Synod report reveals a hunger for Jesus and concern for the Church

PATERSON  Most Catholics long for Jesus and care for the Church. This is the key message in a new report published by the Diocese of Paterson, said Father Paul Manning, the Vicar for Evangeli­zation for the diocese.

“If there were unanimity expressed in our diocesan input for the Synod of Bishops 2023,” said Father Manning, “it was an expression of spiritual hunger and a desire for Jesus and a concern for the Church.”

Nearly a year in the making, a 10-page summary of the Diocese of Paterson’s Preparatory Phase for the Synod on Synodality is available online and in this edition of The Beacon. It provides a rare glimpse into the pulse of the faithful of the diocese. It is also a major milestone in the diocese’s contribution to the Synod Gather­ing in Rome next year, known as the Synod on Synodal­ity. This ongoing worldwide synodal journey is significant for both the universal and local Church. It was an invitation to the People of God from Pope Francis to listen to each other.

The process itself promoted consultations, sessions of attentive listening and collective discernment with large and small groups and through individual conversations. The diocese also posted an online survey, inviting anyone to share feedback on the questions and themes of the Synod. In the end, over 5,000 people participated and provided their perspectives in these various ways.

The process “awakened and revealed a number of spiritual fruits in those who entered into the consultations as facilitators or contributors,” said Father Manning, who highlighted three. “One was the positive experience of encounter and accompaniment. Another was the appreciation of one another’s spirituality and depth of faith. And third, was the gratitude and hope that emerged as a result of their conversations.”

Unsurprisingly, there were mixed messages and recommendations from the faithful of the Diocese of Paterson in the synthesis. Some Catholics say the Church should fully adapt to the current times and trends, yet others want a return to the Church before Vatican II.

Some want the Church to allow priests to be married. Others would like women to become deacons or priests. Still, others suggested limiting the participation of the laity in the sanctuary and affirming the male, celibate priesthood.

“I think the synthesis expresses pretty clearly that we heard from a whole spectrum of people,” said Father Manning, who prepared the document in collaboration with Maria Moncaleano, the Director of the diocesan Hispanic Ministry, and others. The two are co-chairs of the Dio­cesan Synod Committee.

Despite the disparate recommendations from various theological, political, social, and ideological perspectives, two specific concerns prevailed. These included the perspective and contribution of women and the formation, supervision, and evaluation of clergy and their “fit” for the parish.

“Definitely, there was a thread about the inclusion of women, but it wasn’t nece­ssarily promoting women’s ordination,” Father Manning explained. “Parents and families of members of the LGBTQ+ community expressed that their LGBTQ+ children did not feel welcome and included by the Church. People were on both ends when it came to the morality of the issue, but certainly felt that ministry to and inclusion of the LGBTQ+ community was lacking.”

According to the report, participants in the synod process lamented that the Church has sometimes shown a lack of love and mercy, evidenced in the absence of inclusion and sensitivity to women, the Hispanic/Latino community, LGBTQ+ people, families with young children, people with special needs, people victimized by abuse, the elderly and other people who, for whatever reason, feel that they do not conform to the prevalent social or moral norms.

“In fact, the most prevalent reason people identified for feeling marginalized was gender for the English-speaking community, and ethnicity for the Hispanic/Latino community,” the report states. “Although not all participants called for a change in the Church’s teaching on these matters, they did call for a change in approach and attitude.”

From the beginning, the synod process emphasized the importance of understanding the perspective of those on the margins, and Father Manning said the Church can’t be afraid of addressing the tough questions.

“Obviously, in many areas, we’re not doing as well communicating the beauty of the Church’s truth in a way that is convincing and compelling to people, and so we need to work on that,” he said. “Even though some of the input may be challenging to the Church’s theological position on some of these issues, I think we need to listen without fear and address what we can, compassionately and faithfully.”

Father Manning said producing a synod report was not the priority for Pope Francis or the Synod of Bishops; instead, it was to engage the Church in the process of encounter, listening, and shared discernment.

“So even if parishes didn’t submit a report but started to live more synodally, our purpose was accomplished,” he said.

Paterson’s synod report was delivered to the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops. It will be synthesized into a more extensive set of recommendations gathered from neighboring dioceses in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

On the local level, the diocese has been exporting individual parish reports back to parishes to assist with pastoral planning.

The report concludes with suggested next steps for the Church in Paterson, including the possible designation of “Synodal Associates,” to engage in ongoing encounter and listening on behalf of the bishop.

“The Church needs to recommit herself to forming missionary disciples and lay leaders, and to evangelization and the new evangelization,” it states.

The conclusion notes that there now exists a new or heightened sense of responsibility for the synodal way and for the healing and reconciling mission of the Church.

“Having engaged in non-defensive encounter, attentive presence, and active listening, many found themselves moved to compassion and eager and open for further dialogue,” it states. “They are becoming bearers of the fruits of the Synod, demonstrating the attitudes of respectful listening, reverence for the other, and responsive love.”