This might be the sixteenth Bishops’ Synod, but it is the first Synod to require bishops to undertake an all-inclusive sweeping consultation of their flocks. In essence, this synod is all about inclusion, co-responsibility and Pope Francis is looks like he’s wanting to make some significant changes. So, this is the perfect time to speak up and take part in the ongoing building of our Church.
Responses to the Synod questions can be submitted via the Australian Synod 2021-2022 website or by forwarding your submission to Dr Chris Cotter, Diocesan Contact for the Synod. Your Parish Priest will also have some great ideas to help you work with each other in groups to make submissions.
Many of the Synod questions have already been raised during Plenary Consultations, so people who intend to respond to the Synod questions are strongly encouraged to read the Small Group Reports and Proposals of the First Assembly. In doing so, they can avoid repetition and spend more time focusing on Synod-specific questions.
The processes and questions of the Australian Plenary Council and Synod 2021-2023 will overlap and intertwine in many ways. National coordinator for the Synod, Dr Trudy Dantis says that Australia’s contribution to the Synod will build upon the significant body of work being undertaken by the Plenary Council and that the Plenary proposals will inform Bishops’ Assembly. Dr Trudy Dantis, who is also the Director of the National Centre for Pastoral Research, is well placed to understand the ways in which the Australian Plenary Council can inform the international Bishop’s Synod, having overseen the collection and analysis of the 17,500 submissions received during the Listening and Dialogue phase of Plenary Council – including the preparation of reports for each diocese.
Timeline for the Synod of Bishops 2021-2023 consultation phase.
18 February 2022: Deadline for submissions to Diocesan Synod Contact Dr Chris Cotter (PO Box 201 Bendigo VIC 3552 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.). Dr Cotter will submit to NCPR on your behalf.
27 February 2022: Online submissions via the ACBC Synod 2021-2023 Portal Close.
March 2022: Data collated by the NCPR, and a report will be sent to each diocese.
26 March 2022: A pre-synodal meeting will be held in the Diocese of Sandhurst as the culmination of the local consultatino stage and to celebrate the consutation process, (not to gather data). More information will be issued early in 2022.
By 1 May 2022: Each local church will submit its final 10-page diocesan contribution to the NCPR. These reports will be sent to all bishops in mid-May 2022, to begin the process of drafting the Australian synthesis.
25 May–15 June 2022: Synthesis of all data will be finalised in three meetings of the bishops during this time.
August 2022: The Australian synthesis will be sent to the Secretariat of the Synod.
September 2022-February 2023: Pre-Synodal meetings of the international meetings of the Episcopal Conferences (FCBO).
October 2023: XVI Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops.
If you are interested in seeing how the Plenary Council timeline parallels the Synod 2021-2023 take a look at this pdf combined timeline (556 KB) .
