​Sunday, August 7th, 2022 – Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Cycle C Readings: Wisdom 18:6-9, Psalm 33 “Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own”, Hebrews 11:1-2, 8- 19, Luke 12:32-48

     My dear brothers and sisters, The Synod on Synodality is a two-year process of listening and dialogue which began with a solemn opening in Rome on October 9 and 10, 2021 with each individual diocese and church celebrating the following week on October 17. The synodal process will conclude in 2023. Pope Francis invites the entire Church to reflect on a theme that is decisive for its life and mission: “It is precisely this path of synodality which God expects of the Church of the third millennium.” This journey, which follows in the wake of the Church’s “renewal” proposed by the Second Vatican Council, is both a gift and a task: by journeying together and reflecting together on the journey that has been made, the Church will be able to learn through Her experience which processes can help Her to live communion, to achieve participation, to open Herself to mission. (From USCCB website)
    The theme of the Synod: “For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, and Mission”. It invites the whole church to question itself on synodality. Even though it's not a new concept in church history, synodality is a new term for most Catholics. Synodality denotes the particular style that qualifies the life and mission of the Church, expressing her nature as the People of God are journeying together and gathering in the assembly, summoned by the Lord Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit to proclaim the Gospel.
    This Synod is intended as a Synodal Process to provide an opportunity for the entire People of God to discern together, how to move forward on the path towards being a more Synodal Church in the long-term. A basic question prompts and guides us: How does this journey together, allow the Church to proclaim the Gospel in accordance with the mission entrusted to Her; and what steps does the Spirit invite us to take in order to grow as a Synodal Church? The Theme: Communion, Participation and Mission. Communion:
    The communion we share finds its deepest roots in the love and unity of the Trinity. Together, we are inspired by listening to the Word of God, through the living Tradition of the Church, and grounded in the sensus fidei that we share. We all have a role to play in discerning and living out God’s call for his people. Participation:
    Participation is based on the fact that all the faithful are qualified and are called to serve one another through the gifts they have each received from the Holy Spirit in baptism. In a Synodal Church the whole community is called together to pray, listen, analyze, dialogue, discern and offer advice on making pastoral decisions which correspond as closely as possible to God’s will.
Mission:
    Our mission is to witness to the love of God in the midst of the whole human family. This Synodal Process has a deeply missionary dimension to it. It is intended to enable the Church to better witness to the Gospel, especially with those who live on the spiritual, social, economic, political, geographical, and existential peripheries of our world.
    Bishop Wack invites each of our parishioners to prayerfully consider sharing your feedback in a six-question Synod Survey. Visit to participate. (https://ptdiocese.org/synod) to participate. The link can be found in the bulletin, on the parish Facebook page, and the parish WhatsApp group.
God bless you.
​Fr. Paschal Chester, SVD