Archdiocese celebrates Mass to commemorate end of Synod’s first phase
Failing to adequately address the concerns people raised about the Catholic Church during phase 1 of the Synod on Synodality would result in the Synod collapsing like a house built on sand, said Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, C.Ss.R., Archbishop of Newark, during an Oct. 16 Mass celebrating the Archdiocese of Newark’s participation in Pope Francis’ global reform initiative.
Speaking to the hundreds of parish representatives who gathered in Newark’s Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart, Cardinal Tobin said the Archdiocese needs to take a hard look at the opinions collected during the Synod listening sessions and think about how it can ensure parishes are changed for the better in phase 2. Such plans must include finding ways to connect with youth more effectively and engage those who are excluded from churches, he said. They also should consider how to make parishes truly “welcoming,” he said, which means reaching out to those who currently have nothing to do with the Church.
While this process occurs, Cardinal Tobin said Catholics must ask themselves one question that was never raised in any Synod listening session — if Jesus returned today, would he find faith in their hearts? Most people — if they are being honest — will be unable able to answer that query definitively, the cardinal said. As a result, he said everyone should ask God to help alleviate their disbelief as the Synod on Synodality enters its next phase.
“For that part of us that is cynical or tired or distracted, we pray today that the Lord will hold up our arms like Aaron and Hur did for Moses so that we’ll have the effort to continue this journey learning from each other, taking the decisions we need to take, and sharing the riches of our Archdiocese with the Church across the world,” Cardinal Tobin said.
The Synod Celebration Mass was the culmination of the local first phase of the Synod on Synodality, which saw more than 15,000 people express their views on the Church in more than 700 group discussions held throughout the Archdiocese this past year. To acknowledge this widespread participation, the Celebration Mass began with a procession in which parish representatives marched into the Cathedral holding signs emblazoned with the names of their church or ministry. Guest speakers also took turns welcoming people in different languages to recognize the numerous cultural groups that took part in the synodal process. And “Together” — the Synod theme song of the Diocese of Malolos in the Philippines — was performed to further reflect the idea that through this ongoing global initiative, “Together we journey as one.”
For Sister Donna L. Ciangio, OP, the Archdiocese’s chancellor and Synod coordinator, conveying this sense of unity was one of the main reasons why the Celebration Mass was held. It was also a way to thank all the archdiocesan offices, parishes, and ministries that helped facilitate the synodal process, she said, pointing out that a lot of people’s hard work went into making phase 1 a success.
In fact, Sister Ciangio said their efforts were so strong that the Synod resources produced by the Archdiocese were adopted by dioceses throughout the world. The Vatican’s Synod newsletter even highlighted the Archdiocese of Newark’s synodal webpage as a model for others to follow.
“What we’ve achieved is a wonderful accomplishment,” Sister Ciangio said. “People should feel proud about it.”
There indeed was a sense of joy among the parish representatives who attended the Celebration Mass. Belkys Jimenez, who oversaw the Synod for St. Catherine of Siena Church in Hillside, said she thought the Mass was “spectacular” because it allowed Catholics of multiple cultures to gather in communion. She appreciated the Synod for the same reason, pointing out that the global initiative demonstrated the Church’s solidarity.
“Everybody has a different language, everybody has a different color, some are rich, some are poor — but we’re all united,” Jimenez said. “We’re all walking as one Church. That’s why I love my Catholic Church.”
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Jimenez said the synodal listening sessions proved to be very fruitful for her parish, with participants talking a lot about what social justice programs they would like to pursue. She said it was also a great opportunity to explain the Church’s inner workings, as many parishioners had questions about topics like how donations are used. Now that they better understand the parish’s operations through the Synod, Jimenez believes more people will be eager to get involved with St. Catherine of Siena Church.
St. Philip the Apostle Church in Saddle Brook also garnered some interesting insights through the Synod, according to the parish representatives who attended the Celebration Mass. James Anderson recalled young parents wanted more family-friendly events like movie nights, while Camille Tritto said older parishioners were adamant about maintaining long-held customs. Karel Campbell — who leads St. Philip the Apostle’s RCIA ministry — said those converting to Catholicism respected the Church’s traditions but also wished to implement new concepts like roundtable discussions on social issues.
Regardless of the outcomes, the three were grateful just for the chance to share their opinions on the Catholic Church.
“It’s nice to see that the Church is thinking of what the ‘normal’ people are thinking,” said Tritto, a trustee of St. Philip the Apostle Church. “The bishops and the cardinals make decisions, but our Church is really the people. It’s the people’s Church. What the community and the families have to say is important.”
Jennifer Behnke, the Archdiocese’s associate director for evangelization, said she was also excited to participate in the synodal process. Behnke said she takes her baptismal vows seriously, so getting the opportunity to have a voice in the Church’s future meant a lot to her. She said her fellow parishioners at Sacred Heart Church in Bloomfield — where Behnke serves as the music ministry director — felt the same way, holding meaningful discussions in their listening sessions about how their parish can better welcome people and communicate more effectively.
Now Behnke is looking forward to seeing how the feedback gained from Catholics worldwide — including an estimated 700,000 in the U.S. alone, according to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops — impacts the Church in the coming years.
“I hope that as a Church we are strong enough to accept the task ahead, which is to make the changes and do the work,” Behnke said. “This is not the end. The work of the Synod is really now beginning. So many people have bought into the idea of the Synod, so we have to show them that it will have actual consequences.”
The Archdiocese of Newark has no intention of slowing its momentum coming out of phase 1. While the Catholic Church’s bishops will not consider the Synod’s findings until their meetings at the Vatican in 2023 and 2024, Sister Ciangio said the Archdiocese is already working with parishes to determine how it can support them as they begin formulating plans for implementing changes in phase 2. She said she would also like to help pastoral councils organize ongoing listening sessions so parishioners will have a regular outlet through which they can speak their minds.
Above all, Sister Ciangio wants everyone to know the Synod is not finished. So many people generously donated their time to participate in the listening sessions, she said, and the Archdiocese will not fail them.
“The Synod was not a one-time thing,” Sister Ciangio said. “We’re continuing the journey.”
Click here to watch the full Synod Celebration Mass. To learn more about the Archdiocese of Newark’s participation in the Synod on Synodality and to read its results report, visit the archdiocesan Synod webpage.
Photos by Archdiocese of Newark/Kate Albright
Featured image: Karen Clark, director of the Archdiocese of Newark’s Department for the Protection of the Faithful, leads the procession of representatives from parishes and ministries that participated in the synodal process at the celebratory Mass on Oct. 16, 2022. (Photo: Archdiocese of Newark/Kate Albright)
