National Meeting of Parish Priests for the Synod

Conference Synthesis
The apostles gathered together with Jesus
and reported all they had done and taught.
He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to
a deserted place and rest a while.”
People were coming and going in great numbers,
and they had no opportunity even to eat.
So they went off in the boat by themselves
to a deserted place.
Mark 6. 30 – 31

Words from the gospel of St. Mark inspired 179 priest delegates from 67 Particular Churches in the Philippines to gather and to experience a synodal journey. In comfortable surroundings, the priests gathered and rested to weave individual and ecclesial experiences into stories that console and challenge each one. Fraternal life was our shared experience through prayer and the Eucharist as well as conversations heightened through listening and discernment.

Inspired by holy men and women whose memory the church celebrated in its liturgy were our guides. The likes of Martha, Mary and Lazarus, holy friends of Jesus in Bethany, Peter Chrysologus, Ignatius of Loyola and Alphonsus Liguori were our companions as we offered the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Directed by our official delegates in the Synod of Bishops, Cardinal Jose Advincula, Bishop Pablo Virgilio David and Bishop Mylo Hubert Vergara, the gathering was truly significant with the “sharings” of our lay collaborators, and in particular, Sr. Nathalie Becquart, XMCJ.

The giftedness of each one is a treasure to behold as we engage ourselves in the new way of being church, namely, synodality in the service of mission.

The groups of the national meeting of parish priests took the form of cordial and joyful groups, namely: Team UNO, Purok Tres, Church of the 4, KA TV 5, SWEET 6 TEAM, GUAPONG PITO, OCHO OCHO, PUSOY DOS, LUCKY 9, 7 – 11, GROUP OF 10 (TENAWAG), SWEET 16, THE AMISSING 17, COVID 19, THE DEBUTANTS, THE CHARMING SHEPHERDS OF THE LORD, TWO BY TWO (DOS POR DOS), THE PANDEMICS, COVID 19 SURVIVORS, SASERDOS TRES, VEINTE QUATRO ORAS, belated 25.

Foundations.

From the Instrumentum Laboris 2, we read the following description of synodality:

Synodality can be understood as Christians walking in communion with Christ toward the Kingdom along with the whole of humanity. Its orientation is towards mission, and its practice involves gathering in assembly at each level of ecclesial life. It involves reciprocal listening, dialogue, community discernment, and creation of consensus as an expression that renders Christ present in the Holy Spirit, each taking decisions in accordance with their responsibilities. (SR 1h)

While the high point of the gathering was the celebration of the Holy Eucharist, our “conversations in the spirit” focused on the fundamental questions namely: how do we become a synodal church in mission; how do we engage in deep listening and dialogue; how do we become co – responsible members of the church in light of the dynamism of our personal and communal baptismal vocation; how do we transform structures and processes so that all may participate and share the charisms that the Spirit pours out on each for the common good and how do we exercise power and authority as service.

The three point agenda of the Instrumentum Laboris 2 provide the structure of our sharings, namely: RELATIONS, PATHWAYS and PLACES.

First is Relations.

Highlighted in the synodal experience is that church is relational — it seeks to draw people to an encounter with Jesus of Nazareth.

The various web of relationships in a given particular church is most striking in that that priests see themselves engaged in all these relationships: above all their relationship with God, relationship with their bishop and brother priests, relationship with the laity and consecrated persons, relationships with the youth and in a special way, their relationship with the poor and those who are in the “peripheries of the church”.

Thus, the priest is first and foremost challenged to be a strongly “relational” person. It is heartwarming to note that during these days of synodal journey, we, as priests have forged new friendships and renewed old ones from other particular churches. Indeed, one is convinced that the spirituality of synodality is friendship. Through friendship, it is the hope of each one to keep the warmth of the synodal spirit.

Strong resonances that surfaced in the “sharings” are as follows: recognition of charisms and gifts, the call to a ministry or apostolate of presence, to be companions in mission and to be collaborators amidst diversity and differences in the apostolic life.

Second is Pathways.

The Instrumentum Laboris points to pathways in the form of formation programs, ecclesial discernment, decision – making processes and visionary transformative leadership through transparency, accountability and evaluation.

A strong direction from seminary formators is to consider the training of future priests as facilitators and key animators of synodality. Thus, seminary formators should appropriate in their lives the attitudes and skills of synodality so as to accompany future priests in synodal journey.

A strong point in a majority of reports is the call to a comprehensive and holistic formation and on-going formation of the clergy and the laity. This should include the spirituality and ministry of stewardship in all levels of ecclesial life.

Transformative leadership should highlight decision-making processes that include consultative planning, collaborative implementation and constructive evaluation. All these serve synodality where everyone prays together, discerns together, decides together, implements together and evaluates together that the mission of the new evangelization is best served.

Third is Places.

As indicated by the Instrumentum Laboris 2, places do not simply refer “to geographical territories but the web of relations and the cultures that are ever dynamic and mobile than in the past”. This may take the form of urbanization, migration and digital technology.

With respect to urbanization, the following suggestions surfaced namely, establishment of business and industry ministry, consider midnight mass for “grave yard shift” workers, creating vertical communities in condominiums within urban setting that foster genuine relationships.

With respect the issue of migration, greater sensitivity to the plight of peoples from rural to urban areas as well as continuous mobility of people in all areas of life call us to synodal engagement with those affected by this movement.

With respect the dynamics of digital technology, priests are called to engage and to utilize social media and digital tools to maintain “connections” and offer spiritual support, especially to the young.

The Enduring Legacy of Basic Ecclesial Communities: An Expression of Synodality in the Philippines

Everyone agrees that the Basic Ecclesial Communities are the best expression of synodality in our country. The dynamics of faith sharing and prayerful discernment directed to collective action describes the church in mission of the BECs in the church.

In this Upper Room of Manila Prince Hotel, priests are sent to be missionaries of synodality in their respective regions and particular churches. With Mary as companion and guide, we entrust our synodal journey to the Triune God. Amen (CBCP PCNE Team)