbols and images. However important our symbols and images might be, like the Sto. Niño and Nazareno, once you become configured to Christ, you become the most visible image and representation of Christ. More real than the image itself. We follow Christ in order to be sent by Christ as His embodiment. Christian discipleship is not just to follow Christ; it is the call to be Christ, to become a part of Christ, to participate in the life of Christ, and the mission of Christ. There you are. The three elements of discipleship, with some little additions. Again, not just to see Christ more clearly, but also to listen to Him more attentively. Secondly, not just to love Christ more dearly, but to stay with Christ and remain with Him. Thirdly, not just to follow Him more nearly, but to be a part of His body, to represent Christ, to take part in His life and mission, to witness to the good news of the Kingdom. Transcribed by Joel V. Ocampo File photo by Ryan Rezo, Diocese of Kalookan

by Kat Galdo Diaz DASURV! We often use this, especially online when we acquire something and defend it as “DASURV KO TO!” (Deserve ko to) And actually, we really deserve a lot of things, given the perseverance we do everyday, the sacrifice and hardships. Sure, we deserve a new phone, new pair of shoes, even a good meal! But along the line of deserving all these material things, have we thanked the giver? The reason why we actually deserve our wants? How many DASURV KO TO posts actually point to God? Have we thought at the very least that He also deserves something – to be recognized and be thanked upon for all He has given! Come to think of it, if He did not give us the gift of perseverance, the gift of talent, perhaps we cannot do anything to deserve anything. Have we thanked God with all sincerity? When was the last time we recognized that all are His doing, not ours? “Sa buhay natin hindi maiiwasan ang krisis, tinuturuan tayo ni San Jose na magtiwala, kumilos at sundin ang kalooban ng Diyos.” Msgr. Rolly dela Cruz (Day 3 Simbang Gabi reflection) This Christmas, I had the chance to ponder on how life has been lately. With His grace I was able to receive the sacrament of confession to complete my Christmas journey and share a bit of how it affected me. The grace of God is truly outpouring: Just when I thought that I was losing track of my goals and plans in life, and that I don’t deserve anything, I was reminded to keep on going, to be true and God will give more than what I deserve. “Ang mga simpleng kagustuhan natin, kaya ibigay ng Diyos, higit pa sa inaasahan natin.” Fr. Viel Bautista (Day 4 Simbang Gabi reflection) Then the sense of clarity as to why I am here, why I am doing this, and who I would turn out to be suddenly made sense. Somehow everything seems to be connected. I just have to accept that everything is a process, everything has a reason. At one point, my confessor even said that it is good that I am struggling; it is also an exercise of faith. I may not understand it now but soon it will fall into place according to His plan. Maybe i deserve the trials because God is making me stronger. Deserving something doesn't always have to be as a reward type of thing. Sometimes we also deserve things that will make us cry, make us fall on our knees. Only then it will make us better and stronger. The sense of fulfillment will only make sense if we struggle first then embrace the reward later. “By listening to the plan of God, we will discover that God is in control and when we listen, we will be able to trust and surrender everything to the Lord.” Fr. Aidan Zaballero, LRMS (Day 5 Simbang Gabi reflection) At the end of the day, the real question is: Have we done enough to deserve His undying love? Hopefully we don't start and end our days pushing our wants and goals alone. Let us be reminded of Him being our Emmanuel: God is with us. Truly, He is with us in every hardship, every victory! Just trust and have faith.

Homily of H.E. Most Rev. Charles John Brown D.D., Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines December 11, 2023 | 75th Anniversary of the Foundation of the Diocese of San Fernando Metropolitan Cathedral of San Fernando, Archdiocese of San Fernando Your Excellency, the Most Rev. Florentino G. Lavarias, the fifth Bishop/Archbishop of San Fernando; dear Kapampangan Bishops* who have come from near and far to celebrate with us this evening; concelebrating priests here from the Archdiocese of San Fernando, in very big numbers, religious sisters, religious brothers, and you, the lay faithful of the archdiocese: Today is a day of joy, a day of happiness, a day in which we feel great feelings and sentiments of gratitude. Because it was, as we heard earlier in the liturgy this evening, precisely on this day, the 11th of December in 1948, that Pope Pius XII, with his Apostolic Constitution Probe Noscitur established what was then the Diocese of San Fernando. At that point, the diocese comprised the Provinces of Pampanga, Bataan, Zambales, parts of Tarlac, and Nueva Ecija. It was initially at the beginning a suffragan diocese of the Archdiocese of Manila; and as all of you know, the first bishop who was appointed some months later in May of 1949, was +Cesar Maria Guerrero, the first bishop of the then Diocese of San Fernando. It was in March of 1975 that your diocese was elevated to the status of an archdiocese. So, you know that anniversary is coming up pretty soon. You’ll celebrate the 50th anniversary of the elevation of your diocese to the status of an archdiocese in less than two years. So, about a year and a half from now, in March of 2025. So, all of these dates are filling us with joy and with happiness. When I saw the amazing program of activities that's been prepared for this Jubilee year, I felt also grateful to the priests here in the archdiocese who prepared this amazing program, which will consist of different pilgrimages: Marian Pilgrimages to Churches on the periphery of the diocese. Seven Churches, whose holy doors will be opened this coming Sunday, Gaudette Sunday; and these holy doors will be open for an entire year. I encourage all of you, the members of the Archdiocese of San Fernando, to make pilgrimages to these seven churches, to receive all the graces that God wants to give you during this year. Blessed Like Peter “My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples,” the words of the prophet Isaiah (cf. Is. 56:7c) this evening. That is really what is exemplified in this jubilee year: a year of prayer, a year of gratitude, a year of giving thanks to God for the gift of your local church. The Gospel this evening (Mt. 16:13-19), which was so appropriately chosen, is very instructive. It is, of course, the famous Gospel from the 16th chapter of Saint Matthew's Gospel, in which Jesus promises the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven to Saint Peter. These are words that we've heard this evening in English, that are written in the Latin language inside the Basilica of Saint Peter in Rome. One of the interesting things about that gospel is, of course Jesus begins by asking the disciples as a group “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” Then they reply in different ways: John the Baptist, Elijah, one of the prophets. Jesus then says, “Who do you say that I am?” It's Peter, St. Peter who speaks, who says, “You are the Christ!” or “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Then Jesus at that point addresses himself, Jesus for the first time, only and directly to Peter. The first word out of the Lord's mouth is to Peter the word “blessed”. “Blessed are you…”, “μακάριος” (makarios) in Greek. “Blessed are you Peter.” “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you.” So, Peter is blessed. That's why this gospel is chosen, for the dedication, the anniversary of the dedication of a church. Your beautiful cathedral here is decorated so wonderfully for Advent. Because we, like Peter, are blessed. We celebrate God's blessings when we celebrate the anniversary of the foundation of a diocese, as we do this evening. All the blessings that have been bestowed on the people of this archdiocese for these seventy-five years; and overflowing flood of blessings, too many to be counted. We think of the blessings of the Sacraments, the Blessing of the Sacramental Life of the Church, the blessing of Baptism, the blessing of the Holy Eucharist, the blessing of all the Confessions that have been heard here in this archdiocese in seventy-five years. All the sinners have been reconciled to God, all the confirmations celebrated there, all the beautiful weddings celebrated, the ordinations to the priesthood that have been celebrated, and of course, the anointings of the sick that have been celebrated. An overwhelming cascade of blessings. We are blessed to be part of that Church. You are blessed to be part of that Church. You as Catholics share in those blessings. You receive those blessings, almost unconsciously as you practice your Catholic faith here in the Archdiocese of San Fernando. That is why we say “Thank you, Lord, for the blessings that you have given us in these seventy-five years. Thank you for all of those blessings, the blessings of prayers answered, the blessings of healing, the blessings of reconciliation, the blessings of evangelization, the blessings of the Word of God.” All of those things we thank God for this evening. Diocese on Synodal Journey What are we really celebrating when we celebrate the anniversary of a diocese? Are we celebrating the anniversary of an institution? Are we celebrating the anniversary of a territory? A diocese is a territory, a diocese is an institution; but that's not what we're celebrating. We are celebrating people, the people of God. We are celebrating human beings who have come before us in these seventy-five years. People who have walked before us. People who have received the blessings of God. That is what a diocese is. A diocese is a group of people, a group of people on pilgrimage. A synodal group. Of course, the root word of synod, which we hear so often, especially during this synodal process, that Pope Francis has asked us to embark upon, the synod in its root word, is a caravan. Imagine a caravan in ancient times. Going from one city to another, with different animals carrying different types of merchandise. People, travelers, children, old people, people tracing the route, people getting water for the animals, groups of people on pilgrimage. A group of people in movement. That is what a synod is, and that is what the Church is. Of course, as we have reflected on before, the Church does not only exist on this day, December 11th, 2023. No, we are connected through the communion of saints, to the people who have gone before us. In a special way, you're connected to the people who have gone before you in this archdiocese for seventy-five years, back to December 11th of 1948. Imagine a pilgrimage not only existing at a certain moment in time, but a pilgrimage is going through time. So, all those people in 1948 that have now passed into the Kingdom of Heaven, and those of us now behind them, following them in this path. So, the synodal aspect of the Church is a way of recognizing not only our brothers and sisters on the peripheries, our brothers and sisters at this moment in 2023, but also those people who have gone before us. That's why the anniversary of the Church, the anniversary, your 75th anniversary is a synodal celebration of the ones who have gone before us. How can we honor those people? How can we honor them? We can honor them by remembering their examples, their example of faithfulness. Think about your parents, your grandparents, the faith of your grandparents here in Pampanga. I'm sure every one of us in the church, in the cathedral this evening could give stories about the faith of our grandparents. How luminous, how radiant their faith was, and the way that we can honor them, especially on the 75th anniversary, and the way in which we can follow them and be a synodal church, is by putting into practice now the radiance of the faith that they have. Because the faith is the same. It's in Jesus, in His Sacraments, and our Blessed Lady, and the power of God's grace. Certainly, our circumstances in society change, but the faith does not change. The faith is the same. So, think about those who went before you tonight. Imitate their faith. Imitate the example that they have left for us. That is how we can really honor them during this jubilee year, this 75th anniversary. Final Exhortation Also, brothers and sisters, as a representative of Pope Francis here in the Philippines, let me ask you also, as I always do: please pray for Pope Francis. Pray for him, pray for his work in the Church. Whenever I see him, and I saw him in September… Bishop Pablo David saw him more recently because he was there for the Synod. When we see the Pope, he's always asking us for prayers. He really relies on the prayers of his beloved Filipino people. So, pray for Pope Francis, especially during this Jubilee Year. Take advantage of this year. Visit the seven churches whose doors will be open next Sunday. Allow God's grace, God's blessings to overflow in your life by living your faith to the full, by really being a synodal Church today and always. We do all of these things under the watchful eyes of Our Lady. Your beautiful cathedral, dedicated to San Fernando, but with Mary, here watching over us. Let's ask Our Lady to show us the way; the way who is Jesus. The way of love, the way of reconciliation, the way of Joy. May God bless you! Happy 75th anniversary! *Kapampangan Bishops: Archbishop Paciano B. Aniceto, Archbishop-emeritus of San Fernando Bishop Pablo Virgilio S. David, former Auxiliary Bishop of San Fernando, current Bishop of Kalookan, and CBCP President Bishop Roberto C. Mallari, former Auxiliary Bishop of San Fernando, current Bishop of San Jose Nueva Ecija Bishop Teodoro C. Bacani Jr., Bishop-emeritus of Novaliches Bishop Honesto F. Ongtioco, current Bishop of Cubao Transcribed by Joel V. Ocampo Photo from CSFP City Information Office

by Clyde Ericson Nolasco The Dicastery for Evangelization of Vatican recently launched the mobile app for Holy Year 2025, “Iubilaeum25.” Pope Francis inaugurated the Year of Mercy 2015 by opening the Holy Door. | Photo from Vatican News The app that can be downloaded from the App Store for iOS and Play Store for Android comes in six different languages such as English, Spanish, Deutsch, Portuguese, and French. Like the Lisboa2023 app that was used during the World Youth Day 2023 in Portugal, the Jubilee app hopes to guide those who would like to take part in the celebration of the Jubilee Year in 2025. The app contains updates and allows the user to register as a Pilgrim and receive a pilgrim card. Registered users will be able to sign up for Jubilee events and Holy Door. 2025 is the next Jubilee Year. A jubilee year is a designated holy year in the Church. Typically, a jubilee year occurs every 50 years however the frequency changed over time. The most recent was the extraordinary year 2015, a jubilee dedicated to mercy. For more updates, you may visit the Jubilee 2025 website.

Homily of H.E. Most Rev. Charles John Brown D.D., Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines on the occasion of the 100 Years of Carmelite Presence in the Philippines “Jesus said to his mother, ‘Woman, this is your son.’ And then to the disciple, he said, ‘This is your mother.’ And from that moment, the disciple made a place for her in his home.” - John 19: 26-27 My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, for me as your Apostolic Nuncio, it gives me so much joy and happiness to be with you here this morning in the Metropolitan Cathedral of St. Elizabeth of Hungary, the National Shrine of Our Lady of Candles in the Archdiocese of Jaro, here in Iloilo City to join you in this great outpouring of gratitude and praise to God for the gift of 100 years of Carmelite life here in the Philippines. I want to greet, in a very special way, His Excellency, the Most Reverend Jose Romeo Olazo, Archbishop of Jaro, affectionately known as Archbishop Romy. I greet, in a very special way, Fr. Miguel Marquez Calle, the Superior General of the Discalced Carmelites, who has come all the way from Rome to be with you this morning. And in a very special way I want to greet Reverend Mother Teresa Josephine of Jesus and Mary, the prioress of the Jaro Carmel, and all of her sisters who, if I'm not mistaken, are here in the front row of the cathedral this morning. I greet all the priests who are concelebrating, of course, the bishops as well, priests, Carmelite friars, who have come from near and far, Carmelite nuns who have also come from near and far, as far as France, if I'm not mistaken. We welcome you, we thank you for coming to join in this moment of rejoicing, this moment of gratitude, this moment of exuberant praise of God, for the gift of Mount Carmel. For me, as your Nuncio, it's a special joy to be present with you this morning because I made my first Holy Communion and I was confirmed in the parish of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in New Jersey, and I celebrated my first mass as a priest in May of 1989 in the parish church of St. Teresa of the Child Jesus in New York. So, my sacramental life is intimately bound up with Our Lady of Mount Carmel. And for that reason, I want to be, and I wanted to be present with you this morning to say thank you to God, thank you to the Blessed Virgin Mary for the gift of Carmelite life here in the Philippines. Because it was on this day brothers and sisters, back in 1923, that the story of the Jaro Carmel began here in this place in Iloilo. That story is intimately connected with your American-born Bishop, Bishop James Paul McCloskey, who was originally from Philadelphia. He was, for a brief time serving in the Church in Luzon in Vigan, and then in 1917, he became Bishop of Zamboanga. Then, only three years later, the Pope transferred him from Zamboanga to Jaro. He arrived in 1920. And one of the first things that Bishop McCloskey wanted to do was to have the Carmelite nuns come here to pray for his Diocese, to be a source of prayer, a source of adoration, to be the heart of his Diocese. And so, as all of you know, he wrote a series of letters to the Carmelites in Vietnam, in Hue, asking them to please come to the Philippines and establish a Carmelite Convent. And finally, in 1922, the Carmel in Hue, agreed to send some sisters. Four sisters, to be precise, a little group of four sisters, all of whom are French, two of whom are already in Vietnam, and two of whom came from France: Mother Teresa of Jesus, the prioress; Sister Mary of Christ, the sub prioress; Sister Mary Germaine of Christ; and Sister Mary Gabrielle of the Child Jesus, who was only a novice. And this little group of four sisters, heroic, courageous, missionary, contemplative Carmelites, came here. They left Vietnam by ship. They didn't have Cebu Pacific. In those days, they didn't have AirAsia. They took a ship from Vietnam, and where did they go? They went first to Hong Kong. In Hong Kong, they got another ship, and finally arrived in Manila on November 3rd of 1923, where they stayed with the Benedictine Sisters of St. Scholastica College, which is very near where I live in Manila, in Malate. The sisters, the Benedictine Sisters, gave hospitality to this group of four French Carmelites there in Manila in early November. Then on November 6, they got in another boat, the third boat. And this boat brought them from Manila, down here to Iloilo. And then here in Iloilo, they were received and given hospitality by the Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres, a French congregation which has been here in the Philippines for many years. (The Sisters of St. Paul of Chartes worked in the Nunciature with me on Taft Avenue in Manila.) They received the sisters here in Iloilo, and then, as all of us know, on November 9, 1923, the foundation mass was celebrated, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass was celebrated and the first Carmelite Convent of nuns here in the Philippines began this day, 100 years ago. It was all because of Bishop McCloskey, this heroic, missionary Bishop, a Bishop who really gave his life for the people, the Catholic people of the Philippines. (As we know, 1923, the Carmel was founded.) And Bishop McCloskey was Bishop here from 1923 up until his death in 1945, excuse me from 1920 to 1945. That's 25 years of his service here in the Philippines here in Iloilo. And in 1927, he had an interesting event in his life. He went on, went on a pastoral visit to Dumaguete day, and was on another ship, the Notching Ship, which then proceeded to sink in the Ocean off the coast of Cadiz and Negros Occidental. And very interestingly, the ship was going down, and there weren't enough lifeboats for everyone on the ship. And everyone said to the Bishop, you know, you're a bishop, take the lifeboat. He said, "No," he stayed on the ship. All the people got off into lifeboats, and those people for whom there weren't enough lifeboats stayed in the ship. One of them was Archbishop McCloskey, and he literally went down with the ship in 1927 into the water, and swam and survived. He lost his Bishop's ring in the Ocean, somewhere out there, around Cadiz. So if any of you are fishermen or no fisherman, you can go look for it even now, almost 100 years ago, 1927. He was able to swim to shore and to survive. Later on, he died in 1945, just before the Battle of Manila. It seems, and I would be interested if there are any historians who can enlighten me further about this, that he seems to have been interned with other Americans at the University of Santo Tomas, in Manila and died in the Order of Sanctity in April of 1945, just before the liberation of Manila at the end of the Second World War. Our gospel this morning, brothers and sisters, takes us to the foot of the cross, takes us to stand with Mary the mother of Jesus, the other Mary's, Mary, the wife of Clopas, Mary Magdalene, St. John, and we hear those words of Jesus spoken to Mary spoken to St. John, "Woman, this is your son," and then to St. John, "This is your mother." And those words which I repeated to you, from that moment, St. John made a place for Mary in his home. And the original Greek, it says something like,"He took her among his own, he took her to himself." So St. John, the beloved disciple, the only apostle, who was there at the crucifixion, is given the gift of Mary, to stay with Mary, to be with Mary, to contemplate the miraculous, amazing gift that God has given us in Jesus with Mary. To return always to the foot of the cross to contemplate the gift of Jesus to his heavenly Father, to draw us into that mystery. That's what St. John and Mary do, taking us to be part of that home. And that brothers and sisters, that home of St. John, that home of Mary, that is what a Carmelite monastery is. It's a place where women who have been called in a special way by Jesus. It's a place where women come to live with Mary and St. John to contemplate Jesus on the cross, Jesus in his passion, his death and of course, in his resurrection. The contemplative life, the life of prayer. That is why Carmel exists. That is why Carmel is such a beautiful gift. That is why Carmel, is in the words of Saint Therese of the Child Jesus, "At the heart of the Church." The Church has a heart, as Saint Therese of the Child Jesus tells us. And the Heart of the Church is love. Mary and St. John image that communion of love at the foot of the cross. And that communion of love continues in a Carmelite monastery. And maybe there are young women who are listening this morning who are celebrating these 100 years of Carmelite life here in the Philippines. Maybe, some of you are hearing the voice of Jesus knocking on the door of your heart and saying, "Come follow me. Come follow me into this intimacy of love, this intimacy of trust and abandonment, this intimacy of contemplation, which is Carmel at the heart of the Church." Carmel at the heart of the Church, and Bishop McCloskey realized that Carmel needs to be part of a diocese also. So that at the heart of the Diocese, there is this beating heart of love, which is a Carmelite Convent. Sisters praying, interceding for all of the intentions of the priests, the Bishop, everyone in the Diocese. This is the beautiful gift of Carmel. This is why it's such an amazing presence in the Catholic Church. And you know, there's an interesting and beautiful connection between Carmel which is enclosed, which protects and respects the cloister, which stays in union with Jesus and Mary and St. John, in the cloister, and yet Carmel which is a furnace of love, which then spreads love and radiates love throughout the Church and that love takes the form of mission. There's a missionary element in Carmelite life. As all of us know, nearly 90 years ago, in 1927, the same year that Bishop McCloskey ended up in the Ocean outside of Cadiz. In that same year of 1927, Pope Pius the XI proclaimed Saint Therese of the Child Jesus, the patron saint of the missions. Here is a young girl who really only left France once in her life to go on pilgrimage to Rome, spent her life in the Carmel in Lisieux. And yet she is a patron of missions. And Bishop McCloskey realized that if the Church is going to be fruitful in its mission in her missionary outreach, she needs to have that beating heart of love which is Carmel at the heart of the Church. So for that reason, the Bishop called the sisters here 100 years ago, and that one convent has multiplied convents throughout the Philippines and indeed beyond the confines of these islands. Of course, our first sisters came here from France, the eldest daughter of the Church, they came to the youngest daughter of the Church or a young daughter, the Philippine Church. And now, of course, the Church in the Philippines is sending missionaries all over the world to evangelize. That beautiful Catholicity of the Church where we compensate for one another, that beautiful communion of love. But at the heart of that communion is the heart of love, which is Caramel. So, brothers and sisters, on this day, we give thanks to God for the gift of the Carmelite presence here in the Philippines. We give thanks to God for all the sisters who have lived and prayed here in Jaro and throughout the Philippines. We give thanks to the friars, for all of their good work of evangelization. We ask the Lord to grant us another 100 years of Carmel here in the Philippines, another 100 years of this beautiful furnace of prayer, this heart of prayer. We ask the Lord also to speak to the heart of young women this morning and throughout the year, calling them to give their life to Christ in this beautiful vocation of intimacy and love, which is Our Lady of Mount Carmel. We ask Our Lady, our Mother, to watch over us, to intercede for us. And we thank her for the gift of Carmelite life here in the Philippines. On behalf of Pope Francis, whose representative I am, I congratulate you on this birthday. I ask you as I always do to pray for Pope Francis. He needs our prayers. He asks for our prayers. Let's pray for him today. And may God bless you on your 100th anniversary. Transcribed by Gel Katalbas Photos from Archdiocese of Jaro, Commission on Social Communications

19 November 2023, Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time “Do not turn your face away from anyone who is poor” (Tob 4:7) 1. This, the seventh annual World Day of the Poor, is a fruitful sign of the Father’s mercy and a support for the lives of our communities. As its celebration becomes more and more rooted in the pastoral life of the Church, it enables us to discover ever anew the heart of the Gospel. Our daily efforts to welcome the poor are still not enough. A great river of poverty is traversing our cities and swelling to the point of overflowing; it seems to overwhelm us, so great are the needs of our brothers and sisters who plead for our help, support and solidarity. For this reason, on the Sunday before the Solemnity of Jesus Christ King of the Universe, we gather around his Table to receive from him once more the gift and strength to live lives of poverty and to serve the poor. “Do not turn your face away from anyone who is poor” (Tob 4:7). These words help us to understand the essence of our witness. By reflecting on the Book of Tobit, a little-known text of the Old Testament, yet one that is charming and full of wisdom, we can better appreciate the message the sacred writer wished to communicate. We find ourselves before a scene of family life: a father, Tobit, embraces his son, Tobias, who is about to set out on a lengthy journey. The elderly Tobit fears that he will never again see his son, and so leaves him his “spiritual testament”. Tobit had been deported to Nineveh and is now blind, and thus doubly poor. At the same time, he remains always certain of one thing, expressed by his very name: “The Lord has been my good”. As a God-fearing man and a good father, he wants to leave his son not simply material riches, but the witness of the right path to follow in life. So he tells him: “Revere the Lord all your days, my son, and refuse to sin or to transgress his commandments. Live uprightly all the days of your life, and do not walk in the ways of wrongdoing” (4:5). 2. We see immediately that what the elderly Tobit asks of his son is not simply to think of God and to call upon him in prayer. He speaks of making concrete gestures, carrying out good works and practising justice. He goes on to state this even more clearly: “To all those who practice righteousness give alms from your possessions, and do not let your eye begrudge the gift when you make it” (4:7). The words of this wise old man make us think. We are reminded that Tobit had lost his sight after having performed a work of mercy. As he himself tells us, from youth he had devoted his life to works of charity: “I performed many acts of charity for my kindred and my people who had gone with me in exile to Nineveh in the land of the Assyrians… I would give my food to the hungry and my clothing to the naked; and if I saw the dead body of any of my people thrown out behind the wall of Nineveh, I would bury it” (1:3.17). For this act of charity, the king had deprived him of all his goods and reduced him to utter poverty. Still, the Lord had need of Tobit; once he regained his post as an official, he courageously continued to do as he had done. Let us hear his tale, which can also speak to us today. “At our festival of Pentecost, which is the sacred festival of weeks, a good dinner was prepared for me and I reclined to it. When the table was set for me and an abundance of food was placed before me, I said to my son Tobias, ‘Go, my child, and bring whatever poor person you may find of our people among the exiles of Nineveh, who is wholeheartedly mindful of God, and he shall eat together with me. I will wait for you, until you come back’” (2:1-2). How meaningful it would be if, on the Day of the Poor, this concern of Tobit were also our own! If we were to invite someone to share our Sunday dinner, after sharing in the Eucharistic table, the Eucharist we celebrate would truly become a mark of communion. If it is true that around the altar of the Lord we are conscious that we are all brothers and sisters, how much more visible would our fraternity be, if we shared our festive meal with those who are in need! Tobias did as his father told him, but he returned with the news that a poor man had been murdered and thrown into the market place. Without hesitating, the elderly Tobit got up from the table and went to bury that man. Returning home exhausted, he fell asleep in the courtyard; some bird droppings fell on his eyes and he became blind (cf. 2:1-10). An irony of fate: no good deed goes unpunished! That is what we are tempted to think, but faith teaches us to go more deeply. The blindness of Tobit was to become his strength, enabling him to recognize even more clearly the many forms of poverty all around him. In due time, the Lord would give him back his sight and the joy of once more seeing his son Tobias. When that day came, we are told, “Tobit saw his son and threw his arms around him, and he wept and said to him, ‘I see you, my son, the light of my eyes!’ Then he said, ‘Blessed be God, and blessed be his great name, and blessed be all his holy angels. May his holy name be blessed throughout all the ages. Though he afflicted me, he has had mercy upon me. Now I see my son Tobias’” (11:13-14). 3. We may well ask where Tobit found the courage and the inner strength that enabled him to serve God in the midst of a pagan people and to love his neighbour so greatly that he risked his own life. That of Tobit is a remarkable story: a faithful husband and a caring father, he was deported far from his native land, where he suffered unjustly, persecuted by the king and mistreated by his neighbours. Despite being such a good man, he was put to the test. As sacred Scripture often teaches us, God does not spare trials to those who are righteous. Why? It is not to disgrace us, but to strengthen our faith in him. Tobit, in his time of trial, discovers his own poverty, which enables him to recognize others who are poor. He is faithful to God’s law and keeps the commandments, but for him this is not enough. He can show practical concern for the poor because he has personally known what it is to be poor. His advice to Tobias thus becomes his true testament: “Do not turn your face away from anyone who is poor” (4:7). In a word, whenever we encounter a poor person, we cannot look away, for that would prevent us from encountering the face of the Lord Jesus. Let us carefully consider his words: “from anyone who is poor”. Everyone is our neighbour. Regardless of the colour of their skin, their social standing, the place from which they came, if I myself am poor, I can recognize my brothers or sisters in need of my help. We are called to acknowledge every poor person and every form of poverty, abandoning the indifference and the banal excuses we make to protect our illusory well-being. 4. We are living in times that are not particularly sensitive to the needs of the poor. The pressure to adopt an affluent lifestyle increases, while the voices of those dwelling in poverty tend to go unheard. We are inclined to neglect anything that varies from the model of life set before the younger generation, those who are most vulnerable to the cultural changes now taking place. We disregard anything that is unpleasant or causes suffering, and exalt physical qualities as if they were the primary goal in life. Virtual reality is overtaking real life, and increasingly the two worlds blend into one. The poor become a film clip that can affect us for a moment, yet when we encounter them in flesh and blood on our streets, we are annoyed and look the other way. Haste, by now the daily companion of our lives, prevents us from stopping to help care for others. The parable of the Good Samaritan (cf. Lk 10:25-37) is not simply a story from the past; it continues to challenge each of us in the here and now of our daily lives. It is easy to delegate charity to others, yet the calling of every Christian is to become personally involved. 5. Let us thank the Lord that so many men and women are devoted to caring for the poor and the excluded; they are persons of every age and social status who show understanding and readiness to assist the marginalized and those who suffer. They are not superheroes but “next door neighbours”, ordinary people who quietly make themselves poor among the poor. They do more than give alms: they listen, they engage, they try to understand and deal with difficult situations and their causes. They consider not only material but also spiritual needs; and they work for the integral promotion of individuals. The Kingdom of God becomes present and visible in their generous and selfless service; like the seed that falls on good soil, it takes root in their lives and bears rich fruit (cf. Lk 8:4-15). Our gratitude to these many volunteers needs to find expression in prayer that their testimony will increasingly prove fruitful. 6. On this, the sixtieth anniversary of the encyclical Pacem in Terris, we do well to take to heart the following words of Pope Saint John XXIII: “Every human being enjoys the right to life, to bodily integrity and to the means necessary for the proper development of life, including food, clothing, shelter, medical care, rest, and, finally, the necessary social services. In consequence, every individual has the right to be looked after in the event of ill health; disability stemming from work; widowhood and forced unemployment; as well as in other cases when, through no fault of his own, he or she is deprived of the means of livelihood” (ed. Carlen, No. 11). How much still needs to be done for this to become a reality, not least through a serious and effective commitment on the part of political leaders and legislators! For all the limitations and at times the failures of politics in discerning and serving the common good, may the spirit of solidarity and subsidiarity continue to grow among citizens who believe in the value of voluntary commitment to serving the poor. Certainly there is a need to urge and even pressure public institutions to perform their duties properly, yet it is of no use to wait passively to receive everything “from on high”. Those living in poverty must also be involved and accompanied in a process of change and responsibility. 7. In addition, we must once more acknowledge new forms of poverty, as well as those described earlier. I think in particular of peoples caught up in situations of war, and especially children deprived of the serene present and a dignified future. We should never grow accustomed to such situations. Let us persevere in every effort to foster peace as a gift of the risen Lord and the fruit of a commitment to justice and dialogue. Nor can we ignore those forms of speculation in various sectors, which have led to dramatic price increases that further impoverish many families. Earnings are quickly spent, forcing sacrifices that compromise the dignity of every person. If a family has to choose between food for nourishment and medical care, then we need to pay attention to the voices of those who uphold the right to both goods in the name of the dignity of the human person. Then too how can we fail to note the ethical confusion present in the world of labour? The inhumane treatment meted out to many male and female laborers; inadequate pay for work done; the scourge of job insecurity; the excessive number of accident-related deaths, often the result of a mentality that chooses quick profit over a secure workplace… We are reminded of the insistence of Saint John Paul II that “the primary basis of the value of work is man himself… However true it may be that man is destined for work and called to it, in the first place, work is ‘for man’ and not man ‘for work’” (Laborem Exercens, 6). 8. This list, deeply troubling in itself, only partially accounts for the situations of poverty that are now part of our daily lives. I cannot fail to mention in particular an increasingly evident form of poverty that affects young people. How much frustration and how many suicides are being caused by the illusions created by a culture that leads young people to think that they are “losers”, “good for nothing”. Let us help them react to these malign influences and find ways to help them grow into self-assured and generous men and women. When speaking of the poor, it is easy to fall into rhetorical excess. It is also an insidious temptation to remain at the level of statistics and numbers. The poor are persons; they have faces, stories, hearts and souls. They are our brothers and sisters, with good points and bad, like all of us, and it is important to enter into a personal relation with each of them. The Book of Tobit teaches us to be realistic and practical in whatever we do with and for the poor. This is a matter of justice; it requires us to seek out and find one another, in order to foster the harmony needed for the community to feel itself as such. Caring for the poor is more than simply a matter of a hasty hand-out; it calls for reestablishing the just interpersonal relationships that poverty harms. In this way, “not turning our face away from anyone who is poor” leads us to enjoy the benefits of mercy and charity that give meaning and value to our entire Christian life. 9. May our concern for the poor always be marked by Gospel realism. Our sharing should meet the concrete needs of the other, rather than being just a means of ridding ourselves of superfluous goods. Here too, Spirit-led discernment is demanded, in order to recognize the genuine needs of our brothers and sisters and not our own personal hopes and aspirations. What the poor need is certainly our humanity, our hearts open to love. Let us never forget that “we are called to find Christ in them, to lend our voice to their causes, but also to be their friends, to listen to them, to speak for them and to embrace the mysterious wisdom which God wishes to share with us through them” (Evangelii Gaudium, 198). Faith teaches us that every poor person is a son or daughter of God and that Christ is present in them. “Just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me” (Mt 25:40). 10. This year marks the 150th anniversary of the birth of Saint Therese of the Child Jesus. In a page of her autobiography, Story of a Soul, she tells us: “I have come to realize that perfect charity means putting up with other people’s faults, not being at all taken aback by their faults, being edified by the smallest acts of virtue that we see practised. But above all, I have come to realize that charity must not remain locked in the depths of one’s heart: ‘No one’, Jesus says, ‘lights a candle to put it under a bushel basket, but puts it on a candle-stand, so that it can give light to everyone in the house’. For me, that candle represents the charity that must give light and bring joy not only to those dearest to me, but to everyone in the house, with the exception of none” (Ms C, 12r°). In this house of ours, which is the world, everyone has a right to experience the light of charity; no one must be deprived of that light. May the steadfast love of Saint Therese stir our hearts on this World Day of the Poor, and help us not to “turn our face away from anyone who is poor”, but to keep it always focused on the human and divine face of Jesus Christ our Lord. Rome, Saint John Lateran, 13 June 2023 Memorial of St. Anthony of Padua, Patron of the Poor.

Summary Report of the First Session XVI Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops 4 - 29 October 2023 Synod 2023 A SYNODAL CHURCH IN MISSION INTRODUCTION Dear Sisters, dear Brothers, “We have all been baptized by one Spirit in one body” (1 Cor 12:13). This is the experience, full of joy and gratitude, that we have had in this First Session of the Synodal Assembly held from 4 to 29 October 2023 on the theme "For a Synodal Church. Communion, Participation, Mission”. Despite our diversity of backgrounds, languages and cultures, through the common grace of Baptism we have been able to live these days together with one heart and spirit. We have sought to sing like a choir, many voices as though expressing one soul. The Holy Spirit has gifted us with an experience of the harmony that He alone can generate; it is a gift and a witness in a world that is torn and divided. Our Assembly took place while old and new wars rage in the world, with the absurd drama of countless victims. The cry of the poor, of those who are forced to migrate, of those who suffer violence or suffer the devastating consequences of climate change has resounded among us, not only through the media, but also by the voice of many, personally involved with their families and their peoples in these tragic events. We have brought everyone, at every moment, in our hearts and in prayer, asking us how our Churches can foster paths of reconciliation, hope, justice and peace. Our meeting took place in Rome, around the successor of Peter, who confirmed us in faith and pushed us to be bold in the mission. It was a grace to begin the journey of these days with an ecumenical vigil, in which we saw praying together with the Pope, at the tomb of Peter, the leaders and representatives of the other Christian confessions: unity quietly ferments within the Holy Church of God; we see it with our eyes and full of joy we bear witness to it. How beautiful and sweet it is that the brothers live together! (Ps 133,1). At the behest of the Holy Father, the Assembly saw the gathering together and around the Bishops other members of the People of God. The Bishops, united with each other and with the Bishop of Rome, have made the Church manifest as communion of Churches. Lay and lay people, consecrated and consecrated, deacons and priests were, with the Bishops, witnesses of a process that intends to involve the whole Church and all in the Church. They recalled that the Assembly is not an isolated event, but an integral part and necessary passage of the synodal process. In the multiplicity of interventions and in the plurality of positions, the experience of a Church that is learning the style of synodality and seeking the most suitable forms to realize it has resounded. It is more than two years since we began the journey that has led us to this Session. After the opening of the synodal process on 9 October 2021, all the Churches, albeit with a different step, engaged in a process of listening at diocesan, national and continental stages, the results of which were recorded in their respective documents. This Session opened the phase in which the entire Church received the fruits of this consultation in order to discern, in prayer and dialogue, the paths that the Spirit is asking us to follow. This phase will last until October 2024, when the Second Session of the Assembly will complete its work, offering it to the Holy Father. The entire journey, rooted in the Tradition of the Church, is taking place in the light of conciliar teaching. The Second Vatican Council was, in fact, like a seed sown in the field of the world and the Church. The soil in which it germinated and grew was the daily lives of believers, the experience of the Churches of every people and culture, the many testimonies of holiness, and the reflections of theologians. The Synod 2021-2024 continues to draw on the energy of that seed and to develop its potential. The synodal path is, in fact, implementing what the Council taught about the Church as Mystery and People of God, called to holiness. It values the contribution all the baptised make, according to their respective vocations, in helping us to understand better and practice the Gospel. In this sense, it constitutes a true act of further reception of the Council, prolonging its inspiration and reinvigorating its prophetic force for today's world. After a month of work, the Lord now calls us to return to our Churches to transmit to all of you the fruits of our work and continue the journey together. Here in Rome we were just a few, but the purpose of the synodal path called by the Holy Father is to involve all the baptized. We ardently desire this to happen and want to commit ourselves to making it possible. In this Synthesis Report we have collected the main elements that emerged in the dialogue, prayer and discussion that characterised these days. Our personal stories will enrich this synthesis with the tenor of lived experience, which no document can adequately capture. We will thus be able to testify to the richness of our experience of listening, of silence and sharing, and of prayer. We will also share that it is not easy to listen to different ideas, without immediately giving in to the temptation to counter the views expressed; or to offer one's contribution as a gift for others and not as something absolute or certain. However, the Lord's grace has led us to achieve this, despite our limitations, and this has been for us a true experience of synodality. By having practised it, we understand it better and have grasped its value. We have understood, in fact, that walking together as baptized, in the diversity of charisms, vocations, ministries, is important not only for our communities, but also for the world. Evangelical solidarity is like a lamp, which must not be placed under a bushel, but on a lampstand so that it may shed light on the whole house (cf. Mt 5:15). The world needs this testimony more than ever. As disciples of Jesus we cannot shirk from the responsibility of demonstrating and transmitting to a wounded humanity the love and tenderness of God. The work of this Session was carried out in accordance with the ‘roadmap’ laid down in the Instrumentum laboris, by means of which the Assembly was able to reflect on the characteristic signs of a synodal Church and the dynamics of communion, mission and participation that it contains. We were able to discuss the merits of issues, identify themes in need of in-depth study, and take forward a preliminary set of proposals. In the light of the progress made, the Synthesis Report does not repeat or reiterate all the contents of the Instrumentum laboris; rather, it gives new impetus to the questions and themes we considered to be priorities. It is not a final document, but an instrument at the service of ongoing discernment. The Synthesis Report is structured in three parts. The first outlines "the face of the synodal Church", presenting the practice and understanding of synodality and its theological underpinning. Here it is presented first and foremost as a spiritual experience that stems from contemplation of the Trinity and unfolds by articulating unity and variety in the Church. The second part, entitled "All disciples, all missionaries", deals with all those involved in the life and mission of the Church and their relationships with one another. In this part, synodality is mainly presented as a joint journey of the People of God and as a fruitful dialogue between the charisms and ministries at the service of the coming of the Kingdom. The third part bears the title "Weaving bonds, building community". Here, synodality is presented mainly as a set of processes and as a network of bodies enabling exchange between the Churches and dialogue with the world. In each of the three parts, individual chapters bring together convergences, matters for consideration and proposals that emerged from the dialogue. The convergences identify specific points that orientate reflection, akin to a map that helps us find our way. The matters for consideration summarise points about which it is necessary to continue deepening our understanding pastorally, theologically, and canonically. This is like being at a crossroads where we need to pause so we can understand better the direction we need to take. The proposals indicate possible paths that can be taken. Some are suggested, others recommended, others still requested with some strength and determination. In the coming months, Episcopal Conferences as well as the hierarchical structures of the Eastern Catholic Churches, serving as a link between the local Churches and the General Secretariat of the Synod, will play an important role in developing our reflections. Taking their starting point from the convergences already reached, they are called to focus on the questions and proposals that are considered most urgent. They are asked to encourage a deepening of the issues both pastorally and theologically, and to indicate their canonical implications. We carry in our hearts the desire, sustained by hope, that the climate of mutual listening and sincere dialogue that we experienced during the days of common work in Rome will radiate in our communities and throughout the world, at the service of the growth of the good seed of the Kingdom of God. PART I – THE VOTE OF THE SYNODAL CHURCH 1. Synodality: Experience and Understanding Convergencies a) We have accepted the invitation to recognize with new awareness the synodal dimension of the Church. Synodal practices are attested in the New Testament and the early Church. Subsequently they took on particular historical forms in the different Churches and Christian traditions. The Second Vatican Council “updates” them and Pope Francis encourages the Church to renew them again. In this process the Synod 2021-2024 is also included. Through it, the Holy People of God has discovered that a synodal way of praying, listening and speaking, rooted in the Word of God and woven of moments of encounter in joy, and sometimes even in fatigue, leads to a deeper awareness that we are all brothers and sisters in Christ. An inestimable fruit is the increased awareness of our identity as the faithful People of God, within which each one is the bearer of a dignity deriving from Baptism and called to co-responsibility for the common mission of evangelization. b) This process has renewed our experience and our desire for a Church that is the home and family of God. It is precisely to this experience and to this desire for a Church closer to the people, less bureaucratic and more relational who have been associated with the terms “synodality” and “synodal”, offering a first understanding that needs to encounter a better clarification. It is the Church that young people had declared to wish in 2018, on the occasion of the Synod dedicated to them. c) The very way in which the Assembly took place, starting from the arrangement of persons sitting in small groups around round tables in the Paul VI Hall, comparable to the biblical image of the wedding banquet (Rep 19:9), is emblematic of a synodal Church and image of the Eucharist, the source and summit of synodality, with the Word of God at its center. Within it, cultures, languages, rites, ways of thinking and different realities can engage together and fruitfully in a sincere search under the guidance of the Spirit. d) In our midst were sisters and brothers of peoples who were victims of war, martyrdom, persecution and hunger. The situation of these peoples, for whom it has often been impossible to participate in the synodal process, has entered into our exchanges and in our prayer, nourishing our sense of communion with them and our determination to be peacemakers. e) The Assembly frequently spoke of hope, healing, reconciliation and restoration of trust among the many gifts that the Spirit has poured out on the Church during this synodal process. The openness to listening and accompanying all, including those who have suffered abuse and injury in the Church, has made visible many who have felt invisible for a long time. We still have a long way to go towards reconciliation and justice, which requires us to face the structural conditions that have allowed such abuses and make concrete gestures of penance. f) We know that “synodality” is a term unknown to many members of the People of God, which arouses in some confusion and worries. Among the fears, there is what the Church’s teaching be changed, distancing us from the apostolic faith of our fathers and betraying the expectations of those who are also hungry and thirsty for God today. However, we are convinced that synodality is an expression of the dynamism of the living Tradition. g) Without underestimation of the value of representative democracy, Pope Francis responds to the concern of some that the Synod may become a majority body of deliberation without its ecclesial and spiritual character, putting at risk the hierarchical nature of the Church. Some fear being forced to change; others fear that nothing will change and that there will be too little courage to move to the rhythm of living Tradition. Some perplexities and oppositions also hide the fear of losing the power and privileges that come with it. In any case, in all cultural contexts, the terms “synodal” and synodality indicate a way of being Church that articulates communion, mission and participation. An example of this is the Ecclesial Conference of the Amazon (CEAMA), the fruit of the synodal missionary process of that region. h) Synodality can be understood as walking of Christians with Christ and towards the Kingdom, together with all humanity; oriented to the mission, it involves reuniting in assembly at the different levels of ecclesial life, mutual listening, dialogue, community discernment, the creation of consensus as an expression of the making oneself present of Christ alive in the Spirit and the assumption of a decision in a differentiated co-responsibility. i) Through experience and encounter, we have grown together in this awareness. In summary, from the first days, the Assembly has been shaped by two convictions: the first is that the experience we have shared in recent years is authentically Christian and must be welcomed in all its richness and depth; the second is that the terms “synodal” and “synodality” require a more accurate clarification of their levels of meaning in the different cultures. A substantial agreement emerged that, with the necessary clarifications, the synodal perspective represents the future of the Church. Issues to be addressed j) Starting from the work of reflection already carried out, it is necessary to clarify the meaning of synodality at different levels, from pastoral to the theological and canonical use, avoiding the risk that it sounds too vague or generic, or that it appears as a passing fashion. In the same way, it is considered necessary to clarify the relationship between synodality and communion, as well as that between synodality and collegiality. k) The desire to value the differences in the practice and understanding of synodality between the traditions of the Christian East and the Latin tradition, also in the ongoing synodal process, has emerged, favoring the encounter between them. l) In particular, the many expressions of synodal life in cultural contexts in cultural contexts in which people are used to walking together as a community must be brought out. In this line, it can be said that the synodal practice is part of the Church’s prophetic response to an individualism that turns itself back on itself, to a populism that divides and a globalization that homogenizes and flattens. It does not solve these problems, but provides an alternative way of being and acting full of hope, which integrates a plurality of perspectives and which must be further explored and enlightened. Proposals m) The richness and depth of the lived experience lead to the priority of the widening of the number of people involved in the synodal paths, overcoming the obstacles to participation that has emerged so far, as well as the sense of mistrust and the fears that some have. n) It is necessary to develop modalities for a more active involvement of deacons, priests and bishops in the synodal process during the next year. A synodal Church cannot do without their voices, their experiences and their contribution. We need to understand the reasons for resistance to synodality by some of them. o) Finally, it has emerged forcefully the need for the synodal culture to become more intergenerational, with spaces that allow young people to speak freely with their families, with their peers and with their pastors, also through digital channels. p) It is proposed to promote, in the appropriate place, the theological work of in-depth study of the notion and practice of synodality before the Second Session of the Assembly, benefiting from the rich patrimony of studies following the Second Vatican Council and, in particular, of the documents of the International Theological Commission on Synodality in the life and mission of the Church (2018) and The sensus fidei in the life of the Church (2014). q) The canonical implications of the perspective of synodality require a similar clarification. In this regard, it is proposed that an intercontinental commission of theologians and canonists are established, in view of the Second Session of the Assembly. r) The time seems to have come for a revision of the Code of Canon Law and the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches. A preliminary study is therefore started. 2. Gathered and sent by the Trinity Convergencies a) As the Second Vatican Council recalls, the Church is “a people gathered together by virtue of the unity of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit” (LG 4). The Father, through the sending of the Son and the gift of the Spirit, involves us in a dynamism of communion and mission that makes us pass from the I to ourselves and places us at the service of the world. Synodality translates into spiritual attitudes and ecclesial processes the Trinitarian dynamic with which God comes to meet humanity. For this to happen, it is necessary that all the baptized undertake to exercise their vocation, their own charism, their own ministry in reciprocity. Only in this way can the Church truly be “talking” within it and with the world (cf. Ecclesiam suam 67), walking side by side with every human being in the style of Jesus. b) From the beginning, the synodal path of the Church is oriented towards the Kingdom, which will be fully fulfilled when God will be all in all. The witness of ecclesial fraternity and missionary dedication to the service of the least will never be up to the Mystery of which they are also a sign and instrument. The Church does not reflect on her synodal configuration to place herself at the center of the proclamation, but to carry out at her best, even in her constitutive unfinishedness, the service to the coming of the Kingdom. c) The renewal of the Christian community is possible only by recognizing the primate of grace. If spiritual depth is lacking, synodality remains a renewal of the facade. What we are called, however, is not only translating into community processes a spiritual experience gained elsewhere, but more deeply experiencing how fratter relations are the place and form of an authentic encounter with God. In this sense the synodal perspective, while drawing on the rich spiritual patrimony of Tradition, contributes to renewing its forms: a prayer open to participation, a discernment lived together, a missionary energy that is born from sharing and radiates as a service. d) Conversation in the Spirit is an instrument that, even with its limits, is fruitful to allow authentic listening and to discern what the Spirit says to the Churches. His practice aroused joy, wonder and gratitude and was lived as a path of renewal that transforms individuals, groups, the Church. The word “conversation” expresses something more than simple dialogue: it harmoniously interweaves thought and feeling and generates a shared vital world. For this reason it can be said that in the conversation is in the game the conversion. It is an anthropological fact that is found in different peoples and cultures, united by the practice of gathering solidarity to treat and decide on the vital issues for the community. Grace brings this human experience to fulfillment: conversing “in the Spirit” means living the experience of sharing in the light of faith and in the search for the will of God, in an authentically evangelical atmosphere within which the Holy Spirit can make his voice heard unmistakable. e) Since synodality is ordered to the mission, it is necessary that the Christian communities share fraternity with men and women of other religions, convictions and cultures, avoiding on the one hand the risk of self-referentiality and self-preservation and on the other hand that of the loss of identity. The logic of dialogue, of mutual learning and of walking together must characterize the Gospel proclamation and service to the poor, the care of the common home and theological research, becoming the pastoral style of the Church. Issues to be addressed f) In order to carry out a true listening to the will of the Father, it seems necessary to deepen from the theological point of view the criteria of ecclesial discernment, so that the reference to the freedom and novelty of the Spirit is appropriately coordinated with the event of Jesus Christ which happened “once and for all” (Heb 10:10). This requires first of all to clarify the relationship between listening to the Word of God attested in Scripture, the acceptance of the Tradition and the Magisterium of the Church and the prophetic reading of the signs of the times. g) To this end it is essential to promote anthropological and spiritual visions capable of integrating and not juxtaposing the intellectual and emotional dimension of the experience of faith, overcoming any reductionism and every dualism between reason and feeling. h) It is important to clarify how conversation in the Spirit can integrate the contributions of theological thought and the human and social sciences, also in the light of other models of ecclesial discernment that are realized following the scan of “see, judging, acting” or articulating the passages of “recognize, interpreting, choosing”. i) The contribution that the lectio divina and the different spiritual traditions, ancient and recent, must be developed to offer to the practice of discernment. It is appropriate to enhance the plurality of forms and styles, methods and criteria that the Holy Spirit has suggested over the centuries and that are part of the spiritual patrimony of the Church. Proposals j) It is proposed to experience and adapt the conversation in the Spirit and other forms of discernment in the life of the Churches, valuing according to cultures and contexts the richness of the different spiritual traditions. Appropriate forms of accompaniment can facilitate this practice, helping to grasp its logic and overcome any resistance. k) Each local Church equips himself with suitable and prepared persons to facilitate and accompany processes of ecclesial discernment. l) It is important that the practice of discernment is also implemented in the pastoral sphere, in a way appropriate to contexts, to illuminate the concreteness of ecclesial life. It will allow us to better recognize the charisms present in the community, to entrust with wisdom tasks and ministries, to plan in the light of the Spirit the pastoral paths, going beyond the simple planning of activities. 3. Joining a community of faith: Christian initiation Convergencies a) Christian initiation is the itinerary through which the Lord, through the ministry of the Church, introduces us into the Paschal faith and inserts us into the Trinitarian and ecclesial communion. This itinerary knows a significant variety of forms depending on the age in which it is undertaken and the different accentuations of Eastern and Western traditions. However, listening to the Word and the conversion of life, the liturgical celebration and insertion into the community and its mission are always intertwined. Precisely for this reason the catechumenal path, with the gradualness of its stages and its passages, is the paradigm of every ecclesial journey together. b) Initiation brings in contact with a great variety of vocations and ecclesial ministries. In them is expressed the maternal face of a Church that teaches her children to walk with them. He listens to them and, while answering their doubts and their questions, he is enriched with the novelty that each person carries in himself, with his history, his language and his culture. In the practice of this pastoral action, the Christian community experiences, often without full awareness, the first form of synodality. c) Before any distinction of charisms and ministries, “we have all been baptized by one Spirit in one body” (1 Cor 12:13). For this reason, among all the baptized, there is an authentic equality of dignity and a common responsibility for the mission, according to the vocation of each one. By the anointing of the Spirit, who “teach all things” (1 Jn 2:27), all believers possess an instinct for the truth of the Gospel, called sensus fidei. It consists in a certain connaturality with the divine realities and in the attitude to intuitively grasp what is in conformity with the truth of faith. The synodal processes value this gift and make it possible to verify the existence of that consent of the faithful (consensus fidelium) which is a sure criterion for determining whether a particular doctrine or practice belongs to the apostolic faith. d) Confirmation somehow makes the grace of Pentecost perennial in the Church. It enriches the faithful with the abundance of the gifts of the Spirit and calls them to develop their own specific vocation, rooted in their common baptismal dignity, at the service of the mission. Its importance must be more highlighted and placed in relation to the variety of charisms and ministries that shape the synodal face of the Church. e) The celebration of the Eucharist, especially on Sundays, is the first and fundamental form in which the Holy People of God gathers and meets. Where it is not possible, the community, while desiring it, gathers around the celebration of the Word. In the Eucharist we celebrate a mystery of grace of which we are not the artisans. Calling us to prticipate in his Body and Blood, the Lord makes us one body among us and with Him. Starting from the use that Paul makes of the term koinonia (cf. 1 Cor 10:16-17), the Christian tradition has preserved the word “communion” to indicate at the same time full participation in the Eucharist and the nature of the relations between the faithful and between the Churches. While it opens us to the contemplation of divine life, to the unfathomable depths of the Trinitarian mystery, this term refers us to the daily life of our relationships: in the simplest gestures with which we open ourselves to one another, the breath of the Spirit really circulates. For this reason, the communion celebrated in the Eucharist and which springs from it configures and guides the paths of synodality. f) From the Eucharist we learn to articulate unity and diversity: the unity of the Church and the multiplicity of Christian communities; unity of the sacramental mystery and variety of liturgical traditions; unity of the celebration and diversity of vocations, charisms and ministries. Nothing more than the Eucharist shows that the harmony created by the Spirit is not uniformity and that every ecclesial gift is destined for common edification. Issues to be addressed g) The sacrament of Baptism cannot be understood in an isolated way, outside the logic of Christian initiation, much less in an individualistic way. It is therefore necessary to further deepen the contribution to the understanding of synodality which can come from a more unitary vision of Christian initiation. h) The maturation of the sensus fidei requires not only to have received Baptism, but also to develop the grace of the sacrament in a life of authentic discipleship, which you enable you to discern the action of the Spirit from what is an expression of dominant thought, the result of cultural conditioning or in any case not consistent with the Gospel. It is a topic to be explored with adequate theological reflection. i) The reflection on synodality can offer ideas of renewal for the understanding of Confirmation, with which the grace of the Spirit articulates in the harmony of Pentecost the variety of gifts and charisms. In the light of the different ecclesial experiences, the way to make the preparation and celebration of this sacrament more fruitful must be studied, so as to awaken in all the faithful the call to the building of the community, to the mission in the world and to the witness of faith. j) From the pastoral theological point of view, it is important to continue research on the way in which the catechumenal logic can illuminate other pastoral paths, such as that of preparation for marriage, or accompaniment to choices of professional and social commitment, or formation itself in the ordained ministry, in which the entire ecclesial community must be involved. Proposals k) If the Eucharist gives form to synodality, the first step to be taken is to honor its grace with a celebratory style at the height of the gift and with an authentic fraternity. The liturgy celebrated with authenticity is the first and fundamental school of discipleship and fraternity. Before all our formation initiatives, we must let ourselves be formed by its powerful beauty and the noble simplicity of its gestures. l) A second step refers to the need, from several parties pointed out, to make the liturgical language more accessible to the faithful and more embodied in the diversity of cultures. Without questioning the continuity with the tradition and the need for liturgical formation, a reflection on this theme is urged and the attribution of greater responsibility to the Episcopal Conferences, on the line of the motu proprio Magnum principium. m) A third step consists in the pastoral commitment to value all forms of community prayer, without limiting itself to the mere celebration of Mass. Other expressions of the liturgical prayer, as well as the practices of popular piety, in which the genius of local cultures is reflected, are elements of great importance to encourage the involvement of all the faithful, to introduce gradually into the Christian mystery and to bring closer to the encounter with the Lord those who are less familiar with the Church. Among the forms of popular piety stands out in particular Marian devotion, for its ability to support and nourish the faith of many. 4. The poor, protagonists of the Church’s journey Convergencies a) The poor ask the Church for love. By love we mean respect, welcome and recognition, without which providing food, money or social services is certainly an important form of assistance, but which is not fully charged with the dignity of the person. Respect and recognition are powerful tools for activating personal skills, so that everyone is subject to their own growth path and not the subject of the welfare action of others. b) The preferential option for the poor is implicit in the Christological faith: Jesus, poor and humble, made friends with the poor, walked with the poor, shared the table with the poor and denounced the causes of poverty. For the Church, the option for the poor and discarded is a theological category rather than cultural, sociological, political or philosophical. For St. John Paul II, God gives them his mercy first. This divine preference has consequences in the lives of all Christians, called to nourish “the same sentiments of Christ Jesus” (Phil 2:5). c) There is not a single kind of poverty. Among the many faces of the poor are those of all those who do not have the necessary to lead a dignified life. Then there are those of migrants and refugees; indigenous peoples, original and afro-descendants; those who suffer violence and abuse, in particular women; people with dependencies; minorities who are systematically denied a voice; abandoned elderly people; victims of racism, exploitation and trafficking, in particular minors; exploited workers; economically excluded and others living in the peripheries. The most vulnerable among the vulnerable, in favor of whom a constant advocacy action is necessary, are the babies in the womb and their mothers. The Assembly is aware of the cry of the “new poor”, produced by wars and terrorism that torment many countries on different continents and condemns the corrupt political and economic systems that are the cause of it. d) Alongside the many forms of material poverty, our world also knows those of spiritual poverty, understood as a lack of the meaning of life. Excessive concern for oneself can lead to seeing others as a threat and to be locked up in individualism. As has been noted, material poverty and spiritual poverty, when they ally, can find the answers to each other’s needs. This is a way to walk together that makes concrete the perspective of the synodal Church that will reveal to us the fullest meaning of the evangelical beatitude “Blessed are the poor in spirit” (Mt 5:3). e) Being at the side of the poor means committing oneself with them also to the care of our common home: the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor are the same cry. The lack of reactions makes the ecological crisis and in particular climate change a threat to the survival of humanity, as underlined by the apostolic exhortation Laudate Deum, published by Pope Francis in conjunction with the opening of the work of the Synodal Assembly. The Churches of the countries most exposed to the consequences of climate change are a lively awareness of the urgency of a change of course and this represents their contribution to the path of the other Churches of the planet. f) The Church’s commitment must come to the causes of poverty and exclusion. This includes action to protect the rights of the poor and excluded, and may require the public denunciation of injustices, whether perpetrated by individuals, governments, companies or structures of society. This is why listening to their instances and their point of view is essential, in order to lend their voices, using their words. g) Christians have the duty to commit themselves to participate actively in the construction of the common good and in the defense of the dignity of life, drawing inspiration from the social doctrine of the Church and working in various forms (commitment in civil society organizations, trade unions, popular movements, basic associations, political, etc.). The Church expresses a deep gratitude for their action. May communities support those who work in these fields in an authentic spirit of charity and service. Their action is part of the Church’s mission of proclaiming the Gospel and collaboration in the coming of the Kingdom of God. h) In the poor, the Christian community encounters the face and flesh of Christ, who as a rich man who was, became poor for us, so that we might become rich through his poverty (cf. 2 Cor 8.9). She is called not only to make herself close to them, but to learn from them. If to do synod means to walk together with the One who is the way, a synodal Church needs to put the poor at the center of all aspects of her own life: through their sufferings they have a direct knowledge of the suffering Christ (cf. Evangelii Gaudium, no. 198). The likeness of their lives with that of the Lord makes the poor heralds of a salvation received as a gift and witnesses of the joy of the Gospel. Issues to be addressed i) In some parts of the world the Church is poor, with the poor and for the poor. There is a constant risk, to be avoided with care, to consider the poor in terms of “them” and “we”, as “objects” of the Church’s charity. Putting the poor at the centre and learning from them is something that the Church must do more and more. j) The prophetic denunciation of situations of injustice and the action of pressure against political decision-makers, which requires the use of forms of diplomacy, must be kept in dynamic tension so as not to lose clarity and fruitfulness. In particular, it is necessary to ensure that the use of public or private funds by the structures of the Church does not condition the freedom to speak in the name of the demands of the Gospel. k) Action in the fields of education, health and social care, without any discrimination or exclusion of anyone, is a clear sign of a Church that promotes the integration and participation of the latter within and in society. Organizations active in this field are invited to consider themselves an expression of the Christian community and to avoid an impersonal style of living charity. They are also urged to network and coordinate. l) The Church must be honest in examining how it respects the demands of justice towards those who work in the institutions connected with it, to witness with integrity their coherence. m) In a synodal Church, a sense of solidarity is also played out on the level of the exchange of gifts and the sharing of resources between local Churches in different regions. These are relationships that favor the unity of the Church, creating bonds between the Christian communities involved. It is necessary to focus on the conditions to be guaranteed so that priests who come to the aid of the poor churches of the clergy are not only a functional remedy, but a resource for the growth of the Church that sends them and of the one that receives them. Similarly, economic aid must not degenerate into welfare, but promote authentic evangelical solidarity and are managed in a transparent and reliable manner. Proposals n) The social doctrine of the Church is a resource too little known, on which to return to invest. The local Churches are committed not only to making the contents more known, but to favor its appropriation through practices that implement its inspiration. o) The experience of encounter, of the sharing of life and of service to the poor and marginalized becomes an integral part of all the formative paths offered by Christian communities: it is a requirement of faith, not an optional one. This applies in particular to candidates for the ordained ministry and consecrated life. p) In the context of the rethinking of the diaconal ministry, a more decisive orientation at the service of the poor is promoted. q) The biblical and theological foundations of integral ecology are more explicitly and attentive in the teaching, liturgy and practices of the Church. 5. A Church from “every tribe, language, people and nation” Convergencies Christians live within specific cultures, bringing Christ into the Word and the Sacrament. Comrating themselves in the service of charity, they welcome with humility and joy the mystery of Christ who already awaits them in every place and at all times. In this way they become a Church from “every tribe, language, people and nation” (Rep. b) The cultural, historical and regional contexts in which the Church is present reveal different spiritual and material needs. This shapes the culture of the local Churches, their missionary priorities, the concerns and gifts that each of them leads to synodal dialogue, and the languages with which it is expressed. During the days of the Assembly we were able to gain direct and most joyful experience of the plurality of the expressions of being Church. c) Churches live in increasingly multicultural and multi-religious contexts, in which the commitment to dialogue between religion and culture is essential together with the other groups that make up society. Living the Church’s mission in these contexts requires a style of presence, service and proclamation that seeks to build bridges, cultivate mutual understanding and engage in an evangelization that accompanies, listens and learns. Several times in the Assembly the image of “pulling your shoes” to go to the meeting with the other from equal, as a sign of humility and respect for a sacred space, resounded. d) Migration movements are a reality that reshapes the local Churches as intercultural communities. Often migrants and refugees, many of whom bear the wounds of uprooting, of war and violence, become a source of renewal and enrichment for the communities that welcome them and an opportunity to establish a direct link with geographically distant Churches. Faced with increasingly hostile attitudes towards migrants, we are called to practice an open welcome, to accompany them in the construction of a new project of life and to build a true intercultural communion among peoples. Respect for the liturgical traditions and religious practices of migrants is an integral part of genuine hospitality. e) The missionaries gave their lives to bring the Good News all over the world. Their commitment gives an eloquent witness to the power of the Gospel. However, particular attention and sensitivity are necessary in contexts in which “mission” is a word charged with a painful historical heritage, which today hinders communion. In some places the proclamation of the Gospel was associated with colonization and even genocide. Evangelizing in these contexts requires acknowledging the mistakes made, learning a new sensitivity to these problems and to accompany a generation that seeks to forge Christian identities beyond colonialism. Respect and humility are fundamental attitudes to recognize that we complete each other and that the encounter with different cultures can enrich living and thinking about the faith of Christian communities. The Church teaches the necessity and encourages the practice of interreligious dialogue as part of the building of communion among all peoples. In a world of violence and fragmentation, a witness to the unity of humanity, its common origin and its common destiny, in a coordinated and fraternal solidarity towards social justice, peace, reconciliation and the care of the common home, is increasingly urgent. The Church is aware that the Spirit can speak through the voice of men and women of every religion, conviction and culture. Issues to be addressed g) It is necessary to cultivate sensitivity for the richness of the variety of expressions of the Church being. This requires the search for a dynamic balance between the dimension of the Church as a whole and its local roots, between respect for the bond of the unity of the Church and the risk of homogenization that stifles variety. Meanings and priorities vary between different contexts, and this requires identifying and promoting forms of decentralization and intermediate instances. h) The Church is also struck by polarization and mistrust in crucial areas, such as liturgical life and moral, social and theological reflection. We must recognize their causes through dialogue and undertake courageous processes of revitalization of communion and reconciliation in order to overcome them. i) In our local Churches, we sometimes experience tensions between different ways of understanding evangelization, which focus on the witness of life, on the commitment to human promotion, on dialogue with faiths and cultures and on the explicit proclamation of the Gospel. Similarly, there is a tension between the explicit proclamation of Jesus Christ and the enhancement of the characteristics of each culture in search of the evangelical traits (see Verbe) that it already contains. j) Among the questions to be deepened, the possible confusion between the Gospel message and the culture of the evangelizer was indicated. k) The spread of conflicts, with the trade and the use of increasingly powerful weapons, opens the question, raised in different groups, of a more accurate reflection and training to manage conflicts in a non-violent way. This is a qualified contribution that Christians can make to the world today, also in dialogue and in collaboration with other religions. Proposals l) A renewed attention is needed to the question of the languages we use to speak to people’s minds and hearts in a great diversity of contexts, in a way that is accessible and beautiful. m) In view of the experimentation of forms of decentralization, a shared reference framework for their management and evaluation, identifying all the actors involved and their roles should be defined. For the needs of coherence, the processes of discernment in the field of decentralization must take place in the synodal style, providing for the contribution and contribution of all the actors involved at different levels. n) New paradigms are necessary for pastoral commitment with indigenous peoples, in the line of a path together and not of an action done to them or for them. Their participation in decision-making at all levels can contribute to a more vibrant and missionary Church. o) From the work of the Assembly, the request for a better knowledge of the teachings of Vatican II, of the post-conciliar magisterium and of the social doctrine of the Church emerges. We need to know our different traditions better in order to be more clearly a Church of Churches in communion, effective in service and dialogue. p) In a world where the number of migrants and refugees increases, while the willingness to welcome them is reduced, and in which the foreigner is seen with increasing suspicion, it is appropriate that the Church commits herself decisively to education in the culture of dialogue and encounter, fighting racism and xenophobia, in particular in pastoral formation programs. It is also necessary to engage in migrant integration projects. q) We commend a renewed commitment to dialogue and discernment in the field of racial justice. We need to identify the systems that create or maintain racial injustice within the Church and fight them. Let healing and reconciliation process be created to eradicate the sin of racism, with the help of those who suffer the consequences. 6. Traditions of the Eastern Churches and the Latin Church Convergencies a) Among the Eastern Churches, those in full communion with the successor of Peter enjoy a liturgical, theological, ecclesiological and canonical peculiarity that greatly enriches the entire Church. In particular, their experience of unity in diversity can offer a valuable contribution to the understanding and practice of synodality. b) Throughout history, the level of autonomy guaranteed to these Churches has known different phases and has also recorded behaviors considered outdated today, such as Latinization. In recent decades, the path of recognition of the specificity, distinction and autonomy of these Churches has had a remarkable development. c) The substantial migration of faithful of the Catholic East into Latino-majority territories poses important pastoral questions. If the current flow continues or increases, there may be more members of the Eastern Catholic Churches in the diaspora than in the canonical territories. For various reasons, the establishment of Eastern hierarchies in the countries of immigration is not enough to solve the problem, but it is necessary that the local Churches of the Latin rite, in the name of synodality, help the Eastern faithful who emigrated to preserve their identity and to cultivate their specific heritage, without undergoing processes of assimilation. Issues to be addressed d) The contribution that the experience of the Eastern Catholic Churches can offer to the understanding and practice of synodality must be further studied. e) Some difficulties remain with regard to the Pope’s assent to the Bishops elected by the Synods of the Churches sui iuris for their territory and the papal appointment of bishops outside the canonical territory. The request to extend the jurisdiction of the Patriarchs outside the patriarchal territory is also the object of discernment in dialogue with the Holy See. f) In the regions where there are faithful of different Catholic Churches, it is necessary to find ways that make an effective unity in diversity visible and experiable. g) It is necessary to reflect on the contribution that the Eastern Catholic Churches can give to the path towards unity among all Christians and the role they can play in interreligious and intercultural dialogue. Proposals h) First of all, the request to establish a Council of Major Patriarchs and Archbishops of the Eastern Catholic Churches at the Holy Father emerges. (i) Some ask to convoke a Special Synod dedicated to the Eastern Catholic Churches, to their identity and mission, as well as to pastoral and canonical challenges in the context of war and massive migration. j) It is proposed to form a joint commission of theologians, historians and Eastern and Latin canonists to study the issues that require further study and to make proposals to continue the journey. k) In the dicasteries of the Roman Curia there is an adequate representation of members of the Eastern Catholic Churches to enrich the entire Church with the contribution of their perspective, to promote the solution of the problems detected and to participate in dialogue at different levels. l) In order to foster forms of welcoming respectful of the patrimony of the faithful of the Eastern Churches of the Eastern Churches, relations between the Eastern clergy in the diaspora and the Latin one and to promote mutual knowledge and the recognition of their respective traditions. 7. On the Road to Christian Unity Convergencies a) This session of the Synodal Assembly opened in the sign of ecumenism. The prayer vigil “Tone” saw the presence at the side of Pope Francis of numerous other leaders and representatives of different Christian Communions: a clear and credible sign of the will to walk together in the spirit of the unity of faith and the exchange of gifts. This event, which is highly significant, has also allowed us to recognize that we are in an ecumenical kairos and to reaffirm that what unites us is greater than what divides us. In common, in fact, we have “one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, among all and in all” (Eph 4:5-6). b) Baptism, which is at the beginning of synodality, is also the foundation of ecumenism. Through it all Christians participate in the sensus fidei and for this reason they must be listened attentively, regardless of their tradition, as the Synod Assembly has done in its process of discernment. There can be no synodality without the ecumenical dimension. c) Ecumenism is above all a question of spiritual renewal and also requires processes of repentance and healing of memory. In the Assembly, illuminating testimonies of Christians of different ecclesial traditions resounded, who share friendship, prayer and above all the commitment to the service of the poor. The dedication to the latter cements bonds and helps to focus on what already unites all believers in Christ. It is therefore important that ecumenism develop first and foremost in daily life. In the theological and institutional dialogue, the patient weaving continues from mutual understanding in a climate of growing trust and openness. d) In many regions of the world there is above all the ecumenism of blood: Christians of different belongings who together give their lives for faith in Jesus Christ. The witness of their martyrdom is more eloquent than any word: unity comes from the Lord’s Cross. e) Collaboration among all Christians is also a fundamental element to face the pastoral challenges of our time: in secularized societies it allows us to give more strength to the voice of the Gospel, in contexts of poverty it makes the forces join at the service of justice, peace and the dignity of the least. Always and everywhere is a fundamental resource for healing the culture of hatred, division and war that pits groups, peoples and nations. f) Marriages between Christians belonging to different Churches or ecclesial communities (stunned marriages) constitute realities in which the wisdom of communion can mature and one can evangelize one another. Issues to be addressed g) Our Assembly was able to perceive the diversity among Christian confessions in the way of understanding the synodal configuration of the Church. In the Orthodox Churches, synodality is understood in the strict sense as an expression of the collegial exercise of the authority proper to the Bishops alone (the Holy Synod). In a broad sense, it refers to the active participation of all the faithful in the life and mission of the Church. There have been references to the practices in use in other ecclesial communities, which have enriched our debate. All this requires further information. h) Another topic to be explored concerns the link between synodality and primacy at the various levels (local, regional, universal), in their mutual interdependence. It requires a shared re-reading of history, to overcome clichés and prejudices. The ongoing ecumenical dialogues have allowed us to better understand, in the light of the practices of the first millennium, which synodality and primacy are related, complementary and inseparable realities. The clarification of this delicate point is reflected in the way of understanding the Petrine ministry at the service of unity, as desired by Saint John Paul II in the Encyclical Ut unum sint. i) The question of Eucharistic, Eucharistic and pastoral hospitality (communicatio in sacriss) must be further examined in the theological, canonical point of view, in the light of the link between sacramental and ecclesial communion. This theme is particularly felt by interfaith couples. It also refers to a broader reflection on mixed marriages. j) A reflection on the phenomenon of the “non-nominational” communities and of the “awakening” movements of Christian inspiration, to which faithful originally Catholics are also adhered to in large numbers. Proposals k) In 2025 there is the anniversary of the Council of Nicaea (325), in which the symbol of the faith that unites all Christians was elaborated. A common commemoration of this event will also help us to better understand how in the past the controversial issues were discussed and resolved together in the Council. l) In the same year 2025, providentially, the date of the Easter Solemnity will coincide with all Christian denominations. The Assembly expressed a lively desire to arrive at a common date for the feast of Easter, so that it could celebrate on the same day the resurrection of the Lord, our life and our salvation. m) We also wish to continue to involve Christians of other denominations in Catholic synodal trials at all levels and to invite a greater number of fraternal delegates to the next session of the Assembly in 2024. n) It was also proposed by some to convoke an ecumenical synod on the common mission in the contemporary world. o) The proposal to compile an ecumenical martyrology is relaunched. PART II – ALL DISCEPULATIONS, ALL MISSIONARIES 8. The Church is Mission Convergencies a) Rather than say that the Church has a mission, we affirm that the Church is mission. “As the Father has sent me, I also send you” (Jn 20:21): the Church receives from Christ, the Lord of the Father, his mission. Sorted and guided by the Holy Spirit, she proclaims and bears witness to those who do not know it or do not welcome it, with that preferential option for the poor that is rooted in the mission of Jesus. In this way it contributes to the advent of the Kingdom of God, whose seed and the beginning “constitutes the seed” (cf. LG 5). b) The sacraments of Christian initiation give all Jesus’ disciples the responsibility for the Church’s mission. Lay and lay people, consecrated and consecrated, and ordained ministers have equal dignity. They have received different charisms and vocations and exercise different roles and functions, all called and nourished by the Holy Spirit to form one body in Christ. All disciples, all missionaries, in the fraternal vitality of local communities who experience the sweet and comforting joy of evangelizing. The exercise of co-responsibility is essential for synodality and is necessary at all levels of the Church. Every Christian is a mission in this world. c) The family is the backbone of every Christian community. Parents, grandparents and all who live and share their faith in the family are the first missionaries. The family, as a community of life and love, is a privileged place of education in the faith and Christian practice, which requires a particular accompaniment within the communities. Support is necessary especially for parents who must reconcile work, including within the ecclesial community and at the service of its mission, with the demands of family life. d) If mission is a grace that engages the whole Church, the lay faithful contribute in a vital way to carrying it out in all environments and in the most ordinary situations of every day. It is they above all who make the Church present and to proclaim the Gospel in the culture of the digital environment, which has such a strong impact throughout the world, in youth cultures, in the world of work, of the economy and politics, of the arts and culture, of scientific research, of education and formation, in the care of the common home and, in particular, in participation in public life. Where they are present, they are called to witness to Jesus Christ in daily life and to share faith explicitly with others. In particular, young people, with their gifts and their frailties, as they grow up in friendship with Jesus, become apostles of the Gospel among their peers. e) The lay faithful are increasingly present and active also in service within Christian communities. Many of them organize and animate pastoral communities, serve as educators to the faith, theologians and formators, spiritual and catechists, and participate in various parish and diocesan organizations. In many regions, the life of the Christian communities and the mission of the Church are based on the figure of catechists. In addition, the laity serve in the field of safeguarding and administration. Their contribution is indispensable for the mission of the Church; for this reason, the acquisition of the necessary skills must be taken care of f) The charisms of the laity, in their variety, are gifts of the Holy Spirit to the Church that must be brought out, recognized and valued in their own right. In some situations it may happen that the laity are called to compensate for the shortage of priests, with the risk that the properly laid character of their apostolate will be diminished. In other contexts, it may happen that priests do everything and the charisms and ministries of the laity are ignored or underutilized. There is also a danger, expressed by many in the Assembly, of “clericalizing” the laity, creating a sort of lay elite that perpetuates inequalities and divisions in the People of God. g) The practice of mission ad gentes realizes a mutual enrichment of the Churches, because it does not involve not only missionaries, but the entire community, which is stimulated to prayer, to the sharing of goods and to witness. Even the poor churches of the clergy must not give up this commitment, while those in which there is greater flowering of vocations to the ordained ministry can be open to pastoral cooperation, in a genuinely evangelical logic. All the missionaries – lay and lay, consecrated and consecrated, deacons and presbyters, in particular the members of missionary institutes and the fidei donum missionaries – by virtue of their own vocation, are an important resource for creating bonds of knowledge and exchange of gifts. h) The mission of the Church is continually renewed and nourished by the celebration of the Eucharist, in particular when they put the community and missionary character in the foreground. Issues to be addressed i) It is necessary to continue to deepen the theological understanding of the relations between charisms and ministries in a missionary perspective. j) Vatican II and the next Magisterium present the distinctive mission of the laity in terms of the sanctification of temporal or secular realities. However, in the concreteness of pastoral practice, at the parish, diocesan and, recently, even universal level, they are increasingly entrusted to lay offices and ministries within the Church. Theological reflection and canonical dispositions must be reconciled with these important developments and commit themselves to avoiding dualisms that could compromise the perception of the unity of the Church’s mission. k) In promoting co-responsibility for the mission of all the baptized, we recognize the apostolic capacities of persons with disabilities. We want to value the contribution to evangelization that comes from the immense wealth of humanity they bring with them. We recognize their experiences of suffering, marginalization, discrimination, sometimes suffered even within the Christian community itself. l) Pastoral structures must be reorganized in such a way as to help communities to bring out, recognize and animate lay charisms and ministries, inserting them into the missionary dynamism of the Synodal Church. Under the guidance of their pastors, communities will be able to send and support those they have sent. They will therefore be conceived mainly at the service of the mission that the faithful carry out within society, in family and work life, without focusing exclusively on the activities that take place within them and on their organizational needs. m) The expression “an all-ministerial Church”, used in the Instrumentum laboris, can lend itself to misunderstandings. The meaning is deepened, to clarify any ambiguities. Proposals n) The need for greater creativity in the establishment of ministries according to the needs of the local Churches is perceived, with a particular involvement of young people. One can think of further expanding the tasks to the instituted ministry of the reader, who already today are not limited to the role played during the liturgies. In this way a real ministry of God’s Word could be configured, which in appropriate contexts could also include preaching. The possibility of establishing a ministry to be given to married couples committed to supporting family life and to accompany the people who are preparing for the sacrament of marriage are also explored. o) Local Churches are invited to identify forms and occasions in which to give visibility and community recognition to the charisms and ministries that enrich the community. This could take place on the occasion of a liturgical celebration within which the pastoral mandate is entrusted. 9. Women in the life and mission of the Church Convergencies a) We were created male and female, in the image and likeness of God. From the beginning, creation articulates unity and difference, giving women and men a shared vocation and destiny and two distinct experiences of the human. Sacred Scripture testifies to the complementarity and reciprocity of women and men. In the many forms in which it is realized, the covenant between man and woman is at the heart of God’s plan for creation. Jesus considered his women interlocutors: he spoke with them of the Kingdom of God and welcomed them among the disciples, such as Mary of Bethany. These women experienced his power of healing, deliverance and recognition and walked with him on the way from Galilee to Jerusalem (cf. Lc 8.1-3). He entrusted to a woman, Mary Magdalene, the task of announcing the resurrection on Easter morning. b) In Christ, women and men are clothed with the same baptismal dignity and receive the variety of the gifts of the Spirit (cf. Gal 3, 28). Men and women are called to a communion characterized by a non-competitive co-responsibility, to be embodied at every level of the Church’s life. As Pope Francis told us, together we are “People convoked and called by the strength of the Beatitudes”. c) During the Assembly we experienced the beauty of reciprocity between women and men. Together we relaunch the appeal of the previous phases of the synodal process, and ask the Church to grow in the commitment to understand and accompany women, from a pastoral and sacramental point of view. Women wish to share the spiritual experience of walking towards holiness in the different phases of life: as young people, as mothers, in friendships, in family life at all ages, in the world of work and in consecrated life. They demand justice in societies still deeply marked by sexual violence and economic inequalities, and by the tendency to treat them as objects. They carry the scars of human trafficking, forced migration and wars. Accompaniment and decisive promotion of women go hand in hand. d) Women make up the majority of those who attend churches and are often the first missionaries of the faith in the family. Consecrated women, in the contemplative and apostolic lives, constitute a gift, a sign and a witness of fundamental importance among us. The long history of missionary, holy, theologian and mystic women is a powerful source of inspiration and nourishment for the women and men of our time. e) Mary of Nazareth, a woman of faith and mother of God, remains for all an extraordinary source of meaning from the theological, ecclesial and spiritual point of view. Mary reminds us of the universal call to listen attentively to God and to remain open to the Holy Spirit. He knew the joy of giving birth and growing and endured pain and suffering. She gave birth in conditions of precariousness, had the experience of being a refugee and lived the torment of the brutal killing of her Son. But he also knew the splendor of the resurrection and the glory of Pentecost. f) Many women expressed deep gratitude for the work of priests and bishops, but also spoke of a Church that hurts. Clericalism, chauvinism and an inappropriate use of authority continue to scare the face of the Church and damage communion. A deep spiritual conversion is necessary as the basis for any structural change. Sexual, power and economic abuses continue to demand justice, healing and reconciliation. We ask how the Church can become a space capable of protecting everyone. g) When dignity and justice are violated in the Church in the relations between men and women, the credibility of the proclamation that we address to the world is weakened. The synodal process shows that there is a need for a renewal of relationships and structural changes. In this way we will be able to better accept the participation and contribution of all – lay and lay, consecrated and consecrated, deacons, priests and bishops – as co-responsible disciples of the mission. h) The Assembly asks to avoid repeating the mistake of talking about women as a matter or a problem. Instead, we wish to promote a Church in which men and women dialogue in order to better understand the depth of God’s plan, in which they appear together as protagonists, without subordination, exclusion, or competition. Issues to be addressed i) Churches throughout the world have clearly formulated the request for greater recognition and appreciation of the contribution of women and of a growth in the pastoral responsibilities entrusted to them in all areas of the Church’s life and mission. In order to give better expression to the charisms of all and to respond better to pastoral needs, how can the Church include more women in existing roles and ministries? If we need new ministries, who is responsible for discernment, at what level and in what way? j) Different positions have been expressed regarding the access of women to the diaconal ministry. Some consider that this step would be unacceptable as it is discontinuous with Tradition. For others, however, granting women access to the diaconate would restore a Church practice of the early Church. Still others discern in this passage an appropriate and necessary response to the signs of the times, faithful to Tradition and able to find an echo in the hearts of many who seek a renewed vitality and energy in the Church. Some express the fear that this request will be an expression of a dangerous anthropological confusion, accepting which the Church would align itself with the spirit of the time. k) The debate on this is also linked to the broader reflection on the theology of the diaconate (cf. infra. 11, h - i). Proposals l) The local Churches are encouraged, in particular, to expand their service of listening, accompaniment and care to women who in the various social contexts are more marginalized. m) It is urgent to ensure that women can participate in decision-making processes and assume roles of responsibility in pastoral care and ministry. The Holy Father has significantly increased the number of women in positions of responsibility in the Roman Curia. The same should happen at the other levels of the Church’s life. Canon law must be adapted accordingly. n) Theological and pastoral research on the access of women to the diaconate is continued, benefiting from the results of the commissions specially established by the Holy Father and of theological, historical and exegetical research already carried out. If possible, the results should be presented at the next Assembly Session. o) Cases of labor discrimination and unequal remuneration within the Church are addressed and resolved, in particular as regards consecrated women who too often are considered cheap labour. p) Women’s access to training programmes and theological studies need to be extended. Women are included in the seminar training and training programmes to promote better training in the ordained ministry. q) The liturgical texts and documents of the Church are more attentive not only to the use of a language that takes men and women equally into account, but also to the insertion of a range of words, images and stories that draw with greater vitality to the female experience. r) We propose that properly trained women can be judges in all canonical trials. 10. Consecrated life and lay aggregations: a charismatic sign Convergencies a) Throughout the centuries the Church has always experienced the gift of charisms thanks to which the Holy Spirit makes her rejuvenate and renews it, from the most extraordinary to the simplest and most widespread. With joy and gratitude, the Holy People of God recognize in them the providential help with which God himself supports, guides and illuminates his mission. b) The charismatic dimension of the Church has a particular manifestation in the consecrated life, with the richness and variety of its forms. His witness has contributed at all times to renewing the life of the ecclesial community, revealing itself as an antidote to the recurring temptation of worldliness. The different religious families show the beauty of following the Lord, on the mountain of prayer and on the roads of the world, in forms of community life, in the solitude of the desert and on the frontier of cultural challenges. Consecrated life more than once was the first to intuit the changes of history and to grasp the appeals of the Spirit: even today the Church needs her prophecy. The Christian community also looks with attention and gratitude to the experienced practices of synodal life and common discernment that communities of consecrated life have matured over the centuries. We know from them we can learn the wisdom of walking together. Many Congregations and Institutes practice conversation in the Spirit or similar forms of discernment in the performance of the provincial and general chapters, to renew structures, rethink lifestyles, activate new forms of service and closeness to the poorest. In other cases, however, there is a continuation of an authoritarian style, which makes no room for fraternal dialogue. c) With equal gratitude, the People of God recognize the ferments of renewal present in communities that have a long history and in the flourishing of new experiences of ecclesial aggregation. Lay associations, ecclesial movements and new communities are a precious sign of the maturation of the co-responsibility of all the baptized. Their value lies in the promotion of communion between the different vocations, in the impetus with which they proclaim the Gospel, in the closeness to those who live an economic or social marginality and in the commitment to the promotion of the common good. They are often models of synodal communion and participation in view of mission. d) Cases of abuse of various kinds to the detriment of consecrated persons and members of lay combinations, in particular women, point to a problem in the exercise of the authority and requires decisive and appropriate interventions. Issues to be addressed e) The Magisterium of the Church has developed a broad teaching on the importance of hierarchical gifts and charismatic gifts in the life and mission of the Church, which requires a better understanding in the ecclesial conscience and in the theological reflection itself. It is therefore necessary to question the ecclesiological significance and the concrete pastoral implications of this acquisition. f) The variety of charismatic expressions within the Church emphasizes the commitment of the faithful People of God to live the prophecy of closeness to the least and to illuminate culture with a deeper experience of spiritual realities. It is necessary to deepen in order for consecrated life, lay associations, ecclesial movements and new communities to put their charisms at the service of communion and mission in the local Churches, helping to advance towards holiness thanks to a presence that is prophetic. Proposals g) We believe that the time for a revision of the “directive documents on the relations between the Bishops and the Religious in the Church” proposed in the document Mutuae relationes of 1978 is ripe. We propose that this review is conducted in the synodal style, including all those involved. h) To the same purpose, the Episcopal Conferences and the Conferences of the Superiors and Major Superiors of the Institutes of Consecrated Life and of the Societies of Apostolic Life activate appropriate places and instruments to promote meetings and forms of collaboration in the synodal spirit. i) At the level of both the individual local Churches and the groupings of Churches, the promotion of missionary synodality requires the establishment and a more precise configuration of the Consults and Councils in which the representatives of lay associations, ecclesial movements and new communities converge to promote organic relations between these realities and the life of the local Churches. j) In the paths of theological formation at all levels, especially in the formation of ordained ministers, the attention paid to the charismatic dimension of the Church and, where necessary, is strengthened, is to be strengthened. 11. Deacons and Priests in a Synodal Church Convergencies a) The presbyterates are the principal co-operators of the Bishop and form with him a single presbyterate (cf. LG 28); deacons, ordained for the ministry, serve the People of God in the diakonia of the Word, of the liturgy, but above all of charity (cf. LG 29). The Synodal Assembly expresses first of all deep gratitude to them. Aware who can experience solitude and isolation, he recommends that Christian communities support them with prayer, friendship and collaboration. b) Deacons and priests are engaged in the most diverse forms of pastoral ministry: service in parishes, evangelization, closeness to the poor and marginalized, commitment to culture and education, mission ad gentes, theological research, the animation of centers of spirituality and many others. In a Synodal Church, ordained ministers are called to live their service to the People of God in an attitude of closeness to people, of welcoming and listening to all and to cultivating a profound personal spirituality and a life of prayer. Above all, they are called to rethink the exercise of authority on the model of Jesus who, “although in the condition of God, [...] emptied himself, assuming a condition of a servant” (Phil 2:6-7). The Assembly recognizes that many priests and deacons make visible with their dedication the face of Christ the Good Shepherd and Servant. c) An obstacle to ministry and mission is clericalism. It is born from the misunderstanding of the divine call, which leads to conception it more as a privilege than as a service, and manifests itself in a worldly style of power that refuses to account. This deformation of the priesthood must be opposed from the earliest stages of formation, thanks to a living contact with the daily life of the People of God and a concrete experience of service to the most needy. One cannot imagine today the ministry of the presbyter except in relation to the Bishop, in the presbyterate, in deep communion with other ministries and charisms. Unfortunately, clericalism is an attitude that can manifest itself not only in ministers, but also in the laity. d) Awareness of one’s own abilities and limitations is a requirement to engage in the ordained ministry with a style of co-responsibility. For this reason, human formation must guarantee a path of realistic self-knowledge, which integrates with cultural, spiritual and apostolic growth. In this path, the contribution of the family of origin and of the Christian community, within which the young man has matured his vocation, and of other families that accompany his growth, should not be underestimated. Issues to be addressed e) In the perspective of the formation of all the baptized for a synodal Church, that of deacons and priests requires special attention. The demand for seminars or other training courses of candidates to the ministry to be linked to the daily life of the communities was widely expressed. It is necessary to avoid the risks of formalism and ideology that lead to authoritarian attitudes and prevent true vocational growth. The rethinking of styles and training courses requires a wide work of revision and comparison. f) Different evaluations were expressed on the celibacy of the pre-sbyers. Everyone appreciates its value full of prophecy and the witness of conformation to Christ; some ask whether his theological convenience with the priestly ministry must necessarily translate into the Latin Church into a disciplinary obligation, especially where the ecclesial and cultural contexts make it more difficult. This is a not new theme, which requires further resuming. Proposals g) In the Latin Churches the permanent diaconate has been implemented in different ways in the various ecclesial contexts. Some local Churches have not introduced it at all; in others, it is feared that deacons will be perceived as a sort of remedy to the shortage of priests. Sometimes their ministry is expressed in the liturgy rather than in the service to the poor and needy of the community. It is therefore recommended to carry out an evaluation on the implementation of the diaconal ministry after the Second Vatican Council. h) From the theological point of view, the need to understand the diaconate first of all in himself emerges, and not only as a stage of access to the presbyterate. The same linguistic use to qualify as “permanent” the primary form of diaconate, to distinguish it from the “transitional” one, is the indicator of a change of perspective that is not yet adequately realized. i) The uncertainties surrounding the theology of the diaconal ministry are also due to the fact that in the Latin Church it was restored as the proper and permanent rank of the hierarchy only since the Second Vatican Council. A more in-depth reflection on this will also illuminate the issue of women’s access to the diaconate. j) A thorough verification of the formation of the ordained ministry is required in the light of the perspective of the missionary synodal Church. This implies the revision of the Ratio fundamentalis which determines its profile. At the same time, we recommend to take care of the ongoing formation of priests and deacons in a synodal sense. k) The dimension of transparency and the culture of the account represent an element of crucial importance for proceeding in the construction of a synodal Church. We ask the local Churches to identify processes and structures that allow a regular verification of the methods of exercising the ministry of priests and deacons who play roles of responsibility. Already existing institutes, such as participation organizations or pastoral visits, can be the starting point for this work, taking care of the involvement of the community. In any case, these forms must be adapted to local contexts and different cultures, in order not to result in obstruction or bureaucratic burden. For this reason, the regional or continental sphere may be the most appropriate for their discernment. l) Consider, evaluating on a case-by-case basis and according to contexts, the opportunity to include priests who have left the ministry in a pastoral service that values their formation and experience. 12. The Bishop in Ecclesial Communion Convergencies a) In the perspective of the Second Vatican Council, the Bishops, as successors of the Apostles, are placed at the service of communion that is realized in the local Church, between the Churches and with the whole Church. The figure of the Bishop can therefore be adequately understood in the interweaving of relations with the portion of the People of God entrusted to him, with the presbyterate and with the deacons, with consecrated persons, with the other Bishops and with the Bishop of Rome, in a perspective always oriented to the mission. b) The Bishop is, in his Church, the first responsible for the proclamation of the Gospel and of the liturgy. It leads the Christian community and promotes the care of the poor and the defense of the least. As a visible principle of unity, it has in particular the task of discerning and coordinating the different charisms and ministries aroused by the Spirit for the proclamation of the Gospel and the common good of the community. This ministry is carried out in a synodal way when the government is exercised in co-responsibility, the preaching from listening to the faithful people of God, sanctification and the liturgical celebration from humility and conversion. c) The Bishop has an irreplaceable role in starting and animating the synodal process in the local Church, promoting the circularity between “all, some and one”. The episcopal ministry (the one) enhances the participation of “all” the faithful, thanks to the contribution of “some” more directly involved in processes of discernment and decision (organisms of participation and government). The conviction with which the Bishop assumes the synodal perspective and the style with which he exercises authority decisively influence the participation of priests and deacons, lay and lay, consecrated and consecrated. For all, the Bishop is called to be an example of synodality. d) In the contexts in which the Church is perceived as the family of God, the Bishop is considered as the father of all; in secularized societies, on the other hand, a crisis of his authority is experienced. It is important not to lose reference to the sacramental nature of the episcopate, so as not to assimilate the figure of the Bishop to a civil authority. e) The expectations towards the Bishop are often very high, and many bishops complain of an overload of administrative and juridical commitments, which makes it difficult to fully realize their mission. The Bishop must also deal with his own frailty and limitations and does not always find human support and spiritual support. It is not uncommon for the suffering experience of a certain solitude. For this reason, on the one hand, it is important to return to putting the essential aspects of the mission of the Bishop at the center of attention, on the other, cultivating an authentic brotherhood between Bishops and with the presbyterate. Issues to be addressed f) On the theological level, the meaning of the link of reciprocity between the Bishop and the local Church must be deepened more in depth. He is called to guide it and, at the same time, to recognize and guard the richness of his history, his tradition and the charisms present in it. g) The question of the relationship between the sacrament of Orders and Jurisdiction, in the light of the conciliar magisterium of Lumen Gentium and of the most recent teachings, such as the Apostolic Constitution Praedicate Evangelium, to specify the theological and canonical criteria that are at the basis of the principle of sharing the responsibility of the Bishop and determine the areas, forms and implications of co-responsibility. h) Some bishops show discomfort when they are asked to intervene on questions of faith and morality on which there is no full agreement in the episcopate. It is necessary to reflect further on the relationship between collegiality and the diversity of theological and pastoral views. i) A culture of transparency and compliance with the procedures laid down for the protection of minors and vulnerable persons are an integral part of a synodal Church. It is necessary to further develop structures dedicated to the prevention of abuse. The delicate issue of the management of abuses poses many Bishops in the difficulty of reconciling the role of father and that of a judge. It is asked to evaluate the desirability of entrusting the judicial task to another instance, to be clarified canonically. Proposals j) They are activated, in juridically to be defined, structures and processes of regular verification of the work of the Bishop, with reference to the style of his authority, to the economic administration of the goods of the diocese, to the functioning of the participation bodies and to the protection against any type of abuse. The culture of the account is an integral part of a synodal Church that promotes co-responsibility, as well as a possible garrison against abuse. k) The Episcopal Council is required to make the Episcopal Council mandatory (can. 473-4) and the Diocesan or Eparchial Pastoral Council (CIC can. 511, CCEU can. 272) and to make the diocesan co-responsibility bodies more operational, also at the level of law. l) The Assembly asks to initiate a verification of the selection criteria of the candidates for the episcopate, balancing the authority of the Apostolic Nuncio with the participation of the Episcopal Conference. It also requires broadening the consultation of the People of God, listening to a greater number of lay and lay, consecrated and consecrated persons and taking care to avoid inappropriate pressure. m) Many Bishops show the need to rethink the functioning and strengthen the structure of metropolitans (ecclesiastical provinces) and regions, so that they may be a concrete expression of collegiality in a territory and areas in which the Bishops can experience fraternity, mutual support, transparency and wider consultation. 13. The Bishop of Rome in the College of Bishops Convergencies a) The synodal dynamic sheds new light also on the ministry of the Bishop of Rome. Synodality, in fact, symphonic articulates the community dimension (“all”), collegial (“some”) and personal (“one”) of the Church at the local, regional and universal level. In this vision, the Petrine ministry of the Bishop of Rome is intrinsic to the synodal dynamic, as are also the community aspect that includes the whole People of God and the collegial dimension of the episcopal ministry. For this reason, synodality, collegiality and primate refer to each other: primate presupposes the exercise of synodality and collegiality, just as both imply the exercise of primate. b) The promotion of the unity of all Christians is an essential aspect of the ministry of the Bishop of Rome. The ecumenical journey has made it possible to deepen the understanding of the ministry of the Successor of Peter and must continue to do so in the future. The answers to the invitation addressed by S. John Paul II in the encyclical Ut unum sint, as well as the conclusions of the ecumenical dialogues, can help the Catholic understanding of the primacy, collegiality, synodality and their mutual relations. c) The reform of the Roman Curia is an important aspect of the synodal path of the Catholic Church. The Apostolic Constitution Praedicate evangelium insists that “the Roman Curia is not placed between the Pope and the Bishops, rather, it is placed at the service of both in the manner that are proper to the nature of each one” (PE I.8). It promotes a reform based on the “life of communion” (PE I.4) and on a “healthy decentralization” (EG 16, paragraph in PE II.2). The fact that many members of the Roman Dicasteries are diocesan Bishops expresses the catholicity of the Church and should promote the relationship between the Curia and the local Churches. The effective implementation of Praedicate evangelium will foster greater synodality within the Curia, both among the different Dicasteries and in each of them. Issues to be addressed d) A deepening is required on the way in which a renewed understanding of the episcopate within a synodal Church affects the ministry of the Bishop of Rome and the role of the Roman Curia. This issue has significant repercussities on the way of living co-responsibility in the government of the Church. At the universal level, the Code of Canon Law and the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches offer provisions for a more collegial exercise of the papal ministry. These could be further developed in practice and reinforced in a future update of both texts. e) Synodality can shed light on the modalities of collaboration of the College of Cardinals in the Petrine ministry and on the forms through which to promote their collegial discernment in ordinary and extraordinary commuters. f) It is important for the good of the Church to study the most appropriate ways of fostering mutual knowledge and the bonds of communion between the members of the College of Cardinals, also taking into account their diversity of origin and culture. Proposals g) Ad Limina Visits Apostolorum are the highest moment of the relations of the Pastors of the local Churches with the Bishop of Rome and with his closest collaborators in the Roman Curia. May the form in which they are realized in such a way as to make them more and more opportunities for an open and reciprocal exchange that favors communion and a true exercise of collegiality and synodality. h) In the light of the synodal configuration of the Church, it is necessary that the Dicasteries of the Roman Curia enhance the consultation of Bishops, for greater attention to the diversity of situations and a more attentive listening to the voice of the local Churches. i) It seems appropriate to provide for forms of evaluation of the work of the Pontifical Representatives by the local Churches of the countries where they carry out their mission, in order to facilitate and perfect their service. j) It is proposed to enhance and strengthen the experience of the Council of Cardinals (C-9) as a synodal council at the service of the Petrine ministry. k) In the light of the teaching of the Second Vatican Council, it is necessary to examine carefully whether it is appropriate to ordain the prelates of the Roman Curia Bishops. PART III – LEGAL TO BE, BUILD COMMUNITY 14. A synodal approach to training Convergencies a) Taking care of his own formation is the answer that every baptized person is called to give to the gifts of the Lord, to make the talents received bear fruit and put them at the service of all. The time that the Lord has dedicated to the formation of the disciples reveals the importance of this ecclesial action, often in flashy but decisive for the mission. We feel that we express a word of thanksgiving and encouragement to all those who are engaged in this area and invite them to grasp the elements of novelty that emerge from the synodal path of the Church. b) The way in which Jesus formed the disciples is the model to which we refer. He did not limit himself to teaching, but shared life with them. With his prayer he aroused the question: “Teach us to pray”; feeding the crowds taught us not to dismiss the needy; walking towards Jerusalem, he indicated the way of the Cross. From the Gospel we learn that formation is not only primarily an enhancement of one’s own abilities: it is conversion to the logic of the Kingdom that can also make defeats and failures fruitful. c) The Holy People of God is not only the object, but is first of all a co-responsible subject of formation. The first training, in fact, takes place in the family. It is there that we not infrequently receive the first proclamation of the faith, in the language – indeed in the dialect – of our parents and grandparents. The contribution of those who carry out a ministry in the Church must therefore be intertwined with the wisdom of the simple in an educational covenant that is indispensable to the community. This is the first sign of a formation understood in a synodal sense d) In Christian initiation we find the broad guidelines for the formative paths. At the heart of formation is the deepening of the kerygma, that is, the encounter with Jesus Christ who offers us the gift of a new life. The catechumenal logic reminds us that we are all sinners called to holiness. For this reason we commit ourselves to paths of conversion that the sacrament of Reconciliation brings to fulfillment and we nourish the desire for holiness, sustained by a large number of witnesses. e) The areas in which the formation of the People of God is expressed are many. In addition to theological formation, the one related to a series of specific skills has been mentioned: the exercise of co-responsibility, listening, discernment, ecumenical and interreligious dialogue, service to the poor and care of the common home, commitment as “digital missionaries”, facilitation of the processes of discernment and conversation in the Spirit, the construction of consensus and resolution of conflicts. Particular attention should be paid to the catechetical training of children and young people, which should involve the active participation of the community. f) Formation for a synodal Church requires to be undertaken in a synodal way: the whole People of God are formed together as they walk together. It is necessary to overcome the mentality of delegation that is found in many areas of pastoral care. A formation in a synodal key is intended to allow the People of God to live fully their baptismal vocation, in the family, in the workplace, in the ecclesial, social and intellectual fields, and to make each one able to participate actively in the mission of the Church according to his own charisms and vocation. Issues to be addressed g) We recommend deepening the theme of affective and sexual education, to accompany young people on their path of growth and to support the emotional maturation of those who are called to celibacy and consecrated chastity, formation in these areas is a necessary help in all seasons of life. h) It is important to deepen the dialogue between the human sciences, especially psychology, and theology, for an understanding of human experience that is not limited to juxtaposing their contributions, but integrates them into a more mature synthesis. i) The People of God must be widely represented in the formation of ordained ministers, as already requested by previous Synods. We need a wide revision of the training programs, with particular attention to the way of enhancing the contribution of women and the contribution of families. j) Episcopal Conferences are encouraged to work at the regional level to create together a culture of lifelong learning, using all available resources, including the development of digital options. Proposals k) In the light of synodality, we propose to privilege, as far as possible, joint formative proposals addressed to the whole People of God (seeds, consecrated persons and ordained ministers). It is up to the dioceses to encourage these projects at the local level. We encourage Episcopal Conferences to work together at the regional level to create together a culture of ongoing formation, using all available resources, including the development of digital options. l) The different components of the People of God are represented in the formation paths to the ordained ministry, as already requested by previous Synods. Of particular importance is the involvement of female figures. m) Adequate processes for selecting candidates for the ordained ministry are required and the requirements for the preparatory programmes are met. n) The formation of ordained ministers must be thought in coherence with a synodal Church, in the various contexts. This requires that candidates for the ministry, before undertaking specific paths, have matured a real, though initial, experience of a Christian community. The formative path must not create an artificial environment, separate from the common life of the faithful. By safeguarding the demands of formation in the ministry, it will foster an authentic spirit of service to the People of God in preaching, in the celebration of the sacraments and in the animation of charity. This may require a revision of the Ratio Fundamentalis for permanent priests and deacons. o) In view of the next Session of the Assembly, it is proposed to carry out a consultation of those responsible for the initial and ongoing formation of priests to evaluate the reception of the synodal process and propose the changes necessary to promote the exercise of authority in a style appropriate to a synodal Church. 15. Ecclesial Discernment and Open Questions Convergencies a) The experience of conversation in the Spirit has been enriching for all who have taken part in it. In particular, a style of communication was appreciated that privileges freedom in the expression of one’s points of view and mutual listening. This avoids moving too quickly to a debate based on the reiteration of one’s arguments, which does not leave the space and time to realize the reasons for the other. b) This fundamental attitude creates a favorable context to deepen issues that are controversial even within the Church, such as the anthropological effects of digital technologies and artificial intelligence, non-violence and legitimate defense, problems related to the ministry, issues related to corporeality and sexuality and others. c) In order to develop an authentic ecclesial discernment in these and other areas, it is necessary to integrate, in the light of the Word of God and the Magisterium, a broader information base and a more articulate reflective component. To avoid taking refuge in the comfort of conventional formulas, a comparison must be instructed with the point of view of the human and social sciences, philosophical reflection and theological elaboration. d) Among the issues on which it is important to continue reflection, there is that of the relationship between love and truth and the repercussions it has on many controversial issues. This relationship, before being a challenge, is in fact a grace that inhabits the Christological revelation. Jesus in fact fulfilled the promise that we read in the psalms: “Love and truth will meet, justice and peace will kiss. Truth will sprout from the earth, and justice will come to heaven” (Ps 85:11-12). e) The pages of the Gospel show that Jesus meets people in the uniqueness of their history and situation. He never starts from prejudices or labels, but from an authentic relationship in which he involves himself with all of himself, even at the price of exposing himself to misunderstanding and rejection. Jesus always hears the cry of help of those in need, even when he remains untapped; he fulfills gestures that transmit love and restore trust; he makes possible with his presence a new life: those who meet him come out transformed. This is because the truth of which Jesus is the bearer is not an idea, but the very presence of God among us; and the love with which he acts is not only a sentiment, but the justice of the Kingdom that changes history. f) The difficulty we encounter in translating this clear Gospel vision into pastoral choices is a sign of our inability to live up to the Gospel and reminds us that we cannot support those who need help only through our personal and community conversion. If we use doctrine with harshness and judgmental attitude, we betray the Gospel; if we practice cheap mercy, we do not transmit the love of God. The unity of truth and love implies taking charge of the other’s difficulties until it is our own, as happens between true brothers and sisters. For this reason, this unity can only be achieved by patiently following the path of accompaniment. g) Some issues, such as those relating to gender identity and sexual orientation, to the end of life, to difficult marriage situations, to ethical problems connected to artificial intelligence, are controversial not only in society, but also in the Church, because they ask new questions. Sometimes the anthropological categories that we have developed are not enough to grasp the complexity of the elements that emerge from experience or from the knowledge of the sciences and require refinement and further study. It is important to take the time necessary for this reflection and to invest the best energies, without giving in to simplifying judgments that hurt people and the Body of the Church. Many indications are already offered by the magisterium and are waiting to be translated into appropriate pastoral initiatives. Even where further clarification is needed, Jesus’ behavior, assimilated in prayer and conversion of heart, shows us the way forward. Issues to be addressed h) We recognize the need to continue the ecclesial reflection on the original interweaving of love and truth witnessed by Jesus, in view of an ecclesial practice that honors its inspiration. i) We encourage experts in the different fields of knowledge to develop a spiritual wisdom that allows their specialized competence to become a true ecclesial service. Synodality in this area is expressed as willingness to think together at the service of the mission, in the diversity of settings, but in the harmony of intentions. j) It is necessary to identify the conditions that make possible a theological and cultural research that knows how to start from the daily experience of the Holy People of God and put itself at its service. Proposals k) We propose to promote initiatives that allow a shared discernment on doctrinal, pastoral and ethical questions that are controversial, in the light of the Word of God, of the teaching of the Church, of theological reflection and, valuing the synodal experience. This can be achieved through insights between experts in different competences and backgrounds in an institutional context that protects the confidentiality of the debate and promotes the frankness of the confrontation, giving space, when appropriate, also to the voice of the people directly touched by the disputes mentioned. This process must be started in view of the next Synodal Session. 16. For a Church that listens and accompanies Convergencies a) Listening is the term that best expresses the most intense experience that characterized the first two years of the synodal path and also the work of the Assembly. It does so in the twofold meaning of listening given and received, of listening and listening to. Listening is a profoundly human value, a dynamism of reciprocity, in which it offers a contribution to the path of the other and receives one for one’s own. b) Be invited to take the floor and be heard in the Church and by the Church has been an intense and unexpected experience for many of those who participated in the synodal process at the local level, especially among those who suffer forms of marginalization in society and also in the Christian community. Receiving listening is an experience of affirmation and recognition of one’s dignity: this is a powerful tool for activating the resources of the person and the community. c) Putting Jesus Christ at the center of our lives requires a certain self-denial. In this perspective, listening requires the willingness to decentralize itself to leave room for the other. We have experienced it in the dynamic of conversation in the Spirit. It is a demanding ascetic exercise, which obliges each one to recognize his own limits and the partiality of his point of view. For this reason, it opens a possibility to listen to the voice of the Spirit of God who speaks even beyond the confines of ecclesial belonging and can set in motion a path of change and conversion. d) Listening has a Christological value: it means taking the attitude of Jesus towards the people he met (cf. Fil 2, 6-11); it also has an ecclesial value, because the Church is listening to, through the work of some baptized who do not act in their own name, but of the community. e) Along the synodal process, the Church has met many people and groups who ask to be heard and accompanied. In the promo we mention young people, whose demand for listening and accompaniment resounded strongly in the Synod dedicated to them (2018) and in this Assembly, which confirms the need for a preferential option for young people. f) The Church must listen with particular attention and sensitivity to the voice of the victims and survivors of sexual, spiritual, economic, institutional, power and conscience abuse by members of the clergy or of persons with ecclesial offices. Authentic listening is a fundamental element of the path to healing, repentance, justice and reconciliation. g) The Assembly expresses its closeness and support to all those who live a condition of solitude as a choice of fidelity to the tradition and the magisterium of the Church in matters of marriage and sexual ethics, in which they recognize a source of life. Christian communities are invited to be particularly close to them, listening to them and accompanying them in their commitment. h) In different ways, even people who feel marginalized or excluded from the Church, because of their marital situation, identity and sexuality ask to be heard and accompanied, and that their dignity be defended. In the Assembly, a deep sense of love, mercy and compassion was perceived for people who are or feel hurt or neglected by the Church, who want a place to return “home” and where to feel safe, to be heard and respected, without fear of feeling judged. Listening is a prerequisite for walking together in search of God’s will. The Assembly reaffirms that Christians cannot disrespect for the dignity of any person. i) They turn to the Church in search of listening and accompaniment also to people who suffer different forms of poverty, exclusion and marginalization within societies in which inequality grows inexorably. Listening to them allows the Church to realize their point of view and to put themselves concretely at their side, but above all to let themselves be evangelized by them. We thank and encourage those who are engaged in the service of listening and accompanying those in prison and particularly in need of experiencing the merciful love of the Lord and not feeling isolated from the community. In the name of the Church they fulfill the words of the Lord “I was in prison and you have come to visit me” (Mt 25:36). j) Many people live in a state of solitude that is often close to abandonment. Elders and sick people are often invisible in society. We encourage parishes and Christian communities to get close to them and listen to them. The works of mercy inspired by the words of the Gospel “I was [...] sick and visited me” (Mt 25:39), have a profound meaning for the people involved and also to foment community bonds. k) The Church wants to listen to everyone, not just those who know how to make their voices heard more easily. In some regions, for cultural and social reasons, members of certain groups, such as young people, women and minorities, can find it more difficult to express themselves with freedom. The experience of living in oppressive and dictatorial regimes also erodes the trust needed to speak freely. The same can happen when the exercise of authority within the Christian community becomes oppressive rather than liberating. Issues to be addressed l) Listening requires an unconditional acceptance. This does not mean abdicating clarity in presenting the gospel’s message of salvation, nor endorse any opinion or position. The Lord Jesus opened new horizons to those who listened without conditions and we are called to do the same to share the Good News with those we meet. m) Diffused in many parts of the world, grassroots communities or small Christian communities favor the practices of listening to and among the baptized. We are called to enhance their potential, also exploring how it is possible to adapt them to urban contexts. Proposals n) What should we change so that those who feel excluded may experience a more welcoming Church? Listening and accompaniment are not only individual initiatives, but a form of ecclesial action. For this reason they must find their place within the ordinary pastoral planning and the operational structuring of Christian communities at different levels, also enhancing spiritual accompaniment. A synodal Church cannot renounce being a Church that listens and this commitment must be translated into concrete actions. o) The Church does not start from scratch, but already has numerous institutions and structures that carry out this precious task. Let us think, for example, of the widespread work of listening and accompanying the poor, marginalized, migrants and refugees carried out by Caritas and many other realities related to consecrated life or lay associations. It is necessary to work to strengthen their bond with the life of the community, avoiding that they are perceived as activities delegated to some. p) The people who carry out the service of listening and accompaniment, in its various forms, need adequate training, also according to the type of people with whom they come into contact, and to feel supported by the community. For its part, communities need to become fully aware of the value of a service exercised in their name and to be able to receive the fruit of this listening. In order to give greater evidence to this service, it is proposed that a ministry of listening and accompaniment based on Baptism, adapted to the different contexts. The modalities of its conferral will promote greater involvement of the community. q) The SECAM (Simposio of the Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar) is encouraged to promote a theological and pastoral discernment on the theme of polygamy and on the accompaniment of people in polygamology unions that approach the faith. 17. Missionaries in the digital environment Convergencies a) Digital culture represents a fundamental change in the way we conceive reality and we relate to ourselves, between us, with the environment around us and also with God. The digital environment changes our learning processes, the perception of time, space, body, interpersonal relationships and our entire way of thinking. The duality between real and virtual does not adequately describe the reality and experience of all of us, especially of the youngest, the so-called “digital natives”. b) Digital culture, therefore, is not so much a distinct area of mission, as it is a crucial dimension of the Church’s witness in contemporary culture. This is why it has a particular significance in a synodal Church. c) The missionaries have always left with Christ towards new frontiers, preceded and driven by the action of the Spirit. Today it’s up to us to reach the current culture in all the spaces where people are looking for meaning and love, including their mobile phones and tablets. d) We cannot evangelize digital culture without having it understood before. Young people, and among them seminarians, young priests and consecrated young people, who often have a deep direct experience, are the most suitable to carry out the Church’s mission in the digital environment, as well as to accompany the rest of the community, including pastors, to a greater familiarity with its dynamics. e) Within the synodal process, the initiatives of the Digital Synod (Project “The Church listens to you”), show the potential of the digital environment in a missionary key, the creativity and generosity of those who engage in it and the importance of offering them formation, accompaniment, the possibility of comparison between peers and collaboration. Issues to be addressed f) The Internet is increasingly present in the lives of children and families. Although it has great potential to improve our lives, it can also cause harm and injury, for example through bullying, misinformation, sexual exploitation and addiction. It is urgent to reflect on how the Christian community can support families in ensuring that the online space is not only safe, but also spiritually life-giving. g) There are many online initiatives linked to the Church of great value and usefulness, which provide excellent catechesis and formation to the faith. Unfortunately, there are also sites where faith-related issues are addressed in a superficial, polarized and even hateful way. As a Church and as individual digital missionaries we have a duty to ask ourselves how to ensure that our online presence constitutes a growing experience for those with whom we communicate. (h) Online apostolic initiatives have a scope and scope of action that extends beyond the traditionally understood territorial boundaries. This raises important questions about how they can be regulated and to which ecclesiastical authority the supervision competes. i) We must also consider the implications of the new digital missionary frontier for the renewal of existing parish and diocesan structures. In an increasingly digital world, how to avoid remaining prisoners of the logic of conservation and instead release energy for new forms of mission exercise? j) The COVID-19 pandemic has stimulated online pastoral creativity, helping to reduce the effects of the experience of isolation and loneliness experienced in particular by the elderly and vulnerable members of the communities. Catholic educational institutions have also effectively used online platforms to continue to offer training and catechesis during lockdowns. It is good that we evaluate what this experience has taught us and what can be the lasting benefits for the Church’s mission in the digital environment. k) Many young people, who also seek beauty, have abandoned the physical spaces of the Church in which we try to invite them in favor of online spaces. This implies the search for new ways to involve them and offer them formation and catechesis. This is a topic on which to reflect pastorally. Proposals l) We propose that the Churches offer recognition, formation and accompaniment to the already working digital missionaries, also facilitating the encounter between them. m) It is important to create collaborative networks of influencers who include people of other religions or who do not profess any faith, but collaborate in common causes for the promotion of the dignity of the human person, justice and the care of the common home. 18. Participation organizations Convergencies a) As members of the faithful People of God, all the baptized are co-responsible for the mission, each according to his vocation, with his experience and competence; therefore, all contribute to imagining and deciding steps for the reform of Christian communities and of the whole Church, so that she may live “the sweet and comforting joy of evangelizing”. Synodality, in the composition and functioning of the organisms in which it takes shape, has as its purpose the mission. The co-responsibility is for the mission: this attests that it has really gathered in the name of Jesus, this frees the organisms of participation from bureaucratic involutions and worldly logics of power, this makes the coming together fruitful. b) In the light of the recent magisterium (in particular Lumen Gentium and Evangelii Gaudium), this co-responsibility of all in the mission must be the criterion at the basis of the structuring of Christian communities and of the local Church with all its services, in all its institutions, in every organism of communion (cf. 1 Cor 12.4 to 31). The just recognition of the responsibility of the laity for the mission in the world cannot become the pretext for attributing to the Bishops and priests only the care of the Christian community. c) The authority par excellence is that of the Word of God, which must inspire every meeting of the organizations of participation, every consultation and every decision-making process. For this to happen, it is necessary that, at every level, gathering draws meaning and strength from the Eucharist and is carried out in the light of the Word heard and shared in prayer. d) The composition of the various Councils for discerning and deciding on a synodal missionary community must provide for the presence of men and women who are vacating an apostolic profile; who are distinguished above all not by assiduous attendance of ecclesial spaces, but by a genuine evangelical witness in the most ordinary realities of life. The People of God are all the more missionary, the more capable of making the voices of those who already live the mission in living the world and its peripheries resound in themselves, even in the organizations of participation. Issues to be addressed e) In light of what we have shared, we consider it important to reflect on how to promote participation in the various Councils, especially when practitioners feel that they are not up to the task. Synodal growth in the involvement of each member in processes of discernment and decision for the mission of the Church: in this sense they build us up and encourage many small Christian communities in the emerging Churches, who live a daily “body with body” fraternal about the Word and the Eucharist f) In the composition of the participation bodies we cannot further procrastinate the task entrusted by Pope Francis in Amoris Laetitia. The participation of men and women who live in complex emotional and conjugal events “can be expressed in various ecclesial services: it is therefore necessary to discern which of the different forms of exclusion currently practiced in the liturgical, pastoral, educational and institutional fields can be overcome” (n. 299). The discernment in question also concerns the exclusion from participation agencies of the parish and diocesan community, practiced in many local Churches. g) In the perspective of the evangelical originality of ecclesial communion: how can weave the consultative and deliberative aspects of synodality? On the basis of the charismatic and ministerial configuration of the People of God: how do we integrate in the various organizations of participation the tasks of advising, discerning, deciding? Proposals h) On the basis of the understanding of the People of God as an active subject of the mission of evangelization, the obligatory nature of pastoral councils in Christian communities and in the local Churches is to be ed. Together, the organizations of participation, with an adequate presence of lay people and lay people, are to be strengthened by the attribution of functions of discernment in view of truly apostolic decisions. (i) Participation bodies are the first area in which to live the dynamics of the account of those who carry out responsibility. As we encourage them in their commitment, we invite them to practice the culture of reporting towards the community of which they are an expression. 19. The Groupings of Churches in the Communion of the Church Convergencies a) We are convinced that every Church, within the communion of the Churches, has much to offer, because the Holy Spirit distributes its gifts abundantly for the common utility. If we look to the Church as the Body of Christ, we more easily understand that the various members are interdependent and share the same life: “If one member suffers, all the members suffer together; and if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with him” (1 Cor 12:26). We therefore want to develop the spiritual attitudes that arise from this gaze: humility and generosity, respect and sharing. Important are also the willingness to grow in mutual knowledge and to prepare the necessary structures so that the exchange of spiritual riches, missionary disciples and material goods can become a concrete reality. b) The theme of the groupings of local Churches has proved fundamental for a full exercise of synodality in the Church. In answering the question of how to configure the instances of synodality and collegiality involving groupings of local Churches, the Assembly agreed on the importance of ecclesial discernment by the Episcopal Conferences and Continental Assemblies for a correct development of the first phase of the synodal process. c) The synodal process has shown how the bodies provided for by the Code of Canon Law and the Code of Canons for the Eastern Churches dismantles their function more effectively when they are understood on the basis of the local Churches. The fact that the Church (Ecclesia tota) is a communion of Churches requires that every bishop perceive and live solicitude for all the Churches (sollicitudo omnium Ecclesiarum) as a constitutive aspect of his ministry as the pastor of a Church. d) The first phase of the synodal process highlighted the decisive role of the Episcopal Conferences and brought out the need for an instance of synodality and collegiality at the continental level. The bodies that operate at these levels contribute to the exercise of synodality in compliance with local realities and inculturation processes. The Assembly expressed confidence in the possibility of avoiding the risk of uniformity and centralism in the government of the Church. Issues to be addressed e) Before creating new structures, we feel the need to strengthen and revitalize existing ones. It is also necessary to study, on the ecclesiological and canonical level, the implications of a reform of the structures related to the groupings of Churches so that they may take on a more fully synodal character. f) Looking at the synodal practices of the Church of the first millennium, it is proposed to study how ancient institutions can be restored in the current canonical system, harmonizing them with those of new creation, such as Episcopal Conferences. g) We consider it necessary to further deepen the doctrinal and juridical nature of the Episcopal Conferences, recognizing the possibility of a collegial action also with respect to questions of doctrine that emerge in the local context, thus reopening the reflection on the motu proprio of Apostolos Suos. h) The canons referred to the particular councils (plenaries and provincial), to realize through them a greater participation of the People of God, following the example of the dispensation obtained in the case of the recent plenary council of Australia. Proposals i) Among the structures already provided for by the Code, we propose to strengthen the ecclesiastical or metropolis province, as a place of communion of the local Churches of a territory. j) On the basis of the investigations required about the configuration of the groupings of Churches, the exercise of synodality at regional, national and continental level is implemented. k) Where necessary we suggest the creation of international ecclesiastical provinces, for the benefit of bishops who do not belong to any episcopal conference and to promote communion between Churches beyond national borders. l) In the Latin Rite countries where there is also a hierarchy of the Eastern Catholic Churches, the Eastern Bishops are included in the National Episcopal Conferences, remaining intact their governmental autonomy established by their own Code. m) A canonical configuration of the continental Assemblies is developed which, respecting the peculiarity of each continent, takes due account of the participation of the Episcopal Conferences and that of the Churches, with their own delegates who make present the variety of the faithful People of God. 20. Synod of Bishops and the Church Convergencies a) Even when he experienced the effort to “walk together”, the Assembly perceived the evangelical joy of being the People of God. The novelties proposed for this moment of the synodal journey have been generally welcomed. The most evident are: the passage of the celebration of the Synod from event to trial (as indicated by the Apostolic Constitution Episcopalis communio); the presence of other members, women and men, alongside the Bishops; the active presence of fraternal delegates; the spiritual retreat in preparation for the Assembly; the celebrations of the Eucharist in St. Peter; the atmosphere of prayer and the method of conversation in the Spirit; the very disposition of the Assembly in the Paul VI Hall. b) The Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, preserving its eminently episcopal character, has well manifested well on this occasion the intrinsic link between the synodal dimension of the life of the Church (the participation of all), the collegial dimension (the solicitude of the Bishops for the whole Church), the primatial dimension (the service of the Bishop of Rome, guarantor of communion). c) The synodal process has been and is a time of grace that has encouraged us. God is offering us the opportunity to experience a new culture of synodality, capable of directing the life and mission of the Church. It has been recalled, however, that it is not enough to create structures of co-responsibility if personal conversion to a missionary synodality is lacking. The synodal instances, at every level, do not reduce the personal responsibility of those who are called to take part in it, by virtue of their ministry and their charisms, but further urge it. Issues to be addressed d) The presence of other members, in addition to the Bishops, as witnesses of the synodal journey has been appreciated. However, the question remains open about the impact of their presence as full members of the episcopal character of the Assembly. Some see the risk that the specific task of the Bishops is not adequately understood. They will also be clarified on the basis of which criteria non-Bishop members can be called to join the Assembly. e) Experiences such as the First Ecclesial Assembly of Latin America and the Caribbean, the People’s Bodies of God in Brazil, the Australian Plenary Council, have been reported. It remains to identify and deepen how to articulate synodality and collegiality in the future, distinguishing (without undue separations) the contribution of all the members of the People of God to the elaboration of decisions and the specific task of the Bishops. The articulation of synodality, collegiality, primate should not be interpreted in static or linear form, but according to a dynamic circularity, in a differentiated co-responsibility. f) If at the regional level it is possible to think of subsequent passages (an ecclesial assembly followed by an episcopal assembly), it is considered appropriate to clarify how this can be proposed in reference to the Catholic Church as a whole. Some believe that the formula adopted in this Assembly responds to this requirement, others are waiting to follow an ecclesial assembly an episcopal assembly to conclude discernment, others still prefer to reserve to the Bishops the role of members of the synodal assembly. g) It will also be deepened and clarified how experts from different disciplines, in particular theologians and canonists, can make their contribution to the work of the synodal assembly and to the processes of a synodal Church. h) It will also be necessary to reflect on the way in which the Internet and media communication act on the synod processes. Proposals i) Ensure an assessment of the synod processes at all levels of the Church. j) The fruits of the First Session of the XVI Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops are to be worth. THROUGH THE CONTINUATION OF THE JOURNEY “To what we can compare the kingdom of God, or by what parable can we describe it?” (Mc 4.30) The word of the Lord comes before every word of the Church. The words of the disciples, even those of a Synod, are only an echo of what he himself says. To proclaim the Kingdom, Jesus chose to speak in parables. He found in the fundamental experiences of man’s life – in the signs of nature, in the gestures of work, in the facts of everyday life – images to reveal the mystery of God. So he told us that the Kingdom transcends us, but it is no stranger to us. We either see it in the things of the world or we will never see it. In a seed falling into the earth Jesus saw his destiny represented. Apparently nothing destined to rot, yet inhabited by a dynamism of unstoppable, unpredictable, Easter life. A dynamism destined to give life, to become bread for many. Destined to become Eucharist. Today, in a culture of the struggle for supremacy and the obsession with visibility, the Church is called to repeat the words of Jesus, to revive them in all their strength. “To what can we compare the kingdom of God, or with what parable can we describe it?” This question of the Lord illuminates the work that awaits us now. It is not a question of being dispersed on many fronts, chasing an efficient and procedural logic. Rather, it is a question of grasping, among the many words and proposals of this Report, what presents itself as a small seed, but full of future, and imagining how to deliver it to the land that will mature it for the lives of many. “How will this happen?” asked Mary in Nazareth (Lk 1:34), after hearing the Word. The answer is only one: to remain in the shadow of the Spirit and let itself be enveloped by its power. In turning our gaze to the time that separates us from the Second Session we thank the Lord for the journey so far and for the graces with which he blessed him. Let us entrust the next phase to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a sign of sure hope and consolation on the journey of the faithful people of God, and of the Holy Apostles Simon and Judas, whose feast is celebrated today. Adsumus Sancte Spiritus! Rome, October 28, 2023, Feast of SS. Simon and Judas, Apostles SOURCE: vatican.va

by Fr. Vic Kevin Ferrer One Monday afternoon while I was driving to Cabanatuan City from San Jose, I passed by a group of women walking at the side of the road carrying candles, flowers, and an image of Mama Mary. It struck me. I was just out to run some errands and then there was Mama Mary, out of the blue reminding me of her maternal presence. It was a picture of mothers carrying their mother and my mother too. It is October, the month of the Holy Rosary. Those women I saw are but a few of the countless others – men, women, and children- who are doing the traditional Block Rosary this month. For those of you who do not know what the Block Rosary is, basically it is a popular devotion wherein an image of the Blessed Virgin Mary is brought to a different home everyday and there the rosary is prayed. Usually done in a neighborhood or a barangay, the Block Rosary brings together neighbors, oftentimes women and children, to pray and on some occasions share some snacks of pancit and kakanin. The Block Rosary is about Mama Mary visiting her children. For the two years I have been assigned as Parochial Vicar at the Cathedral of San Jose, I have witnessed how this popular devotion has touched the hearts of many and brought countless graces to the faithful. This was even more highlighted when our parish priest, Fr. Getty Ferrer, gave explicit instruction to bring Mama Mary to the poorest of the poor. Every time the small statue of the Blessed Mother is carried into the homes especially of the poor, there is this sense of a visitation. It reminds me of St. Elizabeth who exclaimed to the Virgin Mary who was her guest, “Who am I that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” (Lk. 1:43) I have heard stories of healing and many answered prayers in the short time (usually overnight) that the small statue of Mama Mary stays in homes. There were mothers who finally got a good sleep; a husband who was healed of his unexplainable shoulder pain; even one person who won the local lottery! A few times there were even stories of conversion and reconciliation. There was one leader who shared that during the Block Rosary she had no choice but to enter the house of the person she had not been on good terms with. After praying the rosary together both had the courage to say sorry and fix their broken relationship. Reflecting on what I saw back on the road, I realized how that quick and humble sight of women doing the Block Rosary evoked something grand in me—God’s love through Mama Mary who visits her children to bring them nearer to Jesus. In their love and devotion to the Blessed Mother, those participating in the Block Rosary are actually evangelizing in the homes they visited and the many streets and byways they walked. I believe even the bystanders and passersby, who caught sight of Mama Mary being carried around, will be touched by her and reminded of God’s love somehow. Let us hope and pray that this beautiful tradition of the Block Rosary will be handed on and continued by more generations to come.

“Take Off Your Shoes”: The Asian Journey Into Synodal Leadership by Estela P. Padilla, FABC-OTC The title of our last module B3 is: Participation, Governance, Authority which can be collectively lumped into the term ‘leadership’. I wish to share how our Asian synodal journey helped me learn about synodal leadership as a lay woman. I have three points to share in the 10 minutes given to me: 1) authority is rooted in respect; 2) governance means being led by the Spirit and 3) participation is a prophetic task. The Asian Synod Teams: Authority rooted in Respect Our practice of taking off our shoes in entering homes and temples shows a deep respect for the people whose lives we are entering into (“the Divine in me greets the divine in you”). A Singaporean woman, in one of the consultations, a single parent with two kids, told us it pains her so much when she hears church people call them a ‘broken’ family. She feels she has brought up her two kids to be wholesome, and she herself feels fulfilled. Why call them ‘broken’? After I heard her, I do not use that word anymore. So we take off our shoes, showing deep respect, not just listening but listening that converts us, because this person before us has the authority of the baptized, a member of the very body of Christ. I experienced also such deep respect in the Asian teams I belonged to: the Core Team which planned the synodal assembly and the Discernment Team which wrote the synodal report - composed of 3 bishops (actually cardinals), 2 priests, 3 religious men, 1 religious woman, 1 lay man and 1 lay woman (myself). You know in Asia we have this culture of silence, perhaps belonging to the minority (Christians are only 1-3% of the population), we want to fade in the background. So as a minority, the lone lay woman member of the team, I never felt discriminated or not having a voice. I have always felt listened to. Moreover, the bishops are also specifically concerned about my mother, who was hospitalized several times in the course of our synodal preparations. Always asking about her, I realized they were listening to me not just as a theologian but as a human being. I also remember when we were reading the national reports in preparation for the Continental Draft report, we spent an hour of silence every morning, praying that we could really listen to the voices of the country reports, especially of the silent cries contained between the lines. These country reports have the authority of the baptized community, the temple of the Holy Spirit, and we are called to remove our shoes. The Asian Synodal Assembly: Governance means being Led by the Spirit In one of the synodal consultations, an Indian bishop said: “I have a problem with the Holy Spirit. I doubt if the Holy Spirit can really lead the church. We were full of Spirit after Vatican II” yet 60 years later, the Church is on its lowest credibility standing due to sexual and other forms of abuse, etc. This was also my biggest question at the very start of the synodal journey. Diversity describes Asia: from Hongkong to Bangladesh, from Kyrgyzstan to Thailand, with 2,300 languages spoken (which really means a 1000 cultures), with different political systems operating, etc. – the diversity in Asia is mind-boggling! Can the Spirit really lead in such a diverse continent? Synod 2023 Testimony of Dr. Estela Padilla at the 12th General Congregation. My biggest learning in this Synod is communal discernment. In our Asian Assembly, we sat in small sharing groups (each one composed of bishop/clerics, religious and lay from different countries too). We have employed this 2-minute silence to listen deeply to what the Spirit is telling us after every round of sharing; or even after every main input at the plenary. All throughout the synodal assembly, we go into longer silence (20 min, one hour) when we have to make decisions as a community. When the camera pans across the crowd, I really see people in deep silence. We were getting really good at these silences. I remember when we decided to have a good drink after the Assembly, after the first sip – an Indonesian church leader said: “Wait! Two-minute silence before we take the next sip!” I realized that decision making, an important governance function, can only give glory to God when we go through and grow into a communal spiritual discernment process. To walk barefoot in front of the Spirit is to be radically open in sensing the will of God for our times. The Asian Synodal Report: Participation as a Prophetic Task What does it mean to walk barefoot as a prophet? It means to be grounded in the realities of our situation in Asia. To be barefoot means to be one with the poorest and with the earth. One priest asked me why is our report so full of negative things happening in the church? Where is the good news there? I told him, the good news was the honesty in facing all the woundedness of our world and our failure of witnessing to the Good News in the midst of poverty, violence brought by terrorism and political oppression, etc, and these, adding to the pain of clericalism and hierarchical leadership. I actually found these negative comments in the church liberating because as Asians, we don’t like conflicts; we always seek harmony. I remember Sr Nathalie telling us: “You are discussing the tensions without tension!” Harmony is of course positive except when it hinders us from naming what is wrong. Walking barefoot together, the synodal journey – from small communities to the parish, diocesan, national and Continental levels - was a participatory process of being a prophetic community. In our Final Asian Synodal Report, we proclaimed who we are as church: reading the signs of the times and heeding the call of God to be bridges of peace and become peace builders, to continue to dialogue with the poor, religions, and cultures, to imbue the young and the women with important leadership roles, to care especially for migrants and refugees, among other things. The FABC as a LEADERSHIP BODY The whole synodal report was submitted to the Central Committee (all the bishop presidents of all the member countries of the Federation of Asian Bishops Conferences or FABC) and from their additional discernment, the report was submitted to the General Secretariat in Rome. As a special leadership body, I have 3 learnings on the role of FABC arising from our synodal experience: 1) Formerly perceived as a support group among bishops to converse and to accompany one another in solidarity, now I see FABC as a decision making body. In the relationship between the universal and the local church, this regional conference has a specific role as a synodal network of local churches. What is this specific role? Moreover, how much authority does it have among the particular churches in this network? 2) For FABC, inculturation as the self-realization of the local church. FABC is a foremost agent of inculturation in its leadership of the synodal process. With the active participation of the local churches, it has proclaimed who we are and how are to live as churches in Asia, in the midst of our deepest pains and noblest hopes, in dialogue with the living Word and our living cultures. 3) The FABC synodal process is enriching the Magisterium or the magisterial tradition of the Church. Being prophetic does not just mean speaking with parrhesia, but learning by doing. When I woke up this morning, I asked the Holy Spirit, “How are we doing, dear Holy Spirit?”. I was brought to Prov 8, esp. verses 30-31. In this verse about the creation of the world, Wisdom – the Spirit of God - was hovering over the world, delighted to be with God and with humanity. I know that Wisdom is walking with us here at the Synod Hall. Just look for the barefoot one! *** Dr. Padilla is a Manila-based theologian who serves as Executive Secretary of the Office of Theological Concerns at the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC).

by Kat Galdo Diaz Oh the thrill it gives, with lots of views received! the excitement it brings, for another content out of something. Such a joy to make others laugh, Making it a habit, like any regular stuff. Whatever i see, whenever it can be, with just one click, everyone can see. But then when someone critics; suddenly i become frantic. I’d say, “all i did was post”, but forgot, lost of privacy is also imposed. Have we ever considered that posting is a way of exposing our very self? That once posted, it "defines" us. Maybe we know that; that is why we choose to post the best and not our worst. We want others to see our happiness, our capacity, our achievements. We build another image by the way people perceive us through our posts. But is it still for real ... or just for reels? Jesus said, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and every kind of filth. (Matthew 23:27) Like in this passage. It is quite a strong verse if you ask me. But how are we as social media users? Isn’t it as if we appear all beautiful on the outside and as if we are trying to project that all is well in our lives? We tend to cover the truth and ignore it. We leave the reality behind and create another “reality” out of the things that would make us feel contented. But then again, are we really contented? The Hype The hype of doing reels is so rampant that we can practically use it as research material for anything: cooking, travel, employment matters, among others. We rely on it so much. So much so that what others share on their accounts, we push for that same thing to happen to us, without having to consider that reels are meant to display the shortest summary of a message without exposing the “behind the scenes” of those videos, and that each individual has a different circumstance. Reels are basically engagement-designed, for our short attention span. We get hooked because they are not dragging or boring. Reels also challenge us to give meaningful videos despite the time limit. Safety But the danger is primarily safety. Safety not only on the technological aspect but also safety of our own selves: Do we still keep guard of our privacy, of our rights and of our true self? It is easy to make others happy and we get energized every time we do. When people like or share our content, it gives a feeling of high; it makes us want to produce more content. But when we look at our very selves, it is actually tiring because we keep track of the likes, views and shares. Our happiness then is manipulated by the numbers our content can produce. When actually, our lives do not depend on numbers! Our lives depend on values and meaningfulness. We will actually be uplifted more if we see ourselves genuinely making time for family, for helping those in need, or even visiting the sick. That is the most human and real source of happiness we can ever achieve. Keeping it R.E.E.L. The author is a digital content creator and host of the show Lakbites on TV Maria. Photo: TV Maria Lakbites Our posts usually tend to be self-centered. We tend to filter our posts to only those that beautify us and talk a lot about us or make people talk about us. Our posts shouldn’t be just all that. Keep it R.E.E.L. You must see social media as as a tool given to us for a reason: to be an avenue of seeing the good, of hope, and of all things brighter and better. “These are the things that you shall do: Speak the truth to one another; render in your gates judgments that are true and make for peace.” (Zechariah 8:16) So how then can we make our lives meaningful through our content? Actually, it is not wrong to post. But hopefully, we keep it REEL: Relatable, Engaging, Emphatic, Life-giving. Kat Galdo Diaz is a host and digital creator for TV Maria. Watch her show Lakbites on TV Maria also on Youtube @tvmariaphils and on Facebook.com/tvmariaphils