Archdiocese releases Synod report, concludes the Church may need more welcoming pastoral approaches

After holding synod listening sessions in late winter, the Archdiocese of Newark has released its report on how Catholics can effectively carry out the Church’s mission in today’s world.

About 360 parishioners, priests, archdiocesan staff, religious, and deacons participated in the eight sessions held in February and March with each session representing a cross-section of the diverse communities that make up the Archdiocese of Newark.

READ THE REPORT

The Vatican Synod Team requested that dioceses around the world hold more listening sessions to provide input for the next stage of the Synod on Synodality, which will occur in October 2024. This second set of consultations was an attempt to deepen and broaden the work of the first Synod session held in Rome in October of 2023, said Bishop Michael A. Saporito, DD, Regional Bishop for Bergen County, and a member of the Synod Team of the Archdiocese of Newark.

This Synod, begun in 2021, is the first where women and lay people are included in the discernment and voting.

The first round of listening sessions invited people to pray and think about their experience in church through their parishes, schools, and ministries, and what they felt was needed to further the mission of Christ in the 21st Century, said Sister Donna L.Ciangio, O.P., Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Newark and coordinator for the Synod on Synodality for the Archdiocese.

“We followed the Conversation in the Spirit model, but it was so new that it took some time to get used to listening,” Sister Donna said. “For the second listening session process, again based on the Conversation in the Spirit model, the Synod Team of the Vatican asked specific questions about structures in the church and how they help, hinder, or caused confusion. Based on the first round of synthesis from the seven continents, the team wanted more specifics.”

Specifically, attendees discussed: How can we be united, not divided, as missionary disciples? How can we effectively carry out the Church’s mission in today’s world? What do we need to do to engage all Christians fully and actively in the mission and ministry of Jesus?

Many of those who participated in this second listening session had participated in one of the sessions held in 2022, said Deacon Asterio Velasco, Director of Hispanic Ministry, and a member of the Synod Team of the Archdiocese of Newark.

“The questions presented this time led to a deeper understanding of the issues. It was a reaffirmation of what was previously expressed, which indicates the need for action to respond to what was expressed by the people of God,” Deacon Asterio said, noting that the participants expressed gratitude for the opportunity to express their opinions.

The archdiocese’s most recent Synod report mirrors that of the synthesis report released last October concluding the Church may need more welcoming pastoral approaches, especially to people who feel excluded while keeping true to traditional church teachings and practices. The archdiocese’s report stated how the Church provided suggestions and proposals for addressing the mission of the Church, the co-responsibility and collaboration of clergy, religious, and laity with a particular focus on women and how to work together to become a listening and accompanying Church.

The report noted that the COVID-19 pandemic changed parish life significantly, not only in Mass attendance but in participation in ministries and parish life in general.

“Sometimes the gatherings were just priest sessions or lay leaders and religious but the report is meant to reflect the common observations of all who are working at spreading the Good News of the Gospel, so that we can listen, learn, and appreciate both what is really working but also what needs to be improved,” Bishop Saporito said.

Last year, at the Synod in Rome, Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, C.Ss.R., Archbishop of Newark, said, “We believe in a God who became flesh and blood, like the rest of us, who didn’t stay in some celestial isolation. So, the church always has to be concerned with flesh and blood issues.”

Hospitality and outreach (Evangelization)

According to the Archdiocese’s report, Mass should be a great celebration that “touches hearts, inspires us to set forth as disciples,” but should also reflect the traditions of diverse cultural groups within the parish. As one person at the Synod session noted, “the universal Church celebrates the Eucharist and no matter where we go, in whatever language, Mass is the same, but not always celebrated as well as could be.”

The faithful should feel welcome beyond Mass from church leaders. One example of the need from a participant, “I was going to a parish for a while, and the only words that I ever heard out of a person’s mouth was ‘The Body of Christ,’ not one welcome, hello, nothing that would make that me feel like I belonged or was wanted there.” Outreach to different generations, those who are marginalized or on the peripheries, is needed. One way of welcoming people into church life is to encourage the use of their interests, gifts, and skills to build community and leadership.

Attendees also said that they sought to share faith with others in small group settings such as faith-sharing groups, bible studies, retreats, and ministry groups with specific areas of learning. Peer ministry groups, and other parish, school, and service opportunities are personal approaches to engage with people of all ages and welcome them.

The report stated that the Church needs to be a safe haven of welcome for all: the LGBTQ+ community, persons with disabilities, newly arrived migrants, homeless, ecumenical, and inter-faith relationships, everyday people who feel marginalized because of marriage outside of the church after divorce, and more.

The report calls for skill training on multiple levels for priests and pastoral leaders such as leadership, diversity, inclusion, reading the signs of the times, working with councils, co-responsibility and working collaboratively with other parishes, and more.

Discipleship and mission

The faithful seek ways to do service and mission work, particularly among the younger generation.  “Many, especially the young, see the Church as a series of “dos and don’ts” rather than an authentic community of disciples who live and serve as Jesus did,” according to the report.

One group asked, “How can we spread the Good News if we are not disciples ourselves? When a parish is focused on making missionary disciples, the mission is strong; as disciples, we discern how we are called forth in mission; we need to form our people into dynamic disciples.” Yet, younger generations perceive a lack of creativity and acceptance of cultural change, and makes them sometimes feel unwelcome in their community.

“The perspective of many parishes is very inwardly focused, not mission focused on the neighborhood or in the world; many are also stuck in the mindset of charity, not serving or advocacy; just focused on who is here in the pews, not willing to reach out,” one group reported.

A few comments on structure: “The church structure is not seen as servicing the people. How do we connect better with the people?”

Many participants mentioned service projects that attract grade school-age, and youth and young adults to learn what it means to reach out as a disciple. The Youth and Young Adult Ministry of the archdiocese was cited for their summer service camps and reflection with the groups on what their service means and how they reflect Jesus or see the reflection of Jesus in those they serve.

The report stated that parish social concerns committees need some renewal after being lost to COVID-19 pandemic and to meet a recent increase in need. Parishes, along with parish pastoral and finance councils, can help to reinvigorate these critical ministries by doing needs assessments and inviting parishioners to take part.

Life-long formation

The report states that the faithful long for experiences to encounter Christ and seek life-long faith formation for all ages. “It is not enough to teach the tenets of the faith without understanding who Jesus is, creating that relationship with him, and being a disciple to carry on the mission,” according to the report.

The religious education programs of the parishes are essential for the young and their parents. Parishes need to find creative ways to attract and invite people to faith formation. Some already exist such as family faith formation, faith sharing, retreats, bible studies, and other courses offered by the archdiocese and parishes.

It was suggested that messaging from the Church has been somewhat confusing.

“What does the Church teach, what does the Church stand for? Scandals and abuse in the church and bishops who criticize Pope Francis or each other in public lead to confusion. The messaging needs to be simplified. Go back to the basics,” the report states.

Co-responsibility and leadership

Many stated they had a strong relationship with leadership at their parish, noting that “priests, through their leadership and closeness to the parishioners, their preaching and testimony of life, encourage the community to the mission and an encounter with Christ. Priests are fundamental in the formation and leadership of the laity.”

However, some feel that pastors have too much on their plates and that trying to balance all of it does not allow for time for adequate reflection on how to create a strong, co-responsible community. As one person stated, we need to “put the clergy back in the business of spirituality and out of the business of business.” Active laypeople and women could help.

On the other hand, many reported an increase in clericalism. Some priests and deacons are “not accepting the idea that lay and clergy all have ownership of ministry; we just pay, pray, and obey. People need to feel ownership of their parish. Clergy must allow people to be part of decision-making, and people must take responsibility to act and not be clerical themselves,” according to the report. The report calls for a fundamental change to understand servant leadership by the ordained and in some cases, laity.

Many were positive about parish pastoral councils, which can bring focus and planning to the parish, and appreciated opportunities for archdiocesan training to help form councils. These parish pastoral councils, along with finance and ministry councils, assist in continuing the mission of the church to meet the needs of changing demographics, welcoming all cultures and diversity, forming more faith formation and ministers, and more.

Also mentioned was the abuse crisis and its effect on the Church and the need for continuing understanding, healing, and change. A poignant comment from one group: “How do we help victims/survivors take the right path toward healing in a structure of clericalism where many have been abused, including women religious. We must change; there has been too much distress.”

The report also suggests that priests from outside the U.S. be trained with the cultures of the parishes they will be working in.

Women and leadership

Attendees said that the younger generations see a church that is exclusive and are concerned about the role of women and the sex abuse scandals. According to the report, “People feel that the role of women in the church is a matter of urgency for the larger church to move on.”

As one group stated, “The world is made up of 50% women. The Church leadership [bishops, priests, deacons] should reflect the same.”

On the other hand, many are not aware of the roles that women have. In the archdiocese, many women are leaders in their ministries at parish, school, university, and diocesan levels.

The report concludes that more women need to be part of seminary and priestly and diaconate training and that there is a need for more visibility and understanding of women’s roles and positions in the Church, what they do, and how they lead.

Pastoral concerns

Parishioners also described struggles with the number of pastoral changes at their parish. Although assignments can be renewed, priests generally serve a term of six years. “When a priest leaves, a new pastor comes in and can support or undo all the ministries that are going well in a parish, because it might not be to his liking or style. Other parishes mentioned having a ‘revolving door of priests,’ feeling the need for more stability,” according to the report. “Others stated that they are or have been in flux due to pastoral changes which leave communities debilitated by upheaval, with no support from the diocesan offices.”

The report continued: “Therefore, when a new pastor is assigned to a parish, it is critical that he does his homework by knowing the culture and cultures present, building relationships and appreciation, and include people’s expertise to respond to needs,” the report stated. “Pastors and all in parish ministry must incorporate lay people into decision-making processes learning the language and cultural identity unique to the parish and responding creatively as the parish grows and changes.”

According to Sister Donna, participants in this round of Synod listening sessions said they were happy that the archdiocese is taking synodality seriously, continuing to reach out, engage, and welcome all people and working to look to the future to build up the Church. “They are hopeful that all the listening and prayerful discernment will produce great results and bear much fruit,” Sister Donna said.

Bishop Saporito said the Synod’s priority is to assess and strengthen the Church’s ability to impact people with the message of the Gospel throughout the entire world. “Since this is a strong place of agreement and concern of the Church throughout the world, these reflections will be of paramount importance at the next Synod gathering in Rome,” he said.

What’s next

These discussions in local diocese communities worldwide are being held to prepare for the Synod’s final session in October 2024. The report of the Archdiocese of Newark was sent to U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) in early April. The USCCB will send all the reports from around the country to the Synod Committee in Rome. The Vatican Synod Committee will then study the reports from all the continents and prepare the Instramentum Laboris or working document which will be the basis for the October 2024 Synod session.

“These reflections will need to be broadened and expanded once they are prayerfully considered,” Bishop Saporito said. “While the formal Synod on Synodality will conclude in Rome in October 2024, the Synodal way of being Church must continue to give life and fuel the mission of the Church throughout the world if co-responsibility of all the baptized is to be taken seriously.”

The RCAN Synod Team will continue the synod work locally to continue the mission of Christ and the Church and focus on the needs of the Archdiocese of Newark, according to Sister Donna. “It is an exciting time!”

In 2021, the Archdiocese of Newark entered a time of prayer, dialogue, and listening, called the Synod of Synodality, asking: “How is the Holy Spirit calling us as a Church in the 21st Century?” after Pope Francis invited Catholics — from bishops to the laity — to gather and share their feelings, listen in prayer, and discern a way forward. For the first time, all Catholics were invited into the Synod process, historically reserved for just Bishops.