Issues closest to my heart, and featured in our parish and diocesan contributions, were mentioned two times. ... Two ... times ... in a 10 page document. I question whether our parish document or our diocesan document was even considered. We're they thrown out when the Vatican published the stories and caused a stir? I will never know.
But GOD knows.
It struck me at the meeting in Charlotte that, considering a couple of other parishes mentioned the same things, that my contribution doesn't seem to have made some difference at all. Was it even included? I believe the final report would have been the same even if I had done absolutely nothing, and our parish hadn't even participated. Disheartening, but I won't lose hope.
It also struck me at the meeting that my "table" with 7 parishes in all, contained all of the parishes where an order was removed! Immaculate Conception: Franciscan, Immaculate Heart of Mary: Dominican, St. Therese: Jesuit. There was one parish that lives in fear their order would be taken away, too. (My guess is they are next.) And our moderator was strategically chosen not to include any of the more progressive viewpoints in his summary.
In my opinion, the diocesan questions were DESIGNED to quench the progressive and deny any conflict due to wording. Corruption, then, has filtered into every element from the top down. In regards to progressive issues, and the two times they are mentioned, here they are:
"Third, there are profound divisions caused by the polarization and disunity within the Church over some of its teachings and how to embody them in society. In particular, the disagreements that appear to cause the most significant strife in our communities are the ones surrounding the Church's public witness on abortion, homosexuality and gender issues, the role of women in the Church,
and the legacy of Vatican II in matters of liturgy and in the Church's life and spirituality more broadly. The faithful are profoundly split about such matters."
And
"Everyone is called to participate fully in the life of the Church, each according to his or her role and charism. Yet, we might want to reflect on whether, in practice, we are still tempted to divide the Church neatly into leaders and followers or to let it function more as a bureaucracy than as a people who lives in communion. Similarly, the Catechism explicitly says that people with homosexual tendencies “must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity” and that “every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided.” Yet, are we truly
embodying such stances? Is it possible that we need to grow in our ability to follow what the Lord wants of us in this and other matters? The internal disagreements about what the Church teaches are an invitation to examine our conscience, grow in our understanding of what the Lord
calls us to, and more fully embody Christ's commandments."
What follows is the full text of Rovarti's Report:
Synodal Path 2021-2023
For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, and Mission
Diocesan Phase in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte
October 17, 2021 - June 30, 2022
Diocesan Synthesis
Dr. Alessandro Rovati
Introduction
While with the publication of the Diocesan Synthesis the diocesan phase of the synod comes to a
close, the process does not end in our local Church. Quite the opposite, the final report’s
publication marks a beginning. Pope Francis explained at the synod’s opening that “encounter
and listening are not ends in themselves, leaving everything just as it was before. On the
contrary, whenever we enter into dialogue, we allow ourselves to be challenged, to advance on a
journey. And in the end, we are no longer the same; we are changed.”1 What now begins is the
moment of apostolic discernment in which our local ordinary, the Most Reverend Peter J. Jugis,
will take the time to study, digest, and meditate on everything that emerged from the synodal
journey in the diocese. Not only will he be able to look at the testimonies and needs that arose in
the diocese as a whole, but he will also have a chance to learn about the many situations and
needs that individuals, parishes, and various groups described in their synod contributions. They
were so diverse and rich that this report could not reflect on all of them. Sometimes, there was a
very important and pressing need that was mentioned only by an individual group or parish.
Having to choose what to include in this short report, though, the diocesan synthesis identifies
and focuses on the most frequent answers that emerged in the process. It gives a sense of the
most salient experiences and needs that characterize the Diocese of Charlotte and aids the
USCCB in the work of synthesis that the Vatican asked for at this stage of the synod journey.
Nothing of what emerged from the synodal conversations will be lost, though. In fact, Bishop
Jugis has already asked to be briefed in greater detail on all the synod contributions to “add
1 Pope Francis, “Homily at the Holy Mass for the Opening of the Synodal Path.” (October 10, 2021)
1
another dimension of [his] awareness of the diocese’s needs” and provide “good input for [his]
ministry.”2
The synodal journey in the diocese also continues in the parishes, groups, and associations that
participated in it. The people who facilitated the synod and the leadership of the communities in
which it happened now have the responsibility to pray about, understand, and respond to what
they learned. There are already many initiatives starting around the diocese to respond to some of
the needs that emerged in the synodal conversations. And there will likely be many other fruits
that what began with the synod will bring to our communities. The coming months will be an
exciting moment of ecclesial deliberation in which, by paying attention to the reality of our
current situation, by having listened to all the members of the diocesan family, and by being
docile to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, our local Church and all its communities will try to
respond to what the Lord calls us toward to continue our journey of faith and missionary work.
While the synod has national, continental, and global relevance, it was designed to work and be
impactful at multiple levels, with the local level, ultimately, being the most important one. No
matter what the Holy Spirit wants to do with our diocesan contribution to the global synod as the
process continues, what remains for the Diocese of Charlotte is the journey we have made as
individuals, communities, and diocesan family.
Participation in the Synod
In the Diocese of Charlotte, 76 of the 92 parishes and missions organized synod sessions, and
almost all the diocesan offices and ministries did as well. The diocese received synod reports
from Catholic Charities, the Family Life Office, the Office for Youth Ministry, the Faith
Formation Office, the Hispanic Ministry, the Vietnamese Ministry, and the Korean Ministry.
Synod sessions were organized by the Campus Ministry Office in many of the college
communities they serve and by the Catholic Schools Office in all the diocesan schools. The
Permanent Deacons, the Saint Joseph College Seminary, and the priests in at least five vicariates
organized synod sessions as well. Furthermore, 16 different lay associations, apostolates, and
groups held synod sessions with a few more whose members participated in the synod process
through their parishes. There were also two religious orders that organized synod sessions in
their communities: the Benedictine Monks of Belmont Abbey and the Sisters of Mercy of the
Americas. Finally, the Eritrean Catholics of Charlotte, an Oriental Rite Catholic community,
participated in the process as well.
Between January and early June, there were more than 400 synod sessions in the diocese. The
vast majority (about 350) met in person, while the rest met online. Approximately 6000 people
participated in the synod by attending a listening session. Many different language communities
participated in these gatherings, and sessions were held in English, Spanish, Tigrinya,
Vietnamese, and Korean. Furthermore, both the diocese and more than 30 parishes and groups
2 Bishop J. Peter Jugis, “Address at the Diocesan Gathering for the Synod.” (June 11, 2022)
2created and distributed online surveys to allow people who could not participate in one of the
listening sessions to contribute to the synod. More than 1000 people participated in the synod
this way, which means that more than 7000 individuals were part of the synod process in our
diocese.
The diocese has never conceived of the process as a matter of numbers. At the end of the day,
nothing is more important in our life together than the individual person with her story, faith, and
needs. Still, it is remarkable that so many people engaged in the process. What is touching is not
the mere number of people but the fact that the participation is a sign that there are so many who
have a desire to grow in their faith, to participate more fully in the life of the Church, and to
entrust to their community and the broader Church their joys and concerns.
The Experience of Faith in the People of God
The synodal journey was an occasion to see with clarity the many ways the Lord remains present
and faithful to His people. So many stories of conversion, extraordinary testimonies of charity,
and heartfelt descriptions of how Christ touched people's hearts emerged during the synodal
conversations.
“Me encanta,” a person said at one of the synod sessions in Spanish, “it fills me with delight,
with joy, to live the relationship with Christ in the life of the Church.” “I was a soldier in
Mexico,” another said, “and I did many things that I am not proud of. But the Lord’s mercy
touched my life and transformed it completely. I thought I was lost, and yet here I am.” Here is
another moving testimony: “When my wife died, I thought it would be the end. Instead, a new
life of service and devotion to the Church opened up to me.” “To participate in the liturgy is like
being in heaven,” a person reflected; “it is a moment in which we are in communion with God.”
Another synod participant reflected: “Faith is not just the rules; it is a relationship with God. The
Holy Spirit called me to be devoted to daily prayer, the examen, and journaling. I turn to Christ
more often now for guidance and comforting.” Another individual said, “The Gospel touches me
and transforms me through the friends in my community and the love they have for me.” “The
friendships I have in the parish enrich me. There is a sharing of selves that happens by
conversing about lives in light of our faith. It is deeply beautiful,” said a person capturing
something that many pondered about. Here is one last testimony: “There have been so many
instances where one of us has been put into a place because someone is searching for a Church to
call home. Or have been in a place where an individual is seeking someone who is willing to
listen and pay attention to what they’re saying. When we are in those moments, reaching out to
others who are searching or in need, is when we know God is with us. When you’re truly
‘present’ with someone who is in need of help you feel that God is speaking to you and standing
right by your side.”
3The testimonies abound. It is impossible not to be filled with awe and gratitude for God’s
creativity in reaching out to His people. In fact, while the synod also uncovered a lot of
challenges and difficulties that people face, thinking back on it, the dominant note is the
realization of Christ’s faithfulness. If anything, the fact that there are so many challenges and
difficulties makes it even more evident that the Lord has not abandoned us. Because one would
think that in a world so filled with contradictions, the faith would simply cease to exist. And yet
it does not, for, again and again, God takes a new initiative to conquer our hearts.
When asked about the most significant signs of the Lord’s presence in their lives and about
things that nourish their faith the most, people most frequently identified the following: prayer
(both individual and communal); life in the family and the testimonies of faith of spouses,
children, parents, and extended family; participation in the liturgy, the Holy Mass in particular;
the sacraments in general, with a special emphasis on the Eucharist and on Confession; being
involved in works of mercy, acts of kindness and charity, opportunities for service, and occasions
to minister to and be with those in need; the friendship and unity with other members of one’s
parish or faith community; the testimony, example, and accompaniment of priests and deacons;
the meditation on and study of Scripture both personally and in small groups; and, finally,
Eucharistic adoration. Different language groups generally agreed on how the Lord is present in
their midst. However, non-English speakers added a particular emphasis on the possibility of
experiencing God’s presence and closeness in suffering while facing life’s struggles and trials
and in the practice of Marian devotions.
Challenges to Communion, Participation, and Mission
By focusing on the signs of the Lord's presence in their lives, people also realized the many ways
in which following and giving space to such a presence is hindered by difficulties and
challenges. In studying carefully all the synod contributions, it is possible to identify at least 123
different challenges and questions that people named in the conversations. It is impossible to
give a complete account of all of them here. The focus will remain, instead, on the ones that
emerged more often.
First, people realized that they are often distracted and do not let the awareness of Christ's
presence be the leading force in their lives. In some cases, such distraction is caused by the
difficulty of giving space to personal prayer amidst the busyness of life. Other times, the struggle
is caused by one's work commitments, especially in minority and migrant communities whose
jobs often keep them occupied for very long hours and even during the weekends. Smartphones,
the internet, and social media also came up a lot. Synod participants said that they create noise in
one's mind, represent a constant temptation to shy away from the tasks or the relationships at
hand, and often cause loneliness and addiction. Finally, people recognized that they often fail to
give the life of faith priority over other interests and activities. The result is a lack of
participation in faith activities and parish or community life.
4A second preeminent challenge that people identified is the culture and environment we live in.
While different people highlighted different elements of contemporary society that are especially
challenging to them, there was a widely shared sense of a profound tension between the faith and
the world today. Many Christian commitments about the world, who we are, and what we owe to
each other, commitments that could have been taken for granted until relatively recently, are now
questioned and actively opposed. We live in a secular environment whose individualism,
relativism, polarization, and consumerism challenge us deeply. Our common life and people’s
imaginations are shaped by a throwaway culture that constantly damages human dignity and
hurts the vulnerable and creation, and we are not immune from absorbing the same cultural
forces that are at play in today's society. The result is that people find it hard to understand the
faith and pursue what is right in a cultural context that often directs us in the exact opposite
direction. Many recognized that the culture frequently shapes us more than the Church, so we
become confused about the truth. Furthermore, it is extremely difficult to live our call to be
missionary disciples in such a context. On the one hand, people feel inadequately prepared for
such a call. On the other, many experience a fear of being judged, excluded, or rejected because
of their faith and thus feel blocked.
The third preeminent challenge people described is the internal divisions the Church at large and
our individual communities experience. These profound divisions come in three primary forms.
First, our communities struggle to make an authentic experience of communion due to barriers
created by language, race, and culture. These barriers manifest themselves especially in the
interactions in parishes with both an anglo community and one or more minority communities.
Because of such divisions, minority and migrant communities often feel forgotten and treated as
an afterthought. There is a widespread perception that ethnic minorities lack support from and
recognition by clergy and the diocese and that minority and migrant cultures and sensibilities are
looked at with suspicion and, sometimes, outright hostility. Furthermore, language barriers and
the diocesan priests’ lack of foreign-language training make it difficult for non-English speakers
to fully engage in worship and the faith community and receive the necessary pastoral care.
Second, even within minority and migrant communities there are divisions caused by the
different countries of origin, the internal cultural divisions among people who come from the
same country, and whether people are historic or brand-new members of a community. Third,
there are profound divisions caused by the polarization and disunity within the Church over some
of its teachings and how to embody them in society. In particular, the disagreements that appear
to cause the most significant strife in our communities are the ones surrounding the Church's
public witness on abortion, homosexuality and gender issues, the role of women in the Church,
and the legacy of Vatican II in matters of liturgy and in the Church's life and spirituality more
broadly. The faithful are profoundly split about such matters. People also wondered whether
secular and political commitments, a worldly mentality, and the internalization of our age’s
polarization rather than authentic theological commitments are the source of many of the internal
5disagreements that ail the Church. While contestation has always been part of the Catholic
tradition, it might appear as though we have reached a stage in which disagreements are
intractable and the very premises upon which they are based incommensurable. For example,
some want to focus exclusively on pastoral experience and seem to be forgetful of the
importance of Scripture, the Catholic tradition, and the Magisterium. Others, instead, have a
mistaken idea of the immutability of the Church’s teachings and think that any attempt to reflect
upon the signs of the times and discern whether the Holy Spirit is calling us to a deeper
understanding of the truth of Divine Revelation is in and of itself a betrayal of the faith.
The synod showed that we frequently let internal divisions and disagreements completely take
over our imagination and way of being together. Too often, the bonds of charity that should exist
in our Christian community are broken because we reduce the other to the sum total of the things
we disagree about. Rather than starting from our unity in Christ, we let the polarization and
enmity that characterizes the broader culture poison our hearts and communities. Furthermore,
the temptation of "othering" people who have a different sensibility or experience from ours, as
the dominant culture does, is very present in our midst. It is a risk that cuts across the whole
ecclesial spectrum, and we should all, no one excluded, pray for the grace to resist it. Scripture is
clear that God will always elicit a multiplicity of charisms and gifts in the Church so that, all
together and in their distinctiveness, they might contribute to the building of the kingdom.
Accordingly, it is to our grave detriment and the detriment of the Church when we weaponize the
theological, spiritual, or cultural sensibility or tradition with which the Lord touched our lives.
The different gifts the Holy Spirit gives the Church are for building the one Body of Christ. It is
truly a sin when we use them to fight with one another.
Pope Francis warned us against the temptation to turn the synod into a parliamentary battle in
which one side defeats the other to affirm its positions. The Holy Father has been very clear
about this. We must resist the temptation to reduce the synod to "the communication and
comparison of our own opinions on this or that issue, or a single aspect of the Church’s teaching
or discipline... The idea of distinguishing between majorities and minorities must not prevail."3
The Pope expanded on this vision in his book Let Us Dream to explain that synodality does not
involve changing “traditional truths of Christian doctrine;” instead, it is concerned with “how
teaching can be lived and applied in the changing contexts of our times.”4 The synod is about
reflecting together on how to embody more fully our Christian commitments so that the Church
may face today's challenges. Accordingly, rather than getting angry or frustrated with those who
have difficulties or questions about this or that teaching of the Church, we should examine
ourselves and the life of our communities to see whether we actually embody them fully. For
example, the Church is clear that its theology of the priesthood does not in any way imply a
decrease in worth or dignity for the laity, in general, and women, in particular. And it also affirms
4 Pope Francis, Let Us Dream (New York: Simon and Shuster, 2022), 84-5.
3 Pope Francis, “Address to the Faithful of the Diocese of Rome,” September 18, 2021.
6that everyone is called to participate fully in the life of the Church, each according to his or her
role and charism. Yet, we might want to reflect on whether, in practice, we are still tempted to
divide the Church neatly into leaders and followers or to let it function more as a bureaucracy
than as a people who lives in communion.5 Similarly, the Catechism explicitly says that people
with homosexual tendencies “must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity” and
that “every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided.”6 Yet, are we truly
embodying such stances? Is it possible that we need to grow in our ability to follow what the
Lord wants of us in this and other matters? The internal disagreements about what the Church
teaches are an invitation to examine our conscience, grow in our understanding of what the Lord
calls us to, and more fully embody Christ's commandments.
There was also significant consensus among synod participants that reaching out and involving
the youth in the Church’s life and providing them with adequate role models is a very pressing
challenge. Many lamented the lack of ongoing formation and accompaniment of young people
beyond sacramental education and noticed how often adolescents and teenagers leave the Church
after Confirmation. Furthermore, people identified the Church’s history of clergy abuse, its
lingering effects, and its negative impact on the Church’s public witness, ability to retain its
faithful, and moral authority in encouraging participation and giving as fundamental hindrances
to the life of faith today. People also mentioned the disagreements among priests, pastors, and
bishops in the Church, the scandals and lack of transparency caused by some of them, and the
perceived emphasis on the importance of the clergy and the hierarchy over and above the laity as
elements that create difficulties in the life of the faithful. Finally, the pandemic and its aftermath
emerged as significant challenges as well. People felt isolated as many of the ministries that
provided support and nourishment stopped and failed to restart in a timely fashion as
pandemic-related restrictions eased.
The Synod Process: Fruits and Obstacles
Overall, the diocesan synodal journey was profoundly moving and beautiful. It has already
enriched the life of our diocese by planting so many unexpected seeds of friendship and
communion within our communities and among them. Here is a sample of people’s reflections
on the process and its fruits in their communities.
“The students who participated in our conversation agreed that these questions were worthwhile
to consider and to discuss even apart from whatever impact our discussion may have on the
synodal process. It was instructive for me, as the campus minister, to have this platform to listen
to my students’ responses.” “The process of the listening sessions, although initially met with
much skepticism, seemed to be a positive experience for all who participated. It helped to
increase the understanding of each other within our community and was a good way to identify
6 CCC 2348.
5 Pope Francis, “Address to the Faithful of the Diocese of Rome,” September 18, 2021.
7its needs.” “The Synodal process was at first a bit daunting. Would this be truly fruitful? What
would we learn that others needed to hear? Will our responses have a real effect? I can say that
the discussion with my brother priests was fraternally rewarding... I was moved by their
responses; their candor, their humility, and genuine desire to share their truth, much of which was
very personal.” “Participants appreciated the synod process. Continuing the conversation would
be beneficial on many levels, especially in increasing community spirit, nourishing each other in
our faith, and sharing our struggles.” One more: “We gathered people of very different ages and
backgrounds to sit down and discuss, something none of them had ever done in a setting like
this. To hear the personal concerns and ideas of male and female, old and young, married and
single, priest and deacons was a great opportunity. The fellowship was fantastic; it has opened
doors to new members and participants in various Church organizations and groups, and now at
Mass many of us who did not know each other reach out to greet and share. Without this event,
this would not have happened.”
What a beautiful testament to the gift the Holy Father has given us by summoning us to
participate in the synod. Yet, we should not give the impression that everything was perfect. The
difficulties and struggles abounded, and the road to embodying the vision the synod aspired to is
still very long. First, while participation in the synod far exceeded all expectations, we must
recognize that there were a considerable number of parishes and groups that, for various reasons,
decided not to participate in it. Second, even some of the parishes and groups that were part of
the process seemed to be more concerned about "checking the box," so to speak, rather than
investing the time and energy needed to participate fully in it. Third, there was considerable
skepticism and, at times, outright opposition to the synod around the diocese. Fourth, and this
was even more prevalent, despite all the best efforts of the various synod facilitators around the
diocese, several months into the process, the majority of people still did not know about it. There
are parishes and groups that genuinely tried to offer their members an opportunity to engage with
the synod but whose people did not end up showing up at scheduled sessions or responding to
the online surveys. And even in many parishes and groups where the synod was well attended, it
still involved a minute fraction of the overall membership. In fact, the synod revealed a profound
disconnect and breakdown in communication that characterizes many of our communities. A
driven, small group of people carry the bulk of our parishes and communities' activities, while
others seem to passively go through the motions. As some of the testimonies suggest, the synod
certainly helped to enlarge such a circle of conversation and care. There are also moving
examples of people who are usually marginalized and on the outside for whom this process
opened a way to participate more fully in the life of their communities and to have their voices
heard. Still, we must recognize that it did not happen on a very large scale and that steps must be
taken to increase people’s active involvement in the life of the Church. Finally, one last difficulty
that we encountered along the way is that organizing, leading, and capturing the fruits of synod
sessions is not easy. The art of encountering and listening to people is a skill that needs to be
cultivated rather than something that can be improvised. Accordingly, some of the richness that
8emerged from the synod was lost, as the descriptions of the synodal conversations the diocese
received did not always do justice to what people actually expressed during the listening
sessions. Such observations are not meant as a critique against the people that with incredible
generosity helped steward the process in their communities. Instead, they are mentioned to
recognize that if we want to become a synodal Church in which communal conversation is a
habit, we will need to invest the resources necessary to form a synodal leadership as well.
The difficulties we encountered should not surprise us. On the one hand, engaging in the synod
in this way is a brand new endeavor, and it will take time and practice to become a Church that is
truly capable of it. The process definitely felt like learning how to walk. We stumbled along the
way, and our steps were a bit shaky at times, but we now know how to move more confidently
and are eager to get better at it so that we may one day run. On the other hand, no “silver bullets”
can take away the struggle in our journey of faith individually and as a Church. Not even the
synod can bring people back in flocks into the pews, stop the youth from struggling with and
often abandoning the faith, or make society recognize the truth of Christianity. As always in the
Christian life, there is something that comes before. It is not simply a new way of having
conversations among us that is the solution. Something must capture the hearts and minds of
each one of us, of our contemporaries, and our fellow Catholics for everyone to feel the desire to
participate more fully in the life of the Church. And what is true for the synod is true for a host of
other ideas that we debate in the Church. It is not adding this or that catechetical course that will
resolve our problems, nor will the solution be celebrating the liturgy one way or another,
reforming this or that teaching, or changing this or that leader. Pope Francis has always been
captivated by what Benedict XVI writes in the first page of his encyclical Deus Caritas Est:
“Being Christian is not the result of an ethical choice or a lofty idea [and it is not the result of
new programs or projects, we could add], but the encounter with an event, a person, which gives
life a new horizon and a decisive direction.”7 One thing that we learned from the synod is
precisely the need to give greater space to the encounter with the Lord in our lives and to take
steps to make the lives of our communities more open and attuned to such an encounter.
When asked to reflect on the steps that the Holy Spirit is suggesting to embody more fully our
Christian vocation today, people focused on the following: the need to increase the silence and
prayerfulness in our lives, especially by giving space to moments of Eucharistic adoration and of
quiet listening to God; to organize the life of our parishes and communities so that there might be
more and more easily accessible opportunities to pray and to grow in one’s Christian life through
ongoing faith formation, Bible studies, small faith groups, and retreats; to be more bold and
generous in our witness to the Gospel by sharing our faith with others and reaching out beyond
the comfort of the parish or one’s faith community; to be better examples of Christ and models of
faith for our families and for our broader community, especially in settings that are not explicitly
Christian; to embrace the diversity of languages and cultures that make up our Catholic
7 Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium, no. 7.
9community and offer more frequent access to the Holy Mass, the sacraments, and faith formation
in the native language of non-English speakers; to put greater emphasis on the formation and
inclusion of youth in our parishes and communities by investing time and resources in
encouraging faith in young people and reassuring them of their place in the Church; to provide
greater support for families by nurturing them and by promoting activities that involve all their
members; to take greater care of relationships within our parishes and communities by being
more attentive to, honest, forgiving, patient, and humble with one another since too often we live
as strangers when, instead, we are called to be brothers and sisters; to recognize and address the
suffering that exists in our parishes, faith communities, and places where we live by reaching out
and more intentionally ministering to the marginalized and the poor on an individual basis
without simply delegating such a fundamental Christian calling to activities organized by the
diocese; and, finally, to work for unity in our parishes and communities so that our public
witness may be strengthened and we might grow in communion with one another and with the
Lord.
Amidst the many challenges of today’s world, we must become a synodal Church, that is, a
Church that is aware that the Lord is present in our midst and longs for unity with us and thus
wants to follow in His footsteps. That is why we need to listen to the testimonies of the ways the
Lord is at work in our lives and the lives of our communities and to the questions and challenges
that people face. The Lord is calling us through all these things, asking us to take a step in our
Christian vocation. Participating in the synod gave people a concrete sign that the Church cares
for them, that their testimonies have value, and that their needs are heard and embraced. It is one
thing to say that Christ reaches and takes care of us through the Church. It is entirely different to
see that reality embodied in someone who prays with you, looks at you, listens to you, and
desires to journey with you. In this time of confusion, difficulties, and divisions, we need to
experience again the hand of Christ reaching out to us, the caress of the Nazarene touching our
wounds and embracing our needs through the concrete presence of people who love us. May the
Holy Spirit accompany us as we continue our journey together to become such a community.
10
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