Synod Small Groups
In August 2020, Archbishop Hebda announced focus areas for the Archdiocesan Synod. Your prayer, conversation and feedback on priorities within these focus areas will inform the topics selected for the Synod Assembly in June 2022.
He then unpacked each of the focus areas with hard-hitting questions, such as:
- What can we do to make parishes more welcoming and accessible?
- How can we offer meaningful life-long formation for discipleship?
- How can we better assist parents in forming children as disciples who know and love Jesus and his Church?
In Synod Small Groups this fall, you help determine the response of our local Church. In one session per week for six weeks, you will:
- Pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
- Experience the compelling truth of the Catholic faith in today’s culture context.
- Examine questions under each focus area, sharing perspectives among a small group of sisters and brothers in Christ.
- Weigh in on how we as a Church might respond to these questions, to help Archbishop determine priorities.
To make sure all Catholics have an opportunity to participate, every pastor in the archdiocese has been asked to host Synod Small Groups this fall. If just 100 gather in small groups at each parish, Archbishop Hebda will hear from nearly 20,000 Catholics! Make plans now to join us!
Join a Small group at Annunciation
Thank you for generously offering your time to be a member of the Archdiocesan Synod Parish Small Group Process as a facilitator or Scribes.
Training for Small Group Process Managers, Core Team Members, Facilitators & Scribes
Click on the time and location links below to register for a training session. Facilitator/Scribes should register only for the Facilitator/Scribe training. Process managers and Core Team Members should register for both trainings. (There are in person and Zoom sessions for you to choose)
Training Registration Training Resources
Year 3 (2021-2022): The Church Engages
Fall 2021: Parish Consultation Process with Small Groups
• Small groups meet in every parish to learn, pray, and discuss the focus areas.
• Parish feedback on priorities within each focus area will help inform the Deanery consultation.
January/February 2022: Deanery Consultation Process
• Pastors and parish representatives gather one Saturday to learn, pray, and discuss the focus areas.
• Deanery feedback will help determine the Synod topics.
June 2022: Archdiocesan Synod Assembly (Pentecost Weekend)
• Approximately 500 appointed delegates (including two from each parish) gather to learn, pray, and discuss the Synod topics and recommend pastoral priorities to Archbishop Hebda.
• After considering the Synod. recommendations, Archbishop writes a Pastoral Letter (November - Feast of Christ the King) leading to a Pastoral Plan to move our Archdiocese into the future.
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