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At this year’s Provincial Assembly, Viatorians learned models for Conversations in the Spirit and Theological Reflection, two approaches to practicing the “Synodal Way” emphasized by the late Pope Francis to transform our community life and strengthen our mission.
So, what does synodal mean? How is it different and important?
Following Francis’ Lead
In 2021, Pope Francis began a three-year “synod,” or official Church gathering, focused on synodality, which means “journeying together.” Francis desired for these dialogical practices to strengthen and renew Church life.
During this three-year period, Francis sanctioned local discussions of Church life, then wider sharing across dioceses and nations, and finally global discussions in Rome. These Vatican discussions mixed cardinals, bishops, priests, religious, and lay people into small groups of ten people each – including Pope Francis and the future Pope Leo XIV – where they practiced “Conversations in the Spirit.”
It utilizes a basic structure built upon alternating periods of silence and discussion, including a first round of one-at-a-time sharing. It depends on active listening within progressive discussion that seeks to identify the movement of the Holy Spirit.
In an introduction to a book on this topic by two Jesuits, Francis wrote, “The synodal method is a spiritual experience, in which words and listening aim to ensure that the Holy Spirit is the true protagonist… In the Conversation in the Spirit, we find a participatory path, which encourages the participation of all and welcomes in communion and unity the great diversity that we all are.”
Following that three-year global synodal process, ten study groups have been formed to continue key discussions. For the life of the Church moving forward, we’re all called to heed this example and bring it into our lives of faith and local contexts.
BELOW: This Vatican News post captures what the synodal gathering in Rome looked like, including the audio-video setup at the small round tables where the mixes of ordained, religious, and lay people met for discussions.
Teachers of the Faith Turn to a Teacher of the Faith
For this year’s Provincial Assembly, Fr. Mark Francis, CSV, Provincial consulted with the Viatorian Community Council, and they set this synodal way as the focus for assembly. “I’m enthused and optimistic for this because, as Pope Francis put it, it’s a new way of being Church. In looking at the future, it’s important for us to have a sense of where we’re going in the life of the spirit,” Fr. Francis said. “At our General Chapter, we spent the first week offering the Spirit a place in our deliberations. It helped us make our gathering not just about information but about identifying how God is present and moving as we discern.”
Dr. Zaker had Viatorians mixed into ten groups of 6-7 people each. We listened to short presentations, practiced the models at our tables, and interacted with her and the large-group to share our experience and learn.
Our facilitator was Dr. Christina R. Zaker, Director of Field Education for Catholic Theological Union, where she also teaches Spirituality and Pastoral Ministry, and the author of a book on theological reflection. “She’s practical, down to earth, and can talk to us in ways that we’ll understand,” Fr. Francis said as he introduced her.
Dr. Zaker’s confidence in this method came not just from its accessibility but also from seeing its efficacy. “Some people think theological reflection is just for theologians, but I’ve even done it with my children – I’m amazed at how kids allow the Spirit to move in their midst,” Dr. Zaker explained. “We have to become facilitators who are agile enough to see how the Spirit is moving in all of it.”
For practice, Dr. Zaker offered a shortened form of the Conversation in the Spirit: three minutes of silent reflection; one round of sharing, with three minutes for each person to share without crosstalk or discussion; three more minutes of silent reflection; ten minutes of open discussion; a third period of silent reflection; and a synthesizing discussion, seeking to identify the movement of the Spirit while each group’s note-takers recorded major points and reported to the large group.
Dr. Zaker reinforced how hard but important silence and nonverbal listening are in this process. “This process necessitates active listening – hearing others, understanding where they’re coming from and who they are, and not thinking about how you’ll respond,” Dr. Zaker explained. “You’re taking it in so as to meet someone where they are and receive their authentic selves, trusting that you’ll receive the same treatment when your turn comes.”
She also incorporated Theological Reflection, particularly her patented approach in “parabolic mode.” This utilizes a slightly less structured conversation to examine an experience. Participants strive to recognize the familiar, identify surprising parts, and look for God’s invitations therein, leaning particularly on Scripture and Tradition for inspiration and resonance.
Conversations in the Charism
We applied this approach by reflecting on our Charism Statement, which has been honed over the last few years: “Viatorians strive to live a lively and enlightened faith by serving the Word.” We asked: What does this mean for each Viatorian? What does it mean for our community? How do our individual and communal vocations point us forward?
While the content of the discussions will be fodder for ongoing prayer, reflection, and discernment in the coming weeks and months – including a new article on Viatorians as catechists by Fr. Francis – the reactions and takeaways were more quickly apparent.
For professed religious, uniquely pulled in multiple directions and often juggling multiple roles, the built-in silence and pacing made a difference. “Sometimes, I don’t reflect a ton. I tend to jump into things,” Br. Michael Gosch, CSV said. “I’m tempted to think that reflection is a luxury, but I’m reminded by this experience that it is a necessity.”
Associate Paula Wasser offers some insights from her table as Dr. Zaker facilitates large-group sharing about our experience.
For lay associates, there has been a growing hunger for the Viatorian Community to be a source of more frequent, substantial formation. This kind of assembly helped meet that need, too. “This assembly felt more like formation than business meetings, and that was very valuable, especially for us associates,” Associate Chris Gucwa, an Arlington Heights-Chicago regional leadership team member, said.
Associate Paula Wasser, a Bourbonnais-Kankakee regional leadership team member, concurred. “Theological Reflection, seeing things through God’s eyes, becoming active listeners, making time for reflection and silence – it all helps us identify ‘proclaiming the Good News’ as the Spirit’s invitation for us to live our Viatorian charism,” Paula said.
Pre-Associates can partake of assembly to continue their discernment and formation, and a few were able to join this year. Pre-Associate Pat McGarry is a CTU alumnus who had Dr. Zaker, but he was still learning new things and enjoying practicing something with Viatorians that comes from this global Church process. “It put us all on equal footing, so we all worked together to acclimate. It allowed me to listen to the members of the community, and as a pre-associate, it gave me such rich experience to reflect on during my continuing discernment,” Pat said, halfway through his two-year pre-association.
There’s no shortage of Viatorian venues where this synodal way can be practiced more, including parish councils, school boards, regional leadership and formation teams, the Viatorian Community Council, and the congregation’s Provincial Chapter and Council. It will be up to the Viatorians in these groups to give it a try. For now, Dr. Zaker started us off strong. “You’ve opened up a lot of new area for what we do as a province, and for all we do in our lives of faith and in our ministry and work with others,” Fr. Francis said in thanks to her.
So, we go forth striving to heed Pope Francis’ call: “If everyone remains locked in the positions they had previously adopted, there will be no true conversation, nor true listening to the Spirit. It is only when we truly listen to each other that we emerge enriched and deepen our communion and mission.”
Associate Rosy Hartz offers some insights from her group as Dr. Zaker helps us collect input from across the assembly.