“Learning a way of living the church”

The Pope’s closest advisors – the Council of Cardinals – met online recently to discuss the forthcoming Synod. They were joined by Pope Francis who identified two speeches that he sees as central to his thinking, and offered his personal reflections on the purpose of the Synod, at the heart of which is 

“learning a way of living the Church, marked at all levels by mutual listening and a pastoral attitude, particularly in the face of the temptations of clericalism and rigidity.”

The Cardinals also discussed the need to overcome “sectarianism and partisan interests.” 

Full report: Vatican News, 22 September 2021

Pope Francis briefs people of Rome

With the first phase of the Synod fast approaching, Pope Francis briefed the people in his own Diocese of Rome. Explaining that the first phase takes place in the diocese, he asked the people of the Diocese for their commitment to this process. He explained that “it is not about garnering opinions, not a survey, but a matter of listening to the Holy Spirit.… To have ears, to listen, is the first thing we need to do. To hear God’s voice, to sense his presence, to witness his passage and his breath of life.”

The Pope affirmed that “Synodality is an expression of the Church’s nature, her form, style and mission.” He located it within the context of the New Testament and the core Tradition of the Church. He emphasised the importance of the role of all the baptised in this process as the subject of the sensus fidei in credendo.

Pope Francis himself later told his Cardinals that this speech is central to his thinking on the Synod, and it is worth studying it in full here: Address of Pope Francis to the Diocese of Rome, 18 September 2021

Bishops to engage all the faithful in the Synod

Cardinal Grech, the Secretary General of the Synod of Bishops, in an interview with Vatican News, emphasises that the first, diocesan phase of the synodal process, which opens on 10 October “is a founding phase, it must engage not only Catholics but all the baptised.”

Asked why a synod on synodality, he replied: “Because the Church wants to understand itself better. If the Church does not assume the style of synodality, it will not be Church. I say this because, as the Magisterium reminds us, talking about synodality and the Church means talking about the same thing. If there is not a Church that is communion, where all the baptised feel that they participate, then evangelisation will also suffer.”

Full article here: Vatican News , 7 September 2021

Root and Branch Synod

A perhaps controversial “lay-led inclusive synod” was recently held in Bristol and online on 5-12 September amid criticism from some Bishops. It was inspired by the notion that the Church needs a truly inclusive Synod that “starts with women, and doesn’t end there”. It offers The Bristol Text, a set of reflections and proposals as a contribution to the forthcoming global Synod, and to help inform each of us as Catholics to discern what our Lord is trying to tell us

Prof Mary Macalees, the former President of Republic of Ireland, in her keynote speech was sceptical about the process of the forthcoming Synod, observing that the lay consultative phase seemed limited. Critical of the current state of  Canon Law, she argued that synodality can only work if set in a context of an unequivocal acceptance by the Church that all the faithful are entitled to the inalienable rights set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Sessions, talks and documents can be found here: The Root & Branch synod website 

Creation: What can I do?

“Be not afraid!” … so Jesus tells his followers, knowing too well how fearful they were. We too can feel overwhelmed and despairing in the face of news about extreme climate events, but we too must allow ourselves to be comforted and strengthened by Jesus’s words. If we open ourselves to receive the grace of hope and do what we can, trusting in the Lord, who knows what we can achieve!

Here are two documents that describe the many ways in which people are trying to combat climate change…. They are both available to read online and/or to download:

What Can I Do? ideas which we can implement as individuals can be found here, and

39 Ways to Save the Planet, a summary of 6 of the programmes which aired on Radio 4 recently which highlight innovative ways to combat climate change on a larger scale, can be found here

“I cannot lift 1000lbs but I can lift 1lb 1000 times.”

So share with us what things you may have done recently – both little and large – so we may take courage and inspiration from what we all, as a community in Christ, are doing.

Please use the comments box at the bottom of this page to do so; you don’t have to give your name or contact details, but doing so would help us ….

SEASON OF CREATION

The World Day of Prayer on 1st September marks the start of the Season of Creation which lasts till 4th October (Feast of St Francis of Assisi). We as Christians everywhere will take this time to celebrate the world’s beauty; to wonder at its complexity; to spend time just being in the natural world. 

During this season we are asked to pray and examine how we as church, as a local community and as individuals can deepen our relation with God through our relationship with all Creation; and to ask how we fulfil our responsibility to renew God’s Creation as a “Home for all”. We are  asked especially to pray for the climate conferences taking place this autumn.

There are already many imaginative ideas, inspiring initiatives and relevant projects; so if you have any or know of one, do please pass them on to us, so that the PORTICO can share them during this coming month. 

Catholic Bishops’ Conference (CBCEW) statement can be found here ; Cardinal Bagnasco’s  joint statement with the CEC is here.

“For a Synodal Church”

Cardinal Grech, the Secretary of the Synod of Bishops, reminds us that synodality was the form and style of the early Church, and that the Vatican II Council wanted us to recover that model of the Church, without renouncing any of the great advances of the Church in the second millennium. The focus of this Synod is to continue and further the Tradition of our Church in that regard.

The Cardinal notes that “to create a synod one must be a synod!” and therefore the process is starting now in dioceses and parishes everywhere. To help kickstart this process here, the Bishops of England and Wales have produced a statement and guide to the forthcoming Synod of Bishops, which can be found here. So, more on this in our own Diocese soon!

Sad Goodbye to the Music Group

After 30 years’ involvement in providing music at Mass in Truro, Gill Cousins has decided to stand down and consequently, the Music Group in its current form will be no more.

For many years now, ably assisted by Molly, Gill has led the Music Group and planned the hymns and Mass settings for each season of the church year, attending courses to keep up with changes, organising rehearsals and much much more.

Our heartfelt thanks to Gill and Molly and all who have sung and played with the Music Group, contributing so much to Sunday morning Mass in our church over the years.