Bishop Shane will soon travel to Rome for the Second Session of the XVI Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, colloquially known as the ‘Synod on Synodality’ due to its theme “For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation and Mission”.

Bishop Shane will attend the Second Session as one of two bishops elected by the Australian Catholic Bishops, along with Archbishop Pat O’Regan of Adelaide. They will be joined by thirteen other Australians who are participating as members or experts in this landmark assembly that has already had a significant impact on the culture of the Church. This synod is the first to have consulted on an enormous scale with people from all walks of the global Church, including several rounds of feedback during the process. It is also the first to include lay people and other non-bishops as voting members, reflecting a significant step towards inclusivity and broader co-responsibility within the Church’s governance.

This final phase of the Synod will commence on 30 September with a two-day spiritual retreat leading up to a penitential service celebrated by Pope Francis, especially acknowledging ways that the Church and our broader community is involved in sins against individuals, peoples and our common home. The Second Session will officially open the next morning with Mass in St Peter’s Square and conclude four weeks later on 27 October.

The gathering in Rome builds on the process that began in October 2021, involving global consultations that culminated in a synthesis report from the first session in October 2023. The upcoming session will complete this discernment and present a final document and recommendations to Pope Francis.  (To listen to Bishop Shane explaining the steps in the first session of the Synod, click here).

Guided by the Instrumentum Laboris (working document) for the Second Session, which draws on consultation over the last year, the assembly will delve into themes like synodality, participation in Church life and decision making, accountability, renewing our witness to the Gospel, the relation between local Churches and the whole Church, and how the Pope’s ministry of unity is exercised. The discussions will be organised into five modules: Foundations, Relations, Pathways, Places and Conclusion, with the latter focused on finalising the document for the Pope.

As with the First Session held in October last year, a critical part of the process will be “conversations in the Spirit” in table groups, so that participants can freely exchange their thoughts across the questions they will be praying about and reflecting upon.

Bishop Shane is looking forward to participating in this concluding session of the synod:

“So many people have spoken with me about their hopes for this synod, and I feel very privileged to be entrusted with carrying their contributions as I prepare for this extraordinary gathering. I ask the people of the Diocese to pray for all those who will be gathering in Rome next month, and especially for me and the other Australian participants. Please accompany us in prayer and stay connected to reports about this ongoing journey of renewal.”

The Vatican has provided a summary of the Instrumentum Laboris for the Second Session of the XVI Synod (October 2024), you can read it here.

Image above: Bishop Shane in Rome just before the First Session of the XVI Synod of Bishops in 2023.