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Synod on SynodalityIn October 2021, our Holy Father Pope Francis invited the entire people of God to journey together and listen carefully to ways the Holy Spirit is speaking to the Church in these times. Parishes in the entire world gathered in small and large groups to discern emerging themes.
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"So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the holy ones and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the capstone."
—Ephesians 2:19-20
Vatican Prayer for the Synod
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.
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National Report for the Interim Stage
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Local reports like ours were sent to their respective diocese, which then submitted a report to the U.S. Synod Team. Working groups of bishops, USCCB staff, synod leaders, theologians, experts, and pastoral ministers were also formed for discernment on participation in Church life, social justice, and vocations. The resulting reports served as the source material for this National Synthesis. Along with the contributions of episcopal conferences worldwide, this is the basis of the work the Church will engage in leading up to the Second Session of the Synod in October 2024.
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Parish Report for the Interim Stage
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Following the conclusion of the First Session, an Interim Stage of further reflection began, mirroring the pattern of syntheses from earlier in the Synodal process. Despite a limited time-frame, Holy Trinity Parish had over 50 individuals participate in two in-person discernment sessions. The following are the common themes that emerged from those sessions:
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Desire for an increased role for women in the Church.
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Desire for more effective, transparent communication about the good things happening in the Church as well as the controversies.
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Need for more guidance regarding how to live in this world as Catholic Christians.
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Desire for renewed efforts in youth and young adult ministry at our parish and the Pastoral Center.
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Concern for loved ones who have fallen away from the faith.
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Appreciation for our parish’s communal celebrations and ministries which help build our parishioners’ fellowship and connection with each other.
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Appreciation for opportunities to experience the more informal and approachable side of the Archbishop, such as his Chapel Chats.
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Report from the First Session of the Synod (Universal Stage)
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At the end of the Angelus on October 16, 2022, Pope Francis announced that the "Synod on Synodality" would be held in two sessions, spaced one year apart, in October 2023 and October 2024. This first synthesis report is the fruit of the collective worldwide discernment and is intended to help us prepare for deeper reflection in the year ahead.
Read the Synthesis Report for the First Session of the Universal Stage
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North American Synod Report (Continental Stage)
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For the North American Continental Stage, the United States and Canada held twelve virtual assemblies in English, Spanish, and French, between December 2022 and January 2023. 931 delegates and 146 bishops participated in these assemblies, and their reflections were brought together to create the Final Document. This report will be included for reflection in the First Session of the Universal Stage.
Read the North American Final Document for the Continental Stage
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National Synod Report
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The National Synthesis incorporates syntheses from all 178 Latin (arch)dioceses in the United States. In total, an estimated 700,000 people participated in the diocesan phase of the synodal process. This synthesis and the syntheses from the 18 Eastern Catholic (Arch)Eparchies of the U.S. will be incorporated in the Continental Stage, the next step in the 2021-2023 Synod.
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Region XII Synod Report
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The ten (arch)dioceses of the states of Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington create the Ecclesial Region XII — an area of more than one million square miles and home to more than two million Catholics. Each Ecclesial Region met to develop a synthesis of their individual diocesan reports. You can click here to read the other regional syntheses.
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Archdiocesan Synod Report
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Approximately 2,000 people total from nearly every parish, as well as many Catholic organizations and other groups, in the Archdiocese of Portland participated in 175 discernment sessions and provided written input!
We encourage you to read the report (linked below), which provides a bullet-point list of the key themes that emerged (Page 3) before going into detail on each. You can also click here to read Archbishop Sample's statement on these results.
Read the Synod Synopsis from the Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon
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Parish Synod Report
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Holy Trinity Parish had over 300 individuals participate through virtual and in-person gatherings and written input. The following themes that emerged will be used to further our pastoral planning in the years ahead:
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We are inspired by the universality of the Church, its rich Tradition (especially the Eucharist), and the many positive contributions it makes in the world today.
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We need to better accompany the marginalized, especially the LGBTQ+ community and the divorced and remarried, listening to them without judgment and finding ways to include them as valued parts of our faith community.
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We need to better incorporate the voices of women into our decision-making and leadership at every level.
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