Over the course of last winter and spring, there was, in the universal Church, “listening sessions” toward a synodal way of the Church hearing from folks all over the world. I was honored to be a part of the Diocesan leadership team toward that end. The Diocesan report was completed and sent in to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Our report from Immaculate Conception is below. We had a number of local listening sessions as well as invitations to fill out the Diocesan on-line survey. The full Diocese of Knoxville Report is available at: https://dioknox.org/synod-2023 We have much to do to respond well to the folks who have shared their challenges, thoughts, and hopes. In the coming months we’ll work as a parish to offer help in response to all that has been raised. —Fr. Charlie
¨ Our listening sessions were focused on the local parish. We received a lot of positive feedback regarding the Paulist Fathers, our outreach to Summit Towers and Haiti, the live-streamed liturgies, and reaching out to others in the downtown area including daily Mass at noon.
¨ The negatives included lack of diversity in the congregation, an aging congregation, and parking.
¨ The recommendations included updating the music, ministry to the divorced, young adult ministry (to attract those young adults living downtown), parish small group retreat opportunities, return to socializing on Sunday mornings with coffee and doughnuts, better signage, develop a social action committee, monthly calendar insert in the bulletin, and greater participation in downtown activities so that more people know that we are here.
¨ Thoughts from the diocesan survey match those recommendations. We are journeying together but we need to reach out more to all people, young and old, widowed, divorced or single. As a parish it is apparent that we feel very inclusive, all are welcome here. Our parishioners are well educated and firmly believe in the true presence of Christ in the Eucharist. They appreciate the homilies that are offered as well as the opportunities for further faith formation.
¨ On social issues the parishioners overwhelmingly believe that immigrants fleeing from war and poverty should be allowed to enter the country but legally and all should be treated with respect. They are less sure that we are doing enough to protect the environment.
¨ The two greatest commandments are love God above all things and love your neighbor as yourself. That neighbor includes the LGBTQ community, the immigrant, the homeless, the young and the old as well as the unborn.
¨ Married priests are not an issue and women deacons are worth considering. However, when it comes to cohabitation and marriage the parish seems a little more divided. Marriage is an institution created by God but there’s room for other personal choices.
¨ There is some confusion about the infallibility of the Pope that possibly should be addressed from the pulpit. (A suggestion was made that the parish offer a series of sessions on the basic teachings of the church and the reasons behind them.)
¨ The church’s stand on contraception is one of the most divisive points among our congregation, not with each other but with the church itself. Many if not most believe that the number of children in a marriage should be up to the married couple and that a woman’s worth not be relegated to how many children she can bear.
¨ Divorce is rampant in our society. We know that, but there are some very good marriages following after divorce and a path to sacramental marriage should be more easily accessible.
¨ The church’s approach to the LGBTQ community was also in question. Like everyone, members of the LGBT community should be seen as beloved children of God, with dignity, welcome, and understanding. The groups reflected on how ministries of outreach to members of this community have changed over recent years.
¨ There is a lack of faith in the institutional church and a feeling that lay people are not being listened to. There is also a hope that this Synod will correct that. However, all of those who attended the listening sessions were grateful for the opportunity to be heard.
You may have heard of the "Synod" or the "Synod on Synodality." Many of us grew up learning to not have a word's meaning be defined using that same word, so that name can be frustrating. So from here on out at IC, we'll simply call it the Synod. (It is from Ancient Greek σύνοδος (súnodos, “assembly, meeting”) – from σύν (sún, “with”) (English syn-) + ὁδός (hodós, “way, path”). Basically, “walking the path together.” The Diocese of Knoxville and the Paulist Fathers are taking this opportunity seriously, and I get to serve on the Diocesan Leadership Team.
The Synod is a two-year process of listening and dialogue, beginning with a solemn opening in winter 2021, with each individual diocese and churches participating as they see fit. The synodal process will conclude in 2023. I am excited to tell you that Brigid Johnson, our Director of Religious Education & Faith Formation, will spearhead the process here at IC in the coming months.
Pope Francis is inviting the entire Church to reflect on a theme that is decisive for its life and mission: “It is precisely this path of synodality which God expects of the Church of the third millennium.” This journey, which follows in the wake of the Church’s “renewal” proposed by the Second Vatican Council, is both a gift and a task: by journeying together and reflecting together on the journey that has been made, the Church will be able to learn through Her experience which processes can help Her to live communion, to achieve participation, to open Herself to mission.