Synod 2023 - St Joseph, St Nicholas and St Thomas More RC Churches Gloucestershire

A reflection on what was said by members of the congregation when they allowed their thoughts to be expressed without interruption

20^th January 2022

Location: St Nicholas parish room and conservatory

1. From the scripture reading what stood out was “We all should be saved, there is hope for us all”

2. I don’t feel that I just belong to this parish but I reach out to everyone and apart from prayer stand up and do something.

3. If you go for a walk smile at the people you meet.

4. I want to come to mass it’s a community. We as a parish community work together as a team. It is a strong parish especially during all the recent changes over the last four years and I have felt let down by the diocese. Father Tony has stabilised the parish and Covid has made us focus. So much change has been like a process of grieving communication has helped us heal and is so important.

5. A lack of communication and I feel lost.

6. Here there are no nasty elements in the parish and COVID-19 has drawn us together.

7. Going out to other churches and faiths provides unity but we need to reach out to other people to show how God loves everyone. Next time a quote from the Columbian Fathers will be bought to the mtg which is about preparation showing how important it is “ We have to think and listen to God before we speak”.

8. Will there be less togetherness when COVID-19 has gone away we need to keep the community support going.

9. Winchcombe is a warm inviting parish to families.

10. Great here, others have joined the parish that travel great distance to come to mass and they could go to other parishes. This community is still growing steadily.

11. I travel to attend mass at Winchcombe, its appeal is the warmth of the welcome given by the congregation, the music being played, people singing, lots of families with children, families with grown up children still coming to mass and the acceptance of everyone nobody is blind to age, gender or and marginalised person.

12. The whole church is based on its community even the priest (Fr Tony) is one of a team. By using the liturgy the priest guides us showing us the sign posts that are there.

13. With all the turmoil that this parish has endured in recent years Fr Tony was a calming influence who listened to anyone. Our use of WhatsApp and media has improved the communication between us and helped us feel part of the church.

14. We need to engage our teenagers and younger years by listening to their dreams and views of the parish. Invite the young men and women of the parish to their own Synod group to harvest their ideas.

15. Not only report these notes to the Synod but also to St Nicholas PPC so they can act on some of the good ideas.

16. The church is all of us. We need more integration between clergy and laity

17. All people are in God’s hands

18. Faith in God makes the journey easier

19. We each have God in us. Partly for our own benefit but mainly for others.

20. The first place we live out the gift of Jesus is in family

21. In our parish there is a genuine warmth of caring and welcome. It is more like family than community

22. I don’t have to be in charge or in control. My mission is to dream dreams and tell stories.

23. We should do more home visits

24. Our parish is Inclusive and welcoming

25. Need to recognise that for many it is hard to consider coming to church because of all the harm and damage that has been done.

26. We can evangelise by the way we are – not always by explicitly evangelising

27. Involvement of youth in a meaningful way is crucial

28. Development of spiritual gifts

29. Don’t be complacent

30. Hope!

The link to the Clifton diocese synod
https://cliftondiocese.com/synod/

Synod 2021 – 2023
We Are the People of God – Lumen Gentium

As we move towards the next stage of the Synod on Synodality, Bishop John Arnold, Dr Greg Ryan and Dr Gemma Simmons SJ reflect on the working document for Synodality.

Not only is Lumen Gentium one of the key documents of Vatican II, it is one of the key texts underpinning why and how we are called to be the People of God, the Church.

Here is the link for two of the sessions from the Diocesan day in Bristol re new pastoral areas.

https://cliftondiocese.com/news/diocesan-new-pastoral-areas/

Synod 2023 thoughts and feedback

Synod 2023 Thoughts and Feedback

3rd discussion afterMass

Love the Stranger
Hello friends of St Nicholas Parish.
This is Peter O’Sullivan. Thanks to you who joined us after Mass yesterday to engage in “Love the Stranger : A Catholic Response to Migrants and Refugees”, co-authored & published in February by our Bishop Declan on behalf of the Bishops’ Conference of England & Wales.
Thanks also for the feedback through the ‘reflection questionnaire’, especially, but not only, from Henry, one of our youngest parishioners.
Thanks also for you who would like time to reflect & to bring your thoughts next week.
For all of you I am attaching the one page summary I presented & handed out yesterday; and below, the reflection questions.
You may find it easier to send your reflection thoughts directly to me by WhatsApp (07710035722) or email ([email protected]) (privacy assured).
In addition to ‘Love The Stranger’ (summary attached) you will be able to reflect on your own experiences & on Fr Joby’s (& Fr Tony’s) experience, shared with us yesterday, of being welcomed in England having left their homeland in Kerala, India.
Your reflections will be combined with those of Henry & other parish friends.
Again, thank you & as the late, great, Dave Allen used to sign off from his chat shows- “May YOUR God be with you”
Peter.
——————-
Thoughts & questions for discussion, reflection & discernment.

NAME (optional)

Do I have a story I would like to share about a personal experience relating to migration and immigration?

The following questions are in response to the Bishops call in Love The Stranger. a “call on Catholics, individually and as parish communities, to take concrete action in support of refugees and migrants, whether through volunteering with local charities, and other organisations, advocating for policy changes, taking parish initiatives, or simply offering prayers and support to those in need”
Do I have thoughts on how I as an individual could respond to the Bishops’ call?
3. Do I have thoughts on how we, as a parish, could respond to the Bishops’ call?
Do I have other related thoughts or questions I would like to discuss or explore?
5. Am I interested in taking part in further discussions on ‘Love The Stranger’
—————-

“Love the Stranger : A Catholic Response to Migrants and Refugees” – summary1
1 The full report of ‘Love The Stranger’ is available at htps://www.cbcew.org.uk/love-the-stranger or via WhatsApp Authors: Bishop Declan Lang (Chair, Department for Interna�onal Affairs) & Bishop Paul McAleenan, Lead Bishop for Migrants and Refugees, Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales
“Love the Stranger” was published in February 2023 in response to the ongoing global refugee crisis, to outline the Catholic church’s posi�on on the issue, as well as encourage Catholics to take ac�on in support of migrants and refugees.
These are the main sec�ons, underpinned by twenty-four principles

Introduc�on
Why caring for people on the move is an integral part of how we live out our faith.
A global perspec�ve
Understanding the universal context of Catholic social teaching on migrants and refugees.
The right to flourish in one’s homeland
Our responsibility to address the factors driving people from their homes.
The right to migrate
Our responsibility to welcome people in our own communi�es.
Equality and human dignity
Recognising all people are made in the image of God, regardless of where they come from or their legal
status.
Human trafficking and slavery
Confron�ng the evils of slavery in today’s world.
The gi� of migra�on
Celebra�ng the way in which migrants and refugees enrich our communi�es.
Concluding reflec�on
“So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the holy ones and
members of the household of God” (Ephesians 2:19).
Love The Stranger seeks to raise awareness of the global refugee crisis and encourage Catholics to take ac�on in support of those in need . It offers a vision of a compassionate and just society, where all people are treated with respect and dignity, regardless of their ethnicity, religion, or background. In a world increasingly marked by division and hatred, this message is more important than ever.
The document begins by highligh�ng the Catholic church’s long history of involvement in suppor�ng refugees and other vulnerable popula�ons, da�ng back to the earliest days of the church. It goes on to argue that the Catholic church has a unique role to play in responding to the current refugee crisis, given its global reach and its commitment to social jus�ce and human dignity.
The document then outlines a number of key principles that should guide Catholic responses to refugees and migrants, including compassion, solidarity, and respect for human dignity. It goes on to provide a detailed analysis of the current refugee crisis, including the root causes of displacement and the challenges faced by refugees and migrants.
One of the key themes of the document is the importance of providing prac�cal support to refugees and migrants, including access to safety, shelter, and basic necessi�es. The Catholic church is urged to provide these services, while also advoca�ng for policies and laws that offer greater protec�ons for refugees and migrants.
The document also emphasises the need for Catholics to build bridges with refugees and migrants, rather than simply accep�ng them as “strangers” or “other”. Catholics are encouraged to engage in dialogue with refugees and to learn about their cultures and tradi�ons, in order to build greater understanding and empathy.
Finally, the document calls on Catholics, individually and as parish communi�es, to take concrete ac�on in support of refugees and migrants, whether through volunteering with local chari�es, and other organisa�ons, advoca�ng for policy changes, taking parish ini�a�ves, or simply offering prayers and support to those in need.
Please see ques�ons for reflec�on opportunity.

Parish Listening Sessions Synod Summary Report
25th February 2022
Parish: St. Nicholas, Winchcombe. Cheltenham Deanery Parish Priest: Fr. Joby Lukose
Parish Delegate: Jonathan Willmer
Contact Details of Parish Delegate
Telephone number: 07788 694214
Email Address: [email protected]
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Introduction
The listening process in St. Nicholas’ parish has been fulfilling, enriching and enjoyable. It has shown that the synodal process works and that it works well. Participants really appreciated the opportunity to speak without fear of interruption or debate, and to know that they were listened to attentively. The result was astonishing. The usual need to defend our point of view, or to jump in before the conversation has moved on, both vanished. The level of trust and ease of sharing for many participants was beyond previous experience of church groups.
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, almost 30 parishioners (aged teens to 90s) have been able to participate in a listening session of some form. This represents around 50% of our typical Sunday Mass attendance during January 2022. There were two groups of three face-to-face meetings, a group of three online sessions, and some individual listening conversations. It was a bonus that the Parish Priest of our partner parish in Sierra Leone was able to join some of the online meetings.
Many valuable insights emerged from the listening sessions, and these are summarised in this report. Even more significant than the insights themselves was the way in which the process unfolded and the experience of many participants during the sessions. The sessions never became simply a question-answering exercise. The questions were used to prompt dialogue, rather than being an end in themselves. The sharing was deep and genuine, and every person entered into the spirit of the sessions. We found that simply sharing around the theme of journeying, for example, caused us to experience a deeper sense of journeying. In one session we found that a problem we had been facing for some time was a really a red herring that was obscuring a more significant issue. After another session a participant felt inspired to start reading the bible and another discovered gifts they didn’t know they had. These experiences are surely the work of the Holy Spirit, and they demonstrate how the synodal process can work. Such experiences would have been missed if we had simply submitted answers the questions without attending a listening session.
The Fundamental Question
A Synodal Church, in announcing the Gospel, “journeys together”. How is this “journeying together” happening today in your parish? How is the Holy Spirit inviting your parish community to grow in “Journeying together”?
We are a strong parish working together as a team. Many parishioners describe it more like family than community, with a genuinely warm, inviting welcome and a real concern for the wellbeing of each other. As a parish we have lived through significant trauma, challenge and change over recent years, even before the COVID-19 pandemic. This has felt like a grieving process. During these difficult times we have felt sustained and stabilised by the excellent pastoral care of our Priest in Residence. Regular communication within the parish is also highlighted by many as having been a lifeline during lockdown. Faith in God makes our journeying easier, especially when we remember that our lives are in the hands of God. In
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fact, it is faith that enables us to see that there is a journey at all. We recognise that for many people it is hard to consider coming to church (local and global) because of harm and damage that has been done over the years. It is felt that working together, listening, and allowing ourselves to be a means of healing to others will all help.
Listening and sharing on the Fundamental Question helped us to see how we journey together in our everyday lives; we evangelise by the way we that we are, and often without realising it. Some parishioners dream dreams and tell stories, some reach out and provide practical help to those in need locally or overseas, some share a warm smile with those they meet, some are strong in prayer, some provide hospitality, some listen and support, some are sensitive to the flow of the liturgy and its connection with our lives, some are good neighbours, some communicate, connect and invite. Together we are companions on the journey as we share the full richness of life in all its joys and sorrows. These insights were felt to be particularly timely given January’s Sunday readings about spiritual gifts and us all being parts of one body. These readings also prompted us to acknowledge that we should try to identify and develop the spiritual gifts which St. Paul say we are each given.
Some participants, however, feel (or have felt) that they are on the margins and long for a greater sense of belonging. This sense of belonging is one of three underlying themes behind almost every response given to the Fundamental Question, and it is felt that the Holy Spirit is prompting us to take steps in these areas:
Belonging: We are happy when we feel as if we belong, and miserable when we don’t. We are concerned for those who feel that they don’t belong.
Connection: Once we feel as if we belong, we don’t just want to belong as individuals. We are all the Church, and we want to have a true sense of connection with each other and with God. The relationship between clergy and laity, meaningful involvement of the young and elderly, and good communication all emerge as essential parts of this.
Depth: We recognise that life is meant to be deep not shallow. Quick fixes and instant gratification are fleeting. We yearn for true fulfilment and meaning – our purpose. Our unique individual purpose and our communal purpose.
These three themes emerged without any mention or conscious thought of the three areas on which the Synodal process is based – Communion, Participation and Mission. It was quite startling to notice after the listening sessions that what had emerged around Belonging and Connection perfectly captures the essence of Communion, and what had emerged around Depth perfectly captures the essence of Participation and Mission. So, without prompting or pre-empting, our responses to the Fundamental Question have reinforced the foundation on which the entire synodal process is built.
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Core Questions
Listening – Speaking Out – Common Mission/Shared Responsibility/Shared Authority – Discernment and Decision Making – Celebration
During our consideration of the Core Questions, two recurring themes emerged.
The first is around the importance of meeting people where they are and listening deeply. This cannot be over-emphasised as it is lies the heart of our responses to all these questions. The secret of speaking out well is to be a good listener. To fully grasp our common mission we have to be a good listeners. Effective sharing of responsibility and authority, and to discern and make the best decisions, all require true listening. Opening ourselves to the transforming power of the liturgy requires listening in its deepest sense.
When we do not meet people where they are they are not able to listen to us. Our message goes over their head, is misunderstood or thought to be irrelevant. This is true within the Church and beyond. It is by listening that we come to know where people are, and then we are able to meet them there.
The second recurring theme is that the biggest common barrier in all the areas covered by the Core Questions is generally a lack of a sense of empowerment or confidence in our understanding of what it is to be Church. Whilst this by no means applies to everyone, we feel that it is often the case in the Church globally. The core message of our faith is often missed. There is a sense that spiritual matters are for the clergy. The laity just need to go to Mass and try to keep out of trouble.
The Church is often seen as an organisation that has power over us rather than empowering us. We sometimes act out of a sense of fear or obligation, at times subconsciously. Nearly 60 years after the Second Vatican Council, its transforming message has not been received by many people. The Mass being in English with the priest facing the people is the change that is generally recalled. The radical change of the laity being the People of God and the clergy and hierarchy existing to serve the laity does not often get through, and if it does it is a bit of an abstract concept. The fact that lay people are not only invited to participate but have a responsibility to participate is not widely recognised. “Participate in what?”, is often the question, and the experience of Church is sometimes reduced to a “do good” organisation with a bit of spirituality on the side (or the other way around).
Why is this? From our sharing, the reason appears to go back a long time. Previous ways of teaching the faith were sometimes so traumatic that it became embedded in us at a deeper level than anything that has come since. For example, rote learning of the catechism under threat of physical punishment, promise of hell if Mass was missed, a general picture of a distant, judgemental God who is highly displeased with us, etc etc……. Images and memories like these have been engraved in the core of many Catholics at the deepest level and seems to have been passed on to some degree through the generations. “Nobody has told us what has changed”, was one response. Although we have become accustomed in recent decades to homilies about mercy, compassion and a loving God, this sometimes just sits awkwardly
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within us at a shallower level than the previous memories and can seem largely incompatible. It is a bit like trying to reconcile the way God is revealed in the Old Testament with how God is revealed in the New Testament. In fact, the journey from Old to New Testament, with all its tensions and apparent contradictions, is felt to be – literally and metaphorically – the story of our lives.
Core Question 1 – Listening
Participants shared on how we can hear God in many ways: in scripture, nature, conscience, silence, the liturgy, the words or actions of others, dreams, memories, through the homeless, through angels……much more than just listening with our ears, but ‘listening’ beyond the words with all our physical senses and with our intuition as well. Often we hear but do not recognise the voice of God. Sometimes we listen with no particular question in mind. Other times we are listening with a question in mind. When there is a question it is important what that question is. What we hear can depend on what we ask. Everyday life can be a barrier to listening, bringing many distractions and pressures competing for our attention.
Core Question 2 – Speaking Out
It is easy to speak out when we are with like-minded people. When there are differences in perspective, culture, belief or social norms it can be very hard to speak out without others taking offence. For this reason we often stay silent. Respect is needed on both sides. When a person knows that we speak out of love and with respect it is easier. Sometimes we don’t speak out because we lack confidence in our faith or how to express it. Hierarchical structures like the church can make it difficult to speak out because our message does not easily reach the upper levels.
The Church can be an example to other organisations and leaders in the way we adopt the synodal way of operating. In many parts of the world the Catholic Church is more closely woven into the fabric of civic organisations and everyday life than we are typically accustomed to in the UK, opening up more opportunities for influence in such places.
It is recognised that we speak out in actions as much as in words, and when we do use words we often need to simplify the conversation so that the message does not get lost.
Core Question 3 – Common Mission, Shared Responsibility, Shared Authority
This question prompted some reflection on what our understanding of our mission is. For some it is “tell people about God” which is so difficult (unless someone specifically asks us) that we often just don’t bother, particularly in the British culture. As noted in the Fundamental Question section, we evangelise by the way we are, often without knowing it.
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By being open to opportunities, and when people sense that we are really listening to them, the door to meaningful conversation is gradually opened.
Shared responsibility and shared authority are felt to be developing in a healthy way in our parish. The Parish Pastoral Council is a good example of shared responsibility and shared authority. Small group meetings (like these listening groups) are very helpful. It is in these kinds of settings that we are able to deepen our understanding of Common mission, and to feel empowered and compelled to act.
In general, we get the sense that shared responsibility and shared authority in the church are not widely recognised. The majority look to the clergy to “tell us what to do”, and if the laity do recognise a shared responsibility, it is often to implement decisions, not make them.
Core Question 4 – Discernment and Decision Making
The sharing around listening showed us that we can encounter God in many different ways. The difficulty is knowing what is the voice of God and what is not. We recognise that true discernment takes time. When the voice is of God, it is “proposing” not “imposing” (Pope Francis). We also see patterns emerging where we experience the same message in different ways. True discernment should ultimately lead to the same decision as all involved would eventually be hearing the same message. As Pope Francis points out, it is often part of an essential learning process that we must live with seemingly unreconcilable positions for a while, and this can delay a decision. The success of the process also depends on the extent to which we can step back from our own self-interest and ego.
As a Church we should be less prescriptive about what is right and wrong. Listen more and act according to the circumstances, always with love. Be open to and promote listening, discernment and consensus as decision-making tools in wider society.
Lay people need to know they are empowered to take decisions, not just implement them.
In one of our listening groups, we read the Gospel story of the Road to Emmaus. This parable came across as a reading for the discernment process; Jesus walks with us unnoticed, we talk to him without knowing and listen without knowing. Then we invite him in and we hear him, then when that moment has passed, we can talk to others who also hear him. Is this a blueprint for discernment?
Core Question 5 – Celebration
Our sharing suggested that every religion has two purposes – to show the truth and to celebrate it.
Different people responded that they find inspiration in different aspects of the liturgy: the homily, singing, readings, atmosphere, communal gathering, or a sense of unity with the whole church in heaven and on earth. The homily has more impact when it unpacks the readings in the context of the present day. Sometimes it is easy to drift into automatic pilot because the steps of the Mass can be so familiar. We shared how the depth of the liturgy can easily be missed because, like all things that are deep and not shallow, it takes some effort on
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our part to get there. Our own disposition can sometimes be a barrier to full participation, depending on what has happened for us during the hour before Mass, for example.
The parable of the Road to Emmaus came up again. God is all around us, communicating with us, but we often don’t recognise this. Then we recognise him in the breaking of bread – in the Mass – and then those other experiences where we didn’t recognise him begin to make sense.
Sometimes the way the liturgical rules are interpreted or implemented is seen as a barrier to an atmosphere of true celebration. The availability of Mass is also a significant barrier to participation for some. Use of incense in smaller, poorly ventilated churches has caused problems for some people with asthma.
We remarked on how liturgy marks the key milestones of life (Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, Marriage, Funerals), and how these are often the occasions when there will be friends or family members present who would not normally go to church. We reflected on how the Mass is experienced by people who have never attended Mass before. Some participants recalled their first experiences of Mass and how they were lost or confused with the rituals compared to other Christian denominations where they were accustomed to simpler worship. One person likened it to the first time they attended an American football game – the crowd acted in unison, all rising together to their feet, singing, cheering or groaning as one, without any prompting. Meanwhile our first-timer couldn’t even see where the ball was! Is this how liturgy feels from the outside?
These reflections all highlighted the need to build on our parish’s reputation for welcoming and to try to find ways of better guiding strangers through the liturgy, especially at baptisms, weddings and funerals.
The subject of participation also came up. We are taught the importance of participation in the liturgy, but it is felt that the true meaning of this is often missed. Our reflections uncovered two levels of participation; the first one we are all familiar with (joining in with responses, prayers etc, singing, perhaps even being a Reader, a musician or an Altar Server). However, it is possible to do all these things without ever participating at the second, more significant level. This second level is deeper, and the key lies in recognising that liturgy is a two-way process not one-way. Before the Second Vatican Council we used to “hear” Mass; lay people were more like passive spectators. Now we are called to open our hearts, to notice the response within us, to encounter God not just to hear God. The clue is in the word itself….the origin of liturgy means “work done by and for The People“– the laity, so we concluded that going to Mass is literally going to work!
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The Greatest Dream
We ended by sharing the immediate words or images that came to mind in response to the following question:
If our parish could fulfil the greatest dreams you have for your life, how would it look?
A rainbow
A full church – overflowing
An expression that love is eternal – present in all times and all places
For lapsed family members to return
Welcome and get to know every catholic moving to the area
People being met where they are.
Diversity
Everyone thriving and caring for each other – young and old alike
Clergy and laity working together
Togetherness
All people in a circle (metaphorically and literally)
Care, love and companionship for the elderly
Visiting parishes in developing countries to work with the local community on some projects
Attracting more people from diverse cultural backgrounds
Helping all people become who the person they are called to be
A place where everyone comes to know more about who they are, who God is, and the relationship between us
A place where we do not just share the crumbs from our table with others, but we make space at the table for them
A place of healing A place of hope
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20^th January 2022

Thoughts after listening to the synod question for this session WK1