Synod report reveals joy in being a church member, but some feel unwelcome and a disconnect

The Archdiocese of Newark’s Synod report brings to light what area Catholics are looking for from their Church and its leaders. The 39-page report, released today, recorded the joy that area Catholics feel in being part of the Church, but it also revealed that Catholics do not always feel welcomed in their parish and a disconnect between lay people and Church leaders.  

Since January, Catholics have entered a time of prayer, dialogue and listening, called the Synod on Synodality, asking: “How is the Holy Spirit calling us as a Church in the 21st Century?”

The recently released local report captures the voices of more than 15,000 northern New Jerseyans who gathered at over 700 sessions to pray, listen and discern.

Last year, Pope Francis invited Catholics — from bishops to laity — to gather and share their feelings, listen in prayer, and discern a way forward. For the first time, all Catholics were invited into this process of Synodality, which is historically reserved for just bishops.

The sessions covered two questions here in the Archdiocese of Newark and among Catholics across the world: How is this “journeying together” happening today in your parish community, campus ministry, university, school, youth group, religious congregation, or other areas of Church life that you might participate in? How are we “walking together” as a Church, and what steps does the Holy Spirit invite us to take in order to grow in our journeying together?

“Pope Francis has issued an invitation to the whole Church to gather and listen to the Holy Spirit in prayer, sharing, and discernment to in preparation for the Synod of Bishops in October 2023,” said Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, C.Ss.R., Archbishop of Newark. “Many people of our local Church responded enthusiastically to the invitation to participate, and many expressed appreciation to Pope Francis for the opportunity to dialogue, discern, and be heard.”

According to the Archdiocese of Newark’s report, topics discussed included keeping youth and young adults engaged; laity involvement in leadership; communication from church leaders; women’s roles in the church; inclusivity for the marginalized, LGBTQ, women, and the divorced; faith formation in the 21st century; and the sex abuse scandal.

“The listening sessions were prayerful, constructive conversations about people’s experience of their parish, ministry or organization.  They were not complaint sessions, but rather opportunities to listen and really hear each other in the light of the Holy Spirit. Again, Pope Francis’ question, ‘What does the Holy Spirit ask us of the church in the 21st century? What do we need to do as a Church to be more welcoming to all?’” said Sister Donna L. Ciangio, OP, Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Newark, who helped lead the archdiocesan Synod efforts.

Sister Donna said Catholics, whether at listening sessions at schools, through campus ministries, or in church, felt honored to be invited to talk about their faith and what they need and want from the Church.

“Over and over again, people said ‘no one has ever asked us these questions or for input about our church or parish before. As a result, most parishes took it seriously,” Sister Donna said, adding that some parishes were so committed to the process, they held over 17 listening sessions. “Parish leaders felt they wanted to get as many people as possible participating in the process.”

Over 700 in-person and online listening sessions were held throughout the Archdiocese’s four counties— Union, Hudson, Bergen, and Essex. Out of 212 parishes in the Archdiocese, 33 parishes either did not participate or submitted their reports late, said Sister Donna. Parishes submitted more than 3,000 pages in English and 1,500 pages in Spanish. In total, the voices of more than 15,000 people were heard.

Participants were predominantly women (65%), over the age of 56 (58%), and 72% were daily or Mass attendees. Of the Hispanic participants, the largest group was women aged 40-55 (33.5%.) Six Catholic high schools (824 students), and four Catholic Universities (Seton Hall University, Caldwell University, St. Peter’s University, and Felician University) participated in listening sessions. Campus ministry centers at four public and private university campuses also held listening sessions.

According to the reports, a serious concern from youth participants in parishes and schools was the need for attention to mental health. Many young participants asked for help coping with depression, drug addiction, suicidal feelings, bullying, and peer and parental pressure. University and college students said they did not “know how to date” and conveyed feelings of “loneliness/lack of a sense of belonging.”

To reach more Catholics who do not participate in parish life, 33 parishes developedonline surveys. Pope Francis encouraged practicing Catholics to reach beyond the parish community to look at who “used to be at our parish,” who is not here, and those who might feel left out or on the margins.

Outreach to those described as marginalized and “peripheries” were contacted through Catholic Charities, social centers such as Mercy House, and LGBTQ groups. Listening sessions at parishes included parents of children in religious education, persons with disabilities, the homebound, and, wherever permitted, those in nursing homes or senior living facilities.  Interviews were also held with representatives of those who are incarcerated and with undocumented people.

In Spanish-speaking communities, 212 small groups across 43 parishes met for five sessions, while the English-speaking sessions were held for a few hours. The Office for Hispanic Ministry crafted faith sharing type questions based on the Encuentro collaborative discussionmodel.

Hispanic Catholics who participated in this consultation process expressed particular concerns about groups of people who are “on the margins.” Specific concerns are:

• Young people who don’t attend the parish because they do not see a place for themselves: those who do not return after receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation; those who suffer from different addictions.
• The undocumented who, if they approach the parish, are afraid to get involved in other activities.
• Those in need of material help or who are in prison.
• The elderly or sick, confined in care centers or in their homes.
• Those who have distanced themselves from the Church because of the loss of faith or because they do not feel welcomed in the community.
• Those who, for reasons of work or frequent change of residence, find it difficult to be part of the parish community.

And during the annual celebration of Black History Month in February, the Office for African American, African, and Caribbean Apostolate organized Mass and listening sessions in four venues.

In the 4,500 pages of reports in English and Spanish compiled from the Synod listening sessions, several key themes were identified by participants. These include evangelization, youth, and young adults, Faith Formation, participation of the laity in Church leadership, church/parish governance, and communications.

• Participants voiced their strong interest in reaching out and welcoming all to the Church, regardless of age, cultural background, state in life, sexual identity, or economic or legal status. Those who participated in this process conveyed that the Church should do a better job of including those who may feel unwelcomed such as the LGBTQ community, undocumented immigrants, and persons with disabilities, among others.
• They also communicated that more should be done to bring those disillusioned with religion into the Church, especially young people, who may not attend a parish if they do not see a place for themselves, and those dissatisfied with the Church. Many young people who participated in the sessions — including 1,224 students from middle and high schools and all four Catholic universities in the Archdiocese — feel the Church does not accept them or listen to their concerns about social issues and mental health.
• Concerns were raised regarding a disruption in the pre-pandemic “rhythm” of parish life and communities and the return to regular Mass schedules or parish functions following the decline of the pandemic since its peak. Participants believe that parish life has been diminished in recent years.
• Participants from more than 90 percent of the Archdiocese’s parishes believe women should have a greater role in the leadership of the Church.
• Most participants feel it is time for lay ministry to be formally accepted ceremonially. Likewise, many expressed that the laity should have a greater voice in parish decision-making, and the Archdiocese needs to develop lay leadership formation and training.

The Synod Synthesis Report includes recommendations for continuing the synodal journey in the archdiocese to foster collaboration among all in the faith community as a regular part of Church life. According to the report, archdiocesan leaders will utilize the feedback to forge the synodal path ahead to fortify parishes, ministries, and the local Church.

“The Synod opened a whole new way of thinking for people and for parish leadership,” said Sister Donna. “The whole idea is that we, as a church community, need to listen to and talk with people. By listening to their experiences and ideas, we’re helping all to understand how the parish and church is all of us together. Through this synodal experience, the Archdiocesan ministries are hearing how to better reach out and include people, what kinds of formation they ask for, and support ongoing ways for continued dialogue. All of this will influence what programs we pursue moving forward.”

Newark’s report was combined into a regional report with New Jersey and Pennsylvania dioceses. The regional reports from around the country will then be combined with a national report. The culmination will be in Rome in October 2023 with the “Synod on Synodality,” when the bishops will gather with Pope Francis to hear the continental reports to look at the future of ministry in the church.

Locally, the Archdiocese is ready to support local parish leaders in continuing the synodal process to listen to and meet the needs of their community based on their particular parish report, said Sister Donna.

A Mass in Celebration of the Participation of the Archdiocese of Newark in the Synod on Synodality is planned for Sunday, Oct. 16, at the Cathedral Basilica of Sacred Heart with Cardinal Tobin. Synod participants will participate in an opening procession.

To read the full report, available in English, Spanish, French, Polish, Portuguese, and Korean, visit the Archdiocese of Newark website. Versions in Creole and Chinese are expected to be posted at a later date.

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