by Tom Magill

The Instrumentum Laboris, the working document for the two sessions of the General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops this year and next, was published on June 20th.

It is the fruit of the synodal process which began at grassroots level in local dioceses in 2021 and continued through national and continental stages. The entire People of God was invited through listening, prayer and discernment to hear what the Holy Spirit was saying to the Church concerning communion, participation, and mission. The working document puts together in a synthetic manner the questions, hopes, dreams, and challenges expressed by Catholics the world over.

The whole process showcases how local churches and the universal Church can work together in fruitful dialogue even when tensions are present.

The 60-page text was presented at a press conference in the Vatican by Cardinals Mario Grech and Jean Claude Hollerich S.J., secretary general and relator general of the upcoming synod, and Father Giacomo Costa, S.J., the consultor of the synod’s secretary general.

The document is in two main parts, followed by worksheets suggesting questions and topics to be reflected upon.

The first part, ‘For a synodal church. An integral experience’, highlights the contributions made by local churches in the past two years, considers the characteristic signs of a synodal church, and proposes ‘conversation in the Spirit’ as a way forward for this synodal Church.

The second part focuses on the three themes of the synodal process -- communion, participation, mission – and presents them in question form as priority issues for the synodal Church:

A communion that radiates: How can we be more fully a sign and instrument of union with God and of the unity of all humanity?

Co-responsibility in Mission: How can we better share gifts and tasks in the service of the Gospel?

Participation, governance and authority: What should be the processes, structures and institutions in a missionary synodal Church?

The worksheets are structured around these three themes. Under each theme there is a number of subsections, all presented in the same way: a brief contextualisation which references the many contributions to the process so far; a clear and focussed question for discernment to be reflected upon; suggestions for prayer and preparatory reflection. The main text of the working document is remarkably short at only 24 pages, while the worksheets, which will prompt most of the reflection and discernment, take up 36 pages.

Dr Tom Magill is parish priest of St Athanasius in the Diocese of Motherwell.