BOSTON, Mass., Jan. 19, 2022―Roman Catholics worldwide embarked in October 2021 on a two-year synodal journey, and Voice of the Faithful, an international organization committed to raising lay voices in governing and guiding the Church, has scheduled the first of many Synod on Synodality input sessions. The Synod, called “For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, and Mission,” provides the most significant opportunity ever for the Church’s laity to influence the future of the Church.
Our January Sets have been filled. Please return early in February, when additional session dates for February and March will be available. **VOTF sessions will run through June 2022, so you will have a chance to participate.**
Set 1:
Tuesday, Jan. 25, 2022, 7:30 pm Eastern (6:30 pm Central, 5:30 pm Mountain, 4:30 pm Pacific)
Tuesday, Feb. 1, 2022, 7:30 pm Eastern (6:30 pm Central, 5:30 pm Mountain, 4:30 pm Pacific)
Set 2:
Thursday, Jan. 27, 2022, 2 pm Eastern (1 pm Central, Noon Mountain, 11 am Pacific)
Thursday, Feb. 3, 2022, 2 pm Eastern (1 pm Central, Noon Mountain, 11 am Pacific)
Set 3:
Saturday, Jan. 29, 2022, Noon Eastern (11 am Central, 10 am Mountain, 9 am Pacific)
Saturday, Feb. 5, 2022, Noon Eastern (11 am Central, 10 am Mountain, 9 am Pacific)
VOTF will continue offering input sessions until June and will attempt to schedule them at times suited to other time zones and other countries.
VOTF has taken up Pope Francis’ call for input from all the People of God into this Synod on Synodality. All who wish to attend VOTF’s Synod sessions will have the opportunity to express how they see the Church becoming more synodal, pastoral, and evangelical. The organization also will help any groups seeking assistance with their own sessions. The combined views will be forwarded to the General Secretariat for the Synod.
According to Pope Francis, synodality is the way of being the Church today, in a dynamic of discerning and listening together to the voice of the Holy Spirit. “Synod” derives from the Greek and indicates not only the path along which the People of God walk together, but also how Christians originally were called “followers of the Way (of Jesus).” The Synod on Synodality has three phases. The first phase, called the diocesan phase, began October 2021 and concludes in August 2022. During this phase, input from all the faithful will be collected and sent to local bishops or directly to the Vatican. The world’s bishops will meet for the general assembly of the Synod in Rome in October 2023.
VOTF emphasizes that all voices will be heard for the Synod, even the voices of those who feel uncomfortable talking in a group about their experiences and hopes for the future of the Church. Anyone who would like additional information may email office@votf.org.