The Archdiocese of Armagh’s Response to Pope Francis’ invite to reflect on how we are being Church?
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Listening, Consultation and Diocesan Synthesis for the Universal Synod
On October 9-10th in Rome Pope Francis launched the theme of the 2023 Synod of Bishops – For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, Mission. The diocesan phase of the Synod was introduced in every parish across the Archdiocese of Armagh on October 17th 2021. This phase which involved all local Churches across the globe has represented the largest consultation of the lay faithful ever to take place and examines what life is like in the Church at this moment in time.
During February and March parishes, communities, schools and groups across the Archdiocese of Armagh focused on listening and discerning the voice of the Holy Spirit in the Archdiocese of Armagh.
This listening culminated in a Pre-synodal gathering that took place in the Armagh City hotel on Tuesday 10th May and further to this a diocesan Synthesis was collated. The Archdiocese of Armagh’s synthesis, which can be accessed by clicking the link below, has been passed on to the Irish Bishops Conference for consideration as part of the Irish Churches submission to the Universal Synodal Process.
The Archdiocese wishes to thank all those who participated generously in the listening process and a special thanks is extended to members of the Diocesan Synodal Core Group. The fruits of this phase of the synodal pathway will be reflected on and brought forward as part of both the Irish Synodal Pathway and our own Synodal journey in the Archdiocese of Armagh.
Mindful of the fact that Covid-19 has posed significant difficulties for parishes the Synodal Core Group has organised a virtual consultation that will broadcast twice a day 3pm and 8.30pm, Monday to Friday, from the 7th February to the 25th February on the St. Patrick’s Cathedral Webcam. The recording can be accessed through the Armagh Parish Website at www.armaghparish.net/cathedral-webcam.
The video which can also be accessed by Clicking the Image Above lasts approximately 45 minutes and can be used by individuals, family groups, parish groups and indeed any group or organisation who wants to be involved.
Additional resources designed to support consultation with all groups across the Archdiocese can be found by
Clicking the Thumbnails below.
The Synod Explained
The language of Synod and Synodality can be difficult to understand and yet this way of being Church has ancient origins in the early Church of the first millenium. Fr Éamonn Fitzgibbon, a priest of the Diocese of Limerick, and Dr Jessie Rogers, Dean of the Faculty of Theology in St. Patrick’s College Maynooth, offer the videos below which explain the processes involved in Synodality and the grounding of our synodal journey in Scripture and Spirituality.
We encourage all to watch both videos.
To learn more about the Synodal Pathway, its processes and timeline watch the video above.
To learn more about the Synodal Pathway and its grounding in Spiritual Listening watch the video above.
