Catholics are invited to join local consultations about their experience of synodality within the Church as part of a two-year journey towards the next international Synod of Bishops, set for October 2023.

Dioceses across the world hosted local Synod celebrations on Sunday 17 October, a week after Pope Francis officially opened the global process for the XVI Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops.

The Synod theme is “For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation and Mission”.

The local launches also marked the commencement of a period of diocesan consultations to help the Synod’s preparation. Ten areas of synodality are being explored with questions in each area across those themes of communion, participation and mission. Catholics are invited to pray with, reflect upon and respond, and to help develop a process of communal spiritual discernment.

A new online portal has been set up to receive submissions across the various questions the Synod’s preparatory document poses. Those submissions will initially be considered at the diocesan level, and then be used to develop a national report.

All Catholics in Australia are invited to participate in the Synod of Bishops process. The process of prayer and reflection is designed for group discernment, but an individual guide has also been created for those unable to join a communal process.

Find out more and access the resources via the website.