- The Synod on Synodality: Walking in the Year of the Holy Spirit Reflection
- Now Available: Bishop’s latest Pastoral Letter in booklet form & accompanying Study Guide
- USCCB November 2021 General Assembly
- Home Heating Assistance Program
- Letter to Congress about Abortion Funding in Build Back Better Act
- A Message of Hope from Pope Francis
- My Prayer for You
|
|
|
November 2021
The Synod on Synodality: Walking Together in the Year of the Holy Spirit
(Adapted from the homily of Bishop Paul J. Bradley for the opening Mass of the Diocese’s participation in the Synod on Synodality, October 17, 2021)
Last month, Pope Francis launched a three-year “Synodal Process”, which is focused on discerning what the Holy Spirit is asking of the Catholic Church for our generation and for generations to come. The reason it is a three-year process is because, for the first time in our modern history, the entire Church is being asked to actively participate in a “Synodal process”. In one way or another, every practicing Catholic in the world will have an opportunity to express their thoughts, hopes and dreams for the Church from their own lived experience. In addition, the Holy Father also wants us to “listen” to all those who are NOT practicing their Faith, for whatever reason, as well as those who may not be practicing any Faith at all, so they can share their “spiritual stories”.
Every Diocese in the world was asked to formally launch a Synod lasting from October 2021 until Easter 2022, so, I am very excited to officially declare our Diocesan Synod “Open”. The theme of this Synod is: “For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, Mission”
As Pope Francis said last month in Rome: “Participating in a synod means placing ourselves on the same path as the Word made flesh. It means following in his footsteps, listening to his word along with the words of others. It means discovering with amazement that the Holy Spirit always surprises us, to suggest fresh paths and new ways of speaking.” Therefore, he concluded: “Let us not ‘soundproof’ our hearts; let us not remain barricaded in our certainties. Let us listen to one another.”
What the word “synod” means
In the very near future, we will begin a series of “Listening Sessions” throughout the Diocese of Kalamazoo for the purpose of listening for the Holy Spirit’s guidance, and of listening to one another, on our Journey of Faith. This is what the word “synod” means—to journey together, to be gathered as fellow travelers with the rest of the Church—all of whom are on this Journey through this world, and at the end of our lives in this world, we pray that Journey leads us to our Eternal Destiny of Heaven. The word Synod may be familiar to us from hearing about Synods of Bishops. But the very word “Synod” actually means “accompanying one another on our pilgrimage of Faith”; it means “walking alongside one another” along the way.
That word “synodality” can describe how Jesus proclaimed His Good News and how He established and began to spread the Kingdom of God. Practically every Gospel passage we listen to shows us Jesus walking along from one place to another, accompanied by His Apostles, and oftentimes by large crowds of people. So when Pope Francis is asking us to work toward a more “Synodal Church”, that means refocusing on the Church’s mission to “accompany others” along their Journey of Faith.
Since we are also in the midst of our diocesan Jubilee Year of the Holy Spirit, I hope we are already a bit more tuned into turning to the Holy Spirit more regularly to ask for the Spirit’s guidance, for the Spirit’s inspiration, and for the outpouring of the Spirit’s Gifts to help us to keep following Jesus on our Pilgrimage of Faith. Certainly we want and need people to come to Church, especially on Sundays, where we can hear God’s Word and celebrate Jesus’ Presence with us in the Holy Eucharist. But we “live our Faith” back in our homes, at our workplaces, in our social settings, while we’re watching our children’s soccer games, and even in our involvement in the political and social aspects of our lives.
During the Mass celebrated by Pope Francis last month in Rome when he opened the worldwide Synod, he said that “Celebrating a Synod means walking on the same road, walking together.” That’s what Jesus did; He was constantly walking alongside people and listening to the questions and concerns of their hearts. God isn’t just encountered in Church, but He walks always by our side, accompanying us wherever we go.
Jesus tells us that the path to greatness, which is what our synodal journey is all about, is a service road not a grand highway. By being close to our sisters and brothers, by listening carefully to each other, and by responding as servant-leaders and caregivers to the needs of others, we have an opportunity to make a difference in this broken and troubled world.
Prayerful Listening
It all comes down to how well we can “listen”; how open are we to allow Jesus’ teachings to refocus our own “dreams” and ambitions into the “Spiritual Vision” Jesus came to share with us and all the world? Are we able to stop----reflect----and listen to what the Holy Spirit wants us to hear? Are we able to discern what directions the Holy Spirit wants to give us, individually, and to all of us, as the Church?
When we look around our world, it seems clear that most of us have lost the ability or forgotten how to “listen” to one another. There’s very little dialogue, or give and take conversation; there’s a lot of monologue, strong opinions shared through every venue of the electronic media, with no toleration for any varying opinions. In fact, it seems that we have come to the point that anyone with a different opinion is almost considered an enemy, or perhaps even seen as evil.
I think everyone realizes that we can’t continue with this kind of divisiveness and intolerance for one another; as a Society we need to find a way to recapture our commitment to work together and for the common good. Since as members of the Church who are living in the midst of this kind of social divisiveness, when Pope Francis asks the whole Church to focus for the next six or seven months on “listening” to one another, and “listening” to the Holy Spirit, we may find ourselves wondering how do we do that?
That’s where we need to open ourselves to the Holy Spirit’s inspiration---to “listen” to the Spirit’s direction---to ask for guidance, instead of continuing to keep doing what we’re doing. And that is true both in Society and in the Church.
Dreaming of a Better Way
We need to be able to “Dream” of a better way. In his recent book, Let Us Dream: The Path to a Better Future, Pope Francis shared his dream for the Church: He wrote: “I dream of a Church with a missionary option, capable of transforming everything, so that the Church’s customs, ways of doing things, times and schedules, language and structures, can be suitably channeled for the evangelization of today’s world rather than for her self-preservation.”
In other words, the Holy Father is asking us to move away from a “maintenance mode” of doing things, summed up in the words: “We’ve always done it this way!”; and move toward a “missionary mode” of doing things—going outside our church walls and proclaiming the Good News of God’s Kingdom to a world that clearly doesn’t know Jesus, but so desperately needs Him.
Are we able to dream? Not just when we fall asleep at night, but can we “dream” of a better world? Are we able to hold onto “Hope” that we will get through this awful time of the worldwide pandemic and all the ill effects it has brought to us, when we can get through this time of social divisiveness, and recapture a sense of collective harmony and working for a common purpose?
The Holy Spirit is the One to help us to “dream”—to see as God sees. Do you think God wants the world to be the way it is? Of course not. What do you think God’s Dream is? The same as it has been since the creation of Adam and Eve—that all people live together as one, in harmony, to treat one another with charity and justice, and eventually to live with Him forever in Heaven.
Sin is what got in the way of God’s Original Dream. And sin is what gets in the way of our Dreams too.
In-spired by the Holy Spirit
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, we need to Dare to Dream—to Hope for the Future—and to open ourselves to be “inspired” by the Holy Spirit. The Dream that the Holy Spirit helped to launch in the hearts of the first missionary disciples (the Apostles) is really Jesus’ Dream/His Vision for the Future! He established His Church, and commissioned the Apostles when He said as He was ascending to Heaven: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go therefore, make disciples of all nations, baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.; teach them to carry out everything I have commanded you. And know that I am with you always until the end of time.” (Mt.28:19f)
Jesus wants His church to be vibrant—active—mission-oriented. It’s His vision for the Kingdom of God and His fervent wish that each of us—His disciples—will be joy-filled missionaries, and generous servants, who proclaim the Good News of Jesus by our very lives. The Holy Spirit is the one who in-spires us to share in this dream and to become our best selves for the sake of God’s Kingdom.
Having just celebrated our 50th Anniversary as a Diocese, and as we are preparing for a time of transition of Leadership here in our Diocese as we anticipate our next Bishop, we set our sights on the future, praying to be spiritually renewed and re-energized so that we can be the Church here in the Diocese of Kalamazoo that we need to be. Therefore we welcome this time of Synodality as an additional reason for us to be more intentional in opening ourselves to the Holy Spirit’s guidance, inspiration and willingness to go where He leads us.
Taking up the Cross as We Journey Together
However, we must focus on truly “listening” primarily to Jesus. We must not allow our personal concerns to keep us from hearing Jesus say that the Cross is central to our mission. Jesus’ Death was not the Goal, but the Means to the accomplishment of His Mission of bringing Salvation to the World thru His Death, and His Glorious Resurrection.
We cannot avoid the Cross, and whatever suffering comes our way for the sake of being Faithful to our Mission. We are called to take up the Cross in our homes and workplaces, across our neighborhoods and beyond. Each encounter with another person, each call answered, each forgiveness granted, each injustice challenged, offers opportunities for growth. As we take up the cross of our daily demands over and over again, we know that we are on the path to Resurrection and Eternal Life.
As we begin this journey together, let us ask the Holy Spirit to bless us. May we truly be a Diocesan Church that receives and lives the gifts of communion, participation and mission. May we be open to the voice of the Holy Spirit—taking to heart the dream of Pope Francis for a better future. As the Holy Father teaches: “Without the Spirit, there is no synod. And without prayerful listening and discernment of spirits, we cannot be the mission Church we are called to be as a result of our Baptism.”
By the grace of the Holy Spirit, may our Blessed Mother Mary, St. Augustine, our patron, and all the saints, walk with us on the synodal journey we have begun!
Faithfully yours in Christ,
Most Reverend Paul J. Bradley
Bishop of Kalamazoo
|
|
|
Now Available: Bishop’s latest Pastoral Letter in booklet form & accompanying Study Guide
Printed copies of Bishop Bradley’s pastoral letter now available! Included in the printed version is a Study Guide and a list of suggested activities for the Gifts and Fruits of the Holy Spirit (see pages 30-34). Limited quantities are being sent to the Parishes. To request a mailed copy, please contact: OfficeofCommunications@diokzoo.org . To read online or download your own copy click on the following links: English version or Spanish version. You can also listen to the audio version, read by Bishop Bradley here.
The Study Guide for the Bishop's Pastoral Letter is also available as a stand-alone document. To access a PDF of this document, please use this link.
|
|
|
U.S. Bishops to Meet in Baltimore Nov. 15-18; Will Address Action Items; Assembly to be Live-Streamed and Live-Tweeted
This month bishops from across the United States will gather in-person for the first time in two years for the 2021 Fall General Assembly. I share with you the information below from the USCCB so you have a sense of the agenda and items for discussion. As you might remember there was significant media coverage on the last meeting – centered on the Eucharist – and, sadly, much misinformation on the intention and content of the proposed document. I include for your reference as a reminder my Letter to the Faithful and my video message. I’m excited for the opportunities we have ahead of us with the Eucharistic Revival plan and will share more details on that in the coming months. --Bishop Bradley
WASHINTON - The assembly will begin with an address by the Papal Nuncio, followed by an address from Archbishop José H. Gomez of Los Angeles, president of the USCCB, reports to the bishops from the National Advisory Council, discussions and votes on various topics, as well as consultation of the bishops on causes of beatification and canonization for Servant of God Charlene Marie Richard and Servant of God Auguste Robert Pelafigue.
Public sessions of general assembly discussions and votes will be livestreamed here, and news updates, vote totals, texts of addresses and presentations and other materials will be posted to this page. Those wishing to follow the meeting on social media can use the hashtag #USCCB21 and follow on Twitter (@USCCB) as well as on Facebook and Instagram.
The full news release from USCCB about this general assembly can be found at this link.
|
|
The Home Heating Assistance Program provides up to $300 per household to anyone in need residing within the nine counties of the Diocese of Kalamazoo (Allegan, Barry, Berrien, Branch, Calhoun, Cass, Kalamazoo, St Joseph, and Van Buren counties). The program helps households defray heating expenses and obtain heating resources January through March.
In 2021, the program aided 194 households in our community, impacting over 500 individuals and keeping them warm through a cold winter. The Home Heating Assistance Program is generously funded through a special collection taken in November -- with funds contributed from more than 50 parishes and missions across the Diocese of Kalamazoo. This year's collection will be on November 20-21, 2021 or donate online at this link.
Volunteers at Catholic Charities, the parishes, and partnering organizations administer the program to maximize its impact. Parishes may keep 20% of the funds collected for local use, serving the poor and vulnerable. The remaining 80% is contributed to the program and given out to families in need. Please consider giving generously to support our brothers and sisters through the cold winter months ahead.
|
|
Despite Support for Policies Uplifting Common Good, Abortion Funding in Build Back Better Act Must be Remedied
As the U.S. House of Representatives prepares to consider the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Build Back Better Act, six bishop chairmen of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) have written a letter to Congress on the legislation.
In the letter, the bishops outline their support for provisions within the Build Back Better Act that would strengthen the social safety net, support workers and families, increase affordable housing, provide affordable healthcare coverage, and protect the environment. They also ask Congress to include provisions in the bill that would provide for the full integration of undocumented persons into American society by legalizing their status and providing them with a pathway to citizenship.
At the same time, the bishops express concerns, including with provisions that could effectively exclude faith-based providers from childcare and pre-K programs, and they insist that the fundamental problem of expanded taxpayer funding of abortion in the Build Back Better Act must be remedied before the bill moves forward.
The full letter to Congress is available here.
Prior to this letter, USCCB chairmen sent the following letters to Congress on infrastructure and budget reconciliation legislation:
|
|
A Message from Pope Francis: Words of Challenge and Hope
Celebrating a Synod means walking together on the same road. Let us look at Jesus in his encounter with “the rich young man” (Mt 19:16–26). First, he encounters the rich man on the road; he then listens to his questions, and finally, he helps him discern what he must do to inherit eternal life. Encounter, listen and discern. I would like to reflect on these three verbs that characterize the Synod.
The first is encounter. The Gospel passage begins by speaking of an encounter. A man comes up to Jesus and kneels down before him, asking him a crucial question: “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” (v. 17). So important a question requires attention, time, willingness to encounter others and sensitivity to what troubles them.
The Lord does not stand aloof; he does not appear annoyed or disturbed. Instead, he is completely present to this person. He is open to encounter. Nothing leaves Jesus indifferent; everything is of concern to him. Encountering faces, meeting eyes, sharing each individual’s history. That is the closeness that Jesus embodies. He knows that someone’s life can be changed by a single encounter. The Gospel is full of such encounters with Christ, encounters that uplift and bring healing. Jesus did not hurry along or keep looking at his watch to get the meeting over. He was always at the service of the person he was with, listening to what he or she had to say.
As we initiate this process, we too are called to become experts in the art of encounter. Not so much by organizing events or theorizing about problems, as in taking time to encounter the Lord and one another. Time to devote to prayer and to adoration – that form of prayer that we so often neglect – devoting time to adoration and to hearing what the Spirit wants to say to the Church. Time to look others in the eye and listen to what they have to say, to build rapport, to be sensitive to the questions of our sisters and brothers, to let ourselves be enriched by the variety of charisms, vocations and ministries. Every encounter – as we know – calls for openness, courage and a willingness to let ourselves be challenged by the presence and the stories of others.
A selection from the homily of Pope Francis for the opening Mass of the Synod on Synodality, October 10, 2021
|
|
My Prayer for You
May we walk together on our synodal journey, confident that the Holy Spirit is our sure and steady guide every step of the way. Amen.
Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your Faithful and enkindle within us the Fire of Your Love!
+Paul J. Bradley
|
|
|
|
|
