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A new Synod document called 'Instrumentum laboris' was released last week. It calls for a welcoming Church that embraces diversity, with the document forming the basis for the work of the participants in the General Assembly of the Synod on Synodality, which begins at the Vatican in October this year. The diocesan Spirituality Adviser, Jon Harman explains more:
"Instrumentum laboris forms a summary of the discussions held at the Synod's Continental Assemblies. These assemblies, in turn, discussed and prayed about submissions that came from individual countries.
"The submissions that countries made - via various Bishops’ Conferences - were based on reflections that came from Dioceses. Finally, these reflections were based on discussions that happened in parishes around the Diocese, meaning that there is a direct link between conversations that were held in small groups in A&B parishes, and the content of this new document - which is a great example of the type of synodality that Pope Francis encourages."
Instrumentum laboris' is intended to act as a starting point and not a point of arrival. It explores the experiences of local Churches in every region of the world: Churches that are experiencing wars, climate change, economic systems that produce exploitation, inequality, and waste. Churches whose faithful suffer martyrdom and/or aggressive secularisation. Churches wounded by sexual abuse or abuses of power and conscience - both economic and institutional and Churches that are fearlessly confronting the challenges by engaging in the synodal discernment, without trying to resolve them at all costs. The 60-page document includes an overview with 15 worksheets exploring the concept of ‘synodality’ across three main themes:
You can read 'Instrumentum laboris' here.
