The Diocese of Grand Rapids will begin hosting synodal listening sessions later this month as a part of the Synod 2021-2023: “For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation and Mission” efforts.

In a Facebook post Jan. 11, the Diocese of Grand Rapids invited every Catholic in the diocese to participate in the sessions, stating the synod team has been hard at work to assist the local church in the process of reflection and consultation.

“With Synod planning underway in our diocese, you may be asking, what can I do right now to participate? Begin today with prayer and reflection on the Synod’s fundamental question on ‘journeying together,’” the Diocese of Grand Rapids wrote in a tweet.

“Synod” comes from a Greek word meaning “coming together” or “traveling together," according to The Conversation. While the Synodal tradition in the church began with ancient Christian leaders coming together to discuss and pray about issues affecting the entire church, these gatherings became infrequent by the 16th century. One of the main goals of the Second Vatican Council from 1952-1965 was to re-emphasize the role of bishops as leaders of their communities and to encourage more communication and cooperation between bishops, the article states. 

On Oct. 10, 2021, Pope Francis declared a “synod on synodality,” formally titled “Synod 2021-2023: For a Synodal Church.” 

The process will last two years and involves expanding the existing “Synod of Bishops,” The Conversation reports. With this, bishops all around the world are tasked with consulting with monks, nuns, parishioners and lay people to bring more openness and transparency to the Church. They will then convene in 2023 to discuss how to move forward as a church that “journeys together.”

In Grand Rapids, the diocese invites Catholics to consider the question of what steps the spirit invites us to take in order to grow in “our journeying together.” Catholics are also asked to reflect on experiences of journeying together, the joys and difficulties those experiences brought up and what steps should be taken to follow the Holy Spirit’s guidelines.