By Auxiliary Bishop Joseph Ha Chi-shing, OFM
There is much to commend Pope Francis, but his proposal to use synodality as the theme for the coming World Synod of Bishops really makes me say, “Bravo!”
When one hears of the Synod of Bishops, one has the impression that it has little to do with one’s own, that it is merely a distant activity of the Church authority on the other side of the Holy See, and that it may not affect anyone until they have decided something.
This time, however, Pope Francis has taken us by surprise by involving the whole Church. He began by drawing up a consultation paper, asking all dioceses to consult widely with all the people of God on the three core orientations of the Church: participation, communion and mission.
When I was appointed to promote consultation in the diocese in October last year, I had a flash in my mind: what if it was a consultation with a great fuss but little practical impact? However, I was amazed by the work of the Holy Spirit.
Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, a group of virtuous and capable brothers and sisters emerged to form a team with me, working together and in synodality. Following the Holy See’s recommendation, we organised several briefings, introduced the faithful to spiritual conversations aligned with the spirit of synodality, and encouraged them to answer the questionnaire accordingly.
In the end, we collected nearly 1,300 replies, with a rough estimate of over 2,000 participants. Despite being in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic, the community’s response to the consultation was truly remarkable, confirming our brothers’ and sisters’ love and support for the Church.
In a nutshell, synodality is about moving forward with communication and encouragement. It is based on faith and a belief that the Holy Spirit continues to be present to guide the Church. We listen to the Holy Spirit by listening to one another as brothers and sisters, and we cooperate with the Holy Spirit by collaborating with one another. No wonder Pope Francis has stressed that synodality should be the way of life of the Church into the third Millennium.
Having submitted the report to the Holy See, the diocesan newspapers have published a summary of its contents, and the entire report is available on the diocesan website. The pastoral letter issued by Bishop Chow on the first Sunday of Advent sets out the pastoral direction of the diocese for the next few years: the formation of the laity, young people and clergy, comes from the concluding part of this consultation report.
Therefore, I sincerely hope that you will read the report carefully and understand the serious and enthusiastic expectations of our brothers and sisters for the Church, so we may work together in synodality, live out our faith powerfully, and testify for the Lord in Hong Kong today!
