In September 2021, Pope Francis invited Catholics worldwide to take part in the Synod entitled: “For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, and Mission”, a two-year process of discussion and reflection in preparation for a meeting of the Synod of Bishops to take place in October 2023.

This Synod is not just another meeting with oral presentations and written reports. Pope Francis is asking each local diocese to gather – clergy, religious and laity together- to listen to each other with a special focus on people who are marginalized in the Church and community. The “goal” of this journeying together is not to create a new vision or pastoral plan with objectives. Rather, the goal of our journeying together is to be present with one another, to listen and learn with each other, and to grow closer to the Lord and His Church. This process includes a diocesan phase followed by a national phase, regional phase and concludes with the meeting in Rome.

The Diocese of San Jose kicked off the diocesan phase in October 2021 with an opening Mass. Bishop Oscar Cantú has appointed Sister Ellen Hess to lead the process in our diocese, where our parishes, schools and communities will hold listening sessions. Each parish has appointed a synod team to train volunteers to lead these sessions, and the diocese has provided training materials as well as a script to guide each listening session. Each community’s responses will be gathered with other responses from across the diocese to be synthesized and submitted to the episcopal conference. All local listening sessions should be completed by April.

Consultative Timeline

Vatican Resources

• Pope Francis’ Homily for the Opening Mass of the Synod–October 10, 2021
• Vatican Synod Website (includes resources in multiple languages)
• Vademecum: The Official Handbook for Listening and Discerning Phase of the Synod in the Local Church (available in multiple languages)
• Vatican’s Synod PowerPoint