The document summarizes the work of the first stage of the synodal process dedicated to listening “where all the Churches of the country became sounding boards to hear the cries and dreams of the people.”
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The Episcopal Conference of Argentina released the synthesis of what was worked on in the first stage of the Synod on Synodality in the different dioceses of the country.
This first stage of the synodal process consisted of a path of listening “where all the Churches of the country became sounding boards to hear the cries and dreams of the people”, point out the bishops of the Synod Animating Commission for Synodality.
The process concluded with the delivery to the Holy See of a document“which collects the expressions that the People of God in Argentina manifested in this journey”.
More than 95% of the country’s Christian communities, encouraged by delegates who responsibly assumed their task, gave themselves the opportunity to speak and be heard: from the occasional passer-by to the most committed people in parishes and communities, reports the CEA from their website. Finally, a group of men and women from different parts of the country and different states of life faced the challenge of synthesizing, in a single document, the searches and desires of this diverse mosaic of identities, cultures, and realities that make up the Church in Argentina. . The fruit of this task, which the bishops thanked from the bottom of their hearts, are these brief but dense pages that are presented.
The document
The report presented by the Argentine Episcopal Conference seeks to “synthesize in a few pages some aspects of the evangelizing work of the Christian community present throughout the territory of the Argentine Republic,” reads the introduction to the document, where it is recalled that the nation “has not only a wide geography, but multiple cultural realities coexist within it, ranging from megacities to small places; from native peoples to settlers descending from different migratory currents”. And it is taking into account this “richness” that this contribution of the synodal process is addressed.
The text is composed of 4 central themes and the final conclusion. The topics addressed taking into account the contributions of the different communities were: The call to listen and learn to dialogue; the Church that walks together; mission and dialogue with the world; the shared celebration as a synodal expression of faith.
Conclusions
In this final section the most important issues are pointed out, which are: listening, dialogue and inclusion, claims to live inside and outside the Church. Another fundamental issue is clericalism, “which makes us think of the management of power in the Church as an issue that deserves study, conversion and change in the ecclesial culture.” A third strong issue, related to power and co-responsibility, is the “protagonism of women in the Church”: it is a question of justice and it is also a strong claim. A fourth theme is that of the celebrations: they are expected to be more festive, meaningful and inculturated, taking up saints, devotions, symbols and expressions from the different regions of our country. Finally, formation, youth and synodal spirituality are points that encourage renewal to live a Church more similar to the proposal of Jesus.
The Argentine Church presented the synthesis of the first synodal stage – Vatican News