A NATIONAL SYNOD FOR THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN IRELAND. The Irish Bishops’ Conference have announced a new Synodal Pathway for the Catholic Church in Ireland leading to the holding of a National Synodal Assembly within the next five years. We are all invited to journey together in discernment of what the Holy Spirit is saying to the Church in Ireland at this time. We are acutely aware of the huge challenges to the faith over the past fifty years; a major decline in practice of the faith and in the number of vocations to the priesthood and the religious life. The bishops are inviting submissions to reflect on what methods/models to adopt in these coming two years of conversations. For example: parish or pastoral area meetings, focus groups, questionnaires, deep-listening sessions; written submissions; family-focused gatherings; receiving summary of findings of assemblies that have already taken place across dioceses; and/or conferences etc.

Your feedback, which should be no more than 300 words and submitted by Pentecost Sunday 23 May 2021, ought to focus on the nature of the process or the consultation i.e. how we can best go about this initial phase of establishing the conversation? You are invited to offer feedback to the following question: What would be your preferred option for engagement in a conversation process about the Synod? The responses will be considered by the task group to be put in place by the bishops this summer to plan and oversee the first steps along the synodal pathway. Submissions should be made via the new Synodal Pathway webpage: www.catholicbishops.ie/synod