Synodality

As part of our culture, and in communion with the Catholic Church living the Synod on Synodality 2021-2024, the Laudato Si’ Movement is seeking to work with more intentional efforts towards synodality. You can find the full text of our contribution to the Synod on Synodality in English and Spanish here.

What is synodality?

Synodality means journeying together as the People of God. It indicates a way of listening to each individual person as a member of the Church to understand how God might be speaking to all of us. In this way, synodality reminds us of the work of the Holy Spirit through each of us and through all of us working together for our common mission.

Pope Francis & synodality

Since the beginning of his Pontificate, Pope Francis has been highlighting the importance of cultivating synodality in our Church. In his own words, synodality is the path “which God expects of the Church of the third millennium” because it is “a constitutive element of the Church.” That is why Pope Francis has called for a Synod on Synodality, happening from 2021 to 2024.

Pope Francis’ call for us to focus on synodality is a call to restore and deepen our roots as the People of God journeying together in a common mission as followers of the Way, Jesus Christ. Inspired and motivated by this journey that our Church is undertaking at this time, Laudato Si’ Movement has also gone through a synodal process during 2022 to evaluate and deepen its own synodality in communion with the Catholic Church. Since our start, synodality has been a central part of who we are, as reflected in our identity statement.

Laudato Si’ Movement’s 2022 synodal process

Throughout 2022, Laudato Si’ Movement has been reflecting on how we can deepen our synodal journey as a movement and in communion with the wider Church engaged in the Synod on Synodality. As part of this year-long reflection, we developed a public consultation process and reflection that resulted in a submitted paper to the Synod on Synodality. A wider process has been set in motion as a result of this synodality journey along with the initiatives from the Board of Directors and the Secretariat to improve LSM by further embedding synodality in our leadership bodies.

How you can take part

This process that took place in 2022 was made up of listening sessions, organized by Laudato Si’ Circles and Laudato Si’ Movement Chapters in all the regions where this movement is active, as well as five online sessions organized by the Global Secretariat in English, Spanish, Italian and Portuguese

This process allowed for the experience of synodality to be lived by all movement members who had the opportunity to participate in encounters for reflection on their experiences and expectations regarding the mission of LSM in communion with the Church. 

In the same way, our members will be able to express themselves through the online survey open to our entire network that will assess how they view synodality in relation to LSM’s strategic goals: ecological conversion, prophetic advocacy, and sustainable lifestyles. Stay tuned to know when the online survey will be available so you can let us know your thoughts on synodality and be a part of official communications from Laudato Si’ Movement to the Synod on Synodality.

The results from our 2022 synodal process will also be reviewed in the light of the post-synodal exhortation by Pope Francis, expected to be released after the Synod on Synodality. In this way, LSM seeks to continue on its journey of deepening its synodality, improving the capacity of listening and journeying together to care for our common home, always at the service of and in communion with the Catholic Church.

Synodality throughout Laudato Si’ Movement

Synodality has been present within Laudato Si’ Movement from the beginning, and it grows at the same pace that our movement seeks to deepen its capacity for listening and journeying together. Learn more how synodality has shaped the story of Laudato Si’ Movement.

We warmly ask you to take part in this incredible synodal process. Read more about synodality related to our movement and take time to reflect on how you can live more synodally as well:

The importance of listening to all its branches of Laudato Si’ Movement is recognized as a fundamental need for this movement to continue its work and mission. This has concrete effects on how LSM structures itself internally, being composed by the Board of Directors, the Advisory Council, staff and the Global Membership Council, as well as externally through Laudato Si’ Animators, Laudato Si’ Circles and Chapters, and Member Organizations.

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