It is in the pleasant setting of the auditorium of the Banque Populaire de Lorraine in Metz that the pastoral actors of the diocese met for the second day of the 2022 pastoral return, around the theme For an Echurch of Moselle in walking, taking up the work of the synod on synodality. They welcomed Msgr. Alexandre Joly, Bishop of Troyes, and Ms. Lucie Lafleur, member of the synod’s national team for France. A day full of shared convictions.
After a time of welcome by the leaders of the Banque Populaire, Mgr Philippe Ballot addressed a word of welcome to all the participants while thanking the organizers and hosts. The participants then celebrated the office of Terce, before the introduction by the Vicar General, Father Sébastien Klam, who resituated the day within the framework of the synodal approach lived in Moselle and in the continuity of the various back-to-school sessions. from previous years.
Back to the exchanges experienced in the diocese
Father Pascal Sarjas, diocesan coordinator of the synodal approach, echoed this, taking up various strong points of the synodal consultation experienced by 1,200 people. He reiterated how living in a synodal way is still to be built in our diocese and noted five points of attention: the human relationships to be lived between us, the importance of welcoming all people, the issue of the way to live the hierarchical dimension in the diocese and the responsibility in a synodal way, the reception and the process of elaboration of the pastoral orientations, the importance of taking root in the spiritual life.
Catherine Negovanovic, director of the Diocesan Service of Formation, offered a summary of the work carried out by the various archpriests and diocesan services, during their first day of return, mid-September. She identified three verbs: to gather, to stimulate and to inspire. From different places or instances, this desire for fraternity and greater communion is expressed. ” How to forge links? How to join others ? “Here are the questions that come up. Stimulating a new dynamic, involving young people, doing things differently with the reduction of pastoral actors, were points of convergence for the various feedback. Finally, make people want to get involved in our communities, but also people on the outskirts… All these feedbacks converge in a real desire for a relationship with others and with God.
Synodal Spiritual Discernment
After a brief pause, it was the turn of Bishop Alexandre Joly and Mrs. Lucie Lafleur to make a first intervention on synodal spiritual discernment. The Bishop of Troyes gave some pointers on the challenge of genuine listening, then on discernment in the Spirit, which invites spiritual combat, conversion. It is also a grace to grow, to pass from death to life. It requires time, learning, interior availability to really listen to the Holy Spirit, in order to achieve a free and authentic act of decision, within a community framework, under the guidance of the pastors who have received the mission to lead their people.
Experience of synodality and co-responsibility
In the afternoon, the same pair spoke on the experience of synodality and co-responsibility… insisting on the importance of the co-responsibility of all the baptized in the name of their baptism and confirmation, to participate in synodal work , guided by the Holy Spirit. Bishop Joly also offered a development on the meaning of the faith of the people of God, while Lucie Lafleur explained how to work well in a synodal way as a team, relying on her mission as head of youth ministry in the diocese of Belfort-Montbeliard.
This topo was followed by a round table of the various speakers, before the final Eucharist, which was celebrated in the main chapel of the major seminary, in the presence of the brand new deacon Antoine Dai Loi Nguyen, ordained the day before, and the four propaedeutics who have just joined the site of the major seminary.
Synodality on the menu of the diocesan back-to-school days – Diocese of Metz