Update on Synodal Pathway in East Anglia

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Update on Synodal Pathway in East Anglia

Responses to the Synodal Pathway diocesan questionnaire from all parishes and organisations have been collated into a Diocese of East Anglia report, says Angela Wilson from the diocesan synodal team.


This, along with the diocesan and national organisational reports from across England and Wales were submitted to the Bishops’ Conference just before Holy Week this year

Since then, the National Synthesis Team has been working on producing the “National Synthesis” – reflecting on the reports received, discerning the main themes that have emerged from the listening conversations, and collating them together to give a picture of the synodal process in England and Wales.

The National Synthesis along with the Bishops’ of England and Wales response to it will be sent to the Synod Office in Rome.

You can read ‘The National Synthesis’ at: https://www.cbcew.org.uk/synodal-church/

The Bishops have said: “We thank all who have participated so far in the Synodal Process and ask for continued prayers as we journey together towards being a Synodal Church in today’s world, expressing her nature as the People of God journeying together and gathering in assembly, summoned by the Lord Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit to proclaim the Gospel that brings life and human flourishing to all who hear and respond to it.”

The Catholic Bishops of England and Wales have released a statement titled ‘Seeking Our Hearts’ Desire’ offering their initial reflections on ‘The National Synthesis’:

You can read the statement at: https://www.cbcew.org.uk/synodal-church/

Please keep the synodal pathway in your prayers and seek ways to continue the work you have begun in your parishes and deaneries, through prayerful listening and dialogue, invoking the Holy Spirit for guidance.

Here is a reminder of the Adsumus Sancte Spiritus prayer for the Synod process:

Every session of the Second Vatican Council began with the prayer Adsumus Sancte Spiritus, the first word of the original Latin, meaning, “We stand before You, Holy Spirit,” which has been historically used at Councils, Synods and other Church gatherings for hundreds of years, and is attributed to Saint Isidore of Seville (c. 560 – 4 April 636).

As we embrace this Synodal Process, this prayer invites the Holy Spirit to be at work in us so that we may be a community and a people of grace. For the Synodal journey from 2021 to 2023, we propose to the following simplified version, so that any group, meeting or liturgical assembly can pray it more easily.

We stand before You, Holy Spirit, as we gather together in Your name.

With You alone to guide us, make Yourself at home in our hearts; Teach us the way we must go and how we are to pursue it.

We are weak and sinful; do not let us promote disorder.

Do not let ignorance lead us down the wrong path nor partiality influence our actions.

Let us find in You our unity so that we may journey together to eternal life and not stray from the way of truth and what is right.

All this we ask of You, who are at work in every place and time, in the communion of the Father and the Son, forever and ever.

Amen.

If you have any questions about this process, do contact the Diocesan Synodalway Team of Angela Wilson, Dcn Huw Williams and Fr Andrew Eburne at: synodalway@rcdea.org.uk

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