Yes, I look forward to reading this document. “On Saturday, the assembly will vote on a document that will serve as a basis for work in the coming months and on Sunday, Mass will be celebrated to conclude this phase of the Synod. From there, the time of active waiting will begin until the next meeting in October 2024.” FR. TIMOTHY RADCLIFFE Synod Member This is a time of active waiting. Let me repeat the words of Simone Weil I quoted during the retreat: “We do not obtain the most precious gifts by going in search of them but by waiting for them.”

I agree with Brother Dan. All three MUST be part and parcel in a synodal church and nourish our communion with each other. If we don’t attend to climate change we will lose our home, Mother Earth. If we don’t seek to listen to and heed the needs of the poor, we give up our right to call ourselves followers of Jesus for whom the poor, the outcasts, the sick, the hurting were his mission and ministry and therefore must be ours. If we refuse to value and accept migrants and refugees, we lose the truth of our humanity - that we are all one family on this planet. These three areas are inexplicably tied together as one and cry out for justice.

@Paola Zabala re your question: How do you believe a synodal Church can effectively address and advocate for these interconnected challenges in today's world, fostering justice and unity? This is the hard question, isn’t it? To reach the person in the pews. Truly there must be a core team in every parish who are committed to preach and outreach and engage the members to prayer, discernment, and social action. I’ve worked in ministries where we’ve drawn up “ a strategic plan” ….write out the goals, then specific actions, a timeline, a tool to know how the goals are being met….it’s hard work. And truly how do you get everyone on board with this? As we know, the Church moves very slowly. And there are massive issues it must address: married priests, women deacons if not priests (yet), LGBTQ presence, racial justice, pro life in ALL areas of living, the church scandals, it’s distorted focus on sex and on and on. It’s hard to wrap my head around the needs that are present!

I appreciated these two quotes below from the article by Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich: “The digital world is a new “mission territory” that must be evangelized by those who inhabit it.” “And he explained that it is important that “the reports of the Circuli Minores and the interventions of the rapporteurs increasingly present the points of convergence and divergence, but above all the questions to be explored and the proposals for concrete steps to be taken during the coming year.”

I’m really not on social media, don’t use it….yet I do believe this can be a valuable form of communication and evangelization, if used with clear mind and heart for truth and justice so needed in our world. At this point in my life, I leave the creative powers of the younger generations to find a path forward for the Church in this digital age.

Thank you for offering this site. I’m curious that there aren’t more member comments about the articles you post for us. I enjoy reading what the Synod is hearing from participants and reflecting on their words/testimonies - and wonder how others think or feel.

They may be a small light but nonetheless living brightly in communion with all humanity and the cosmos. Blessings on the people of Malaysia!