Local Catholics shared their perspectives on the church’s mission during three listening sessions hosted by the Arlington diocese Feb. 29 and March 3 and 5.
The listening sessions — a response to Pope Francis’ call to examine “synodality,” how the church is journeying together to fulfill its mission — followed the XVI Ordinary Assembly of the Synod of Bishops in Rome, which concluded Dec. 5. A second session is scheduled for October.
At the pope’s request, the USCCB synod team recommended that dioceses in the U.S. hold two or three listening sessions during Lent. All diocesan parishes were invited to send the pastor and four parishioners to one of three listening sessions, two of which were in English and one in Spanish. Religious orders residing in the diocese, students from local colleges and Catholic high schools and people served by Catholic Charities also attended. Some 375 priests and faithful attended from all over the diocese.
Bishop Michael F. Burbidge participated in all three sessions as a listener, along with Father Donald J. Planty Jr., pastor of St. Charles Borromeo Church in Arlington, who also serves as the diocesan synodal liaison.
“The synod of bishops in Rome desired to receive feedback from all the dioceses in the world, summarized by their respective bishops’ conferences,” Father Planty said. “The USCCB’s report that is sent to Rome will be united to those from bishops’ conferences throughout the world and will enable the synod fathers to consider the feedback received from the church throughout the world.”
Father Planty described his role as “simply to support Bishop Burbidge with planning as he follows the synod’s request to undertake synodal listening sessions throughout the diocese.”
Kevin Bohli, executive director of the diocesan Office of Youth, Campus and Young Adult Ministries, facilitated the English sessions at Holy Trinity Church in Gainesville and St. Bernadette Church in Springfield. Joel de Loera, director of the diocesan Office of Hispanic Ministry, facilitated the Spanish session at St. Gabriel Mission in Manassas.
The listening sessions were similar in format to the pre-synod listening sessions held in 2022. “Since we had done very robust sessions — over 100 sessions in the diocese last year — it was relatively easy to plan them this time, because the USCCB requested just two or three sessions,” Father Planty said.
Bishop Burbidge thanked participants for their involvement.
“We are blessed because we are participating tonight in the work of the universal church. We are here because our Holy Father Pope Francis has asked us to be here, as we prepare for the second year of the synod,” Bishop Burbidge said.
Participants lined up behind a microphone to answer two questions on the life of the church in the Arlington diocese. They spent the first half of the session reflecting upon the question, “Where have I seen or experienced successes within the church that support the mission, and how do I think we can build upon these successes?” After a short break, they shared perspectives on the question, “Where have I seen or experienced challenges and/or difficulties within the church that hinder the mission, and how do I think the church can better address these challenges and difficulties?”
Feedback from the three sessions will be compiled into a synthesis report to be delivered by Bishop Burbidge to the USCCB April 8. The diocesan report will be published online to share with the diocese.
Synodality has been practiced throughout church history, Father Planty said. “Synodality is an ancient practice in the life of the church. In this case, there’s a renewed pastoral emphasis on synodality by Pope Francis. The experience in the three sessions this time was similar to the experience we had last year: In a prayerful context, people opened their hearts with charity and respect, and shared their thoughts about how the church is accomplishing her mission and their recommendations for how she can better accomplish her mission.”
The USCCB selected Father Planty and four other U.S. priests March 15 to join 300 parish priests in traveling to Rome in April. The priests were selected by bishops’ conferences around the world to participate in an international meeting April 28—May 2, “Parish Priests for the Synod.” A Feb. 3 statement from the Vatican states that the meeting will allow priests to share their experiences of parish life, and “offer them an opportunity to experience the dynamism of synodal work at a universal level.”
This article has been updated.
