CHARLOTTE — During a gathering June 11, Synod representatives from across the Diocese of Charlotte shared what they heard from over 7,000 people at 400 listening sessions earlier this year. The discussion was frank and sometimes uncomfortable, but overall profound and unifying, leaders noted.
The listening session, held at St. Patrick Cathedral, was one of the last events in the diocese’s participation in a worldwide Synod of Bishops that Pope Francis has convened in 2023 to focus on “Communion, Participation, and Mission.”
Representatives from parishes, ministries, lay groups and more – 82 in total – came from across western North Carolina to share their findings with Bishop Peter Jugis and Dr. Alessandro Rovati, the diocesan synod contact person.
Bishop Jugis said the timing of this local phase of the worldwide synod – the Diocese of Charlotte’s 50th anniversary year – has been meaningful.
“The synod truly has been useful to us in the Diocese of Charlotte in a very unique way, because of this juncture in our history that we are celebrating this year,” he noted in his opening remarks at the listening session. “Our diocese spans a large territory, our parishes are spread out among 46 counties, and because of this situation, there is a risk for some communities to feel isolated and disconnected from the rest of the diocese – it’s just a matter of fact because of our geographical extent.”
“But,” he continued, “the synod has given us an occasion to bring us together and help bridge those distances. Here today at this listening session, the synod again is bringing us together – this time to share the fruits of all of those discussions that have been taking place across the length and breadth of the diocese.”
The wide-ranging nature of the diocesan synod is evident in the numbers.
More than 80 percent of parishes and missions, 76, held synod sessions. Nearly all Diocese of Charlotte offices, ministries and groups also took part – including Catholic Charities, Family Life, Youth Ministry, Faith Formation, Hispanic Ministry, Vietnamese Ministry, Korean Ministry, Campus Ministry, the diocese’s Catholic Schools, the Permanent Diaconate, St. Joseph College Seminary in Mount Holly, 16 lay associations and apostolates, and two religious orders.
Rovati said he has been amazed by the high level of participation across the diocese.
“I kept checking my spreadsheet, thinking I had made a mistake in the formula,” he said. “There is no mistake, though. What touches me is not the mere number of people that engaged in the process, but the fact that the participation is a sign that there are so many who have a desire to grow in their faith, to participate more fully in the life of the Church, and to entrust to their community and the broader Church their joys and concerns.”
Among them was Deacon Matthew Newsome, campus minister at Western Carolina University and the regional faith formation coordinator for the Smoky Mountain Vicariate. He participated in local, regional and diocesan synod conversations with people aged 18 to 80.
“I am struck by how similar most of the conversations have gone,” Deacon Newsome said.
He noted that most people mentioned the sacraments as the primary way they feel the Lord’s presence in their lives. “In addition, the traditional prayers and devotions of the Church are often cited as sources of comfort, especially in times of trial. And most often people have felt God’s presence in the community, the ways their fellow Christians have made Christ’s love manifest in their lives,” he said.
Deacon Newsome also facilitated the discussions at his table during June 11 event, sharing with Bishop Jugis what clergy and laity from the Asheville Vicariate had learned from their own local listening sessions.
Representatives described the challenges facing the local Church in western North Carolina – particularly those brought on by the pandemic.
Some parishioners – especially the elderly – have not yet returned to Mass and parish life due to ongoing health concerns. The drop-off means fewer people are volunteering for parish ministries.
Families are facing economic hardships amid the rising cost of living, and they are not spending as much time at church or faith formation classes. Some have dropped ties to any parish community and stopped practicing their Catholic faith.
Others expressed concerns about contemporary culture’s growing hostility to religion – which discourages some clergy from preaching on controversial topics, and some people from openly practicing their faith to avoid ridicule or discrimination.
Other participants brought out topics such as the need for a larger role for women in the Church, a need for more of a focus on social justice issues and assisting the poor, and for more transparency and clear statements from the bishops and the Vatican on issues of moral importance. Many said political interests have infected the Church with division and distrust.
While some of the views brought out in the discussions may have been difficult to hear, both Rovati and Bishop Jugis listened attentively and expressed appreciation for the input.
“The Synod is the work of the Holy Spirit. It’s God’s work. It’s God’s Church. And we are His humble collaborators,” Bishop Jugis said.
Rovati agreed. “When we began this process, we took as a guide what Pope Francis said at the opening of the synod: the goal of the synod process is to engage the whole People of God to ‘journey together, in order to experience a Church that receives and lives this gift of unity and is open to the voice of the Spirit.’
Rovati noted, “People were very touched by the experience of profound dialogue and unity we had and were especially touched by Bishop Jugis’ presence and active listening to their contributions. We all came away filled with the desire to find ways to cultivate the seeds of friendship and collaboration that the Lord planted in our midst.”
Rovati is now compiling a summary or “synthesis” of the diocesan-level synod that will be sent to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops by June 30.
— SueAnn Howell, Senior reporter
For more information
Watch Bishop Peter Jugis’ opening remarks and Dr. Alessandro Rovati’s keynote address from the June 11 diocesan Synod listening session