Diocese launches online survey on its website for public participation in Synod

CLIFTON  In preparation for the 16th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops in 2023, Pope Francis has asked the Universal Church to participate in a consultative two-year process of listening and dialogue. Currently in the first phase of the Synod, the Diocese of Paterson launched an online survey on the Diocesan website March 8 for the public, including Catholics, other Christians, members of other religions, and even those who claim no religion, to participate in the process and share their experiences with the Catholic Church. The theme of this Synod is “For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation and Mission,” and finding expression locally on the website as “#ListeningChurchPaterson.”

Father Paul Manning, diocesan vicar for evangelization, and Maria Moncaleano, diocesan director of Hispanic Ministry, are co-chairs of the Diocesan Synod Committee, which has planned and conducted the consultation process in both English and Spanish. Both will be assisting synodal delegates from around the Diocese. These delegates represent parishes, institutions, agencies, and religious orders, and will be listening to their communities through consultations with individuals and small groups. The responses will be submitted to the U.S. Bishops at the end of June.

In addition to the online survey on the diocesan website made for the public, delegates will report results of the consultations via a password-protected delegates’ portal on the diocesan website. 

“What is more important than the content that emerges is the experience of the process itself,” said Father Manning, “People will be learning to listen attentively to one another, to understand the experiences of others, and to discern how the Church can best accompany men and women today.”

For the public who respond through the portal, there are 12 questions with the option to answer more about a person’s experience with the Catholic Church. Some of the questions asked include, “How has the Church journeyed with you in life?” and “How can the Church further assist in accompanying you in the spiritual life?” Some of the questions involve selecting an answer to how a statement pertains directly to the participant. Addi­tional comments can also be made for many of the questions. The questionnaire also asks for demographic information. All responses are anonymous.

The delegate portal is similar to the public portal. According to the delegate portal, the content should reflect a synthesis of the experience and content of the participants in the consultations and not that of the delegates or facilitators. Each delegate or team of delegates should provide one report for all of their consultations combined.

According to the U.S. Catholic Conference of Bishops, “Pope Francis invites the entire Church to reflect on a theme that is decisive for its life and mission: ‘It is precisely this path of synodality which God expects of the Church of the third millennium.’ This journey, which follows in the wake of the Church’s ‘renewal’ proposed by the Second Vatican Council, is both a gift and a task: by journeying together and reflecting together on the journey that has been made, the Church will be able to learn through Her experience which processes can help Her to live communion, to achieve participation, to open Herself to mission.”

The hashtag “Listening Church” is used widely in the Vatican to relate to the Synod. For the Diocese, parishes and community members are encouraged to share the Synod on social media using “#ListeningChurchPaterson.”

While some may think this is to collect data, Pope Francis wants all to know that the synodal journey is a process of listening to one another to recognize the voice of the Holy Spirit. First and foremost, this process is a spiritual process.

Father Manning said, “Pope Francis isn’t simply looking for an opinion poll, he is really trying to encourage a listening attitude — to God first in Scripture and Sacred Tradition, and then to one another and to the movements of the Spirit in the People of God. Through this deep, respectful, and attentive listening, we hope to discern how the Spirit wants us to be Church in this time and place in the world today.” Click here to participate in the Synod.