Australians at the Synod on Synodality

Australia had the highest representation per Catholic population of any country at the Synod, perhaps for two reasons.  The first is that the the Australian Plenary Council was seen as a model for the later Synod on Synodality.  The second is that we have far more lay leaders of significant Catholic Ministries than any other country in the world.

The video above is a very personal sharing by most of our Synod participants. It is well worth a look!

Outcomes from the Synod

One of the key outcomes was that in dealing with issues, bishops and priests should rely on their advisory bodies, like Pastoral Councils, to “make the decision”.  The priest or bishop then uses their formal authority to “take the decision”.  Only in rare cases should the decision of the advisory group not be taken up by the priest or bishop.

Pope Francis modelled this by taking up the Synod paper submitted to him by the assembly as his own, and saying he will not publish his own Apostolic Exhortation, as has been the previous practice.

A big question for lay leaders is whether there are ways in which lay-led ministries can act more synodally in their decision-making.  Or are they already doing so by their make-up?

I would recommend these two discussions of the Synod to give you a good overview of what did occur, from John Allen of Crux and the Jesuit Inside the Vatican team.

The most effective means of Formation in Australia

The most effective form of formation in Australia only occasionally appears in Diocesan and MPJP formation programs. These programs reach out to more than a million Catholics and non-Catholics who are students, clients, patients and staff in our ministries.

The major method of formation for Christians in Australia is in fact a very simple method, the small group.  It is said that “faith is shared at a distance of no more than ten feet”.  That’s three metres for the young ones.  People rarely grow in faith only through Mass or the worship service of another church, there is a need for much more.

Many Catholics  want to grow in their faith, and become, as Pope Francis described, a Missionary Disciple. For that to happen, a person needs a supportive community.  They need prayer so they can dialogue with God, and they need to learn about God and the Christian life.  Catholics also often feel they do not have a good, or even an adequate knowledge of the Bible.

Small groups which are centred on bible study and prayer offer all those possibilities.  The constancy of small groups, meeting say weekly or fortnightly, or in some cases in stretches of say five weeks several times a year, gives an opportunity to learn how to pray, and an opportunity to learn about our faith.  The small group member will almost always develop a significant knowledge of the bible, and through discussion an understanding of the full message of the Gospel.

The small size of the group, normally between about four and twelve people, also allows for enough intimacy so that experiences, faith, fears and hopes can be shared. Friendships grow that last for lifetimes.  Those friendships are the key means of keeping people as members of the Church.  The National Church Life Survey has shown that having more small groups correlates with churches that are retaining members, and that the best Catholic parishes, where parishioners are most engaged and are growing in their faith, have far more members in small groups.

Small groups do run as  voluntary opportunities in Catholic schools, hospitals and aged care.  This is especially as a next step beyond the general formation programs for those who show an interest in developing their spiritual life.

And of course, the table groups that met for the Synod on Synodality worked as small groups during that time, and will be the basis of faith-filled friendships into the future.

Should small groups have a larger role in our formation programs?