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Because of the recent rise in COVID-19 cases, we have received calls with concerns about gathering people together for listening sessions. In light of these concerns, we are extending the deadline for completing the listening sessions. We appreciate all of the efforts that you have made so far. We hope that additional time will help address the safety concerns and allow for greater participation. The extended timeline is as follows:
We have also created a simple recording of the Examen reflection. Facilitators may choose to play the video during the listening sessions instead of reading the Examen aloud. It can be found on our website along with the Facilitator Guide and additional resources for parishes, schools and Catholic organizations. The video will be available soon in Spanish.
Lastly, we have finalized the online Individual Participation Process. It will be posted on our website, dioceseofcleveland.org/synod, and we will be accepting responses from February 1 - March 31.
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Click on the image for the Examen reflection.
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New! Synod Facilitator Trainings
We have also received requests for additional training opportunities for facilitators. We will be offering two additional facilitator training sessions on Thursday, January 20, 2022 from 2 - 4 pm and 7 - 9 pm. Both trainings will be offered virtually, choose ONE.
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Frequently Asked Questions
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"Most of our ministry groups are not meeting at this time and I am not very techy. How should we organize our listening sessions?"
We understand that these are not the best circumstances for gathering together. However, we have created a process that is flexible and can be adapted. Think about the ways members of your community are already gathering - ministry groups, circles of family and friends, one-on-one conversations - and consider how you may be able to integrate the various resources provided. Remember that the groups should be small, only 5-7 people, and we are asking that a minimum of 30 people participate from each community. The most important thing is that we make an effort to listen to one another, especially to those we do not usually hear from.
Remember that the Synod process has two goals: 1) to listen to the People of God - as many people as we can reach; and 2) to share an experience of synodality. Also, this is not a one time event, but a way of being Church. Do the best you can with the resources you have and follow your local COVID guidelines to keep each other safe. Send us the information you are able to gather and know that you can repeat this process, or something similar, in your community at any time.
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"Our community has a number of activities already scheduled and I'm not sure that we have time to organize listening sessions."
We have extended the deadline until the end of March, which will give faith communities an additional two months to conduct the listening sessions. We set the deadline at the end of March so faith communities can focus their attention on Holy Week and Easter in April. Again, we encourage you to consider how you may be able to integrate the listening sessions with your already scheduled meetings and activities.
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"The timeframe of 2-2.5 hours per session seems like a lot. Is all that time necessary?"
It is possible to complete the listening session in less time depending on the option you have chosen to use and the number of people in the group. For example, we highly recommend using Option 1 but, if you are using Options 2 or 3, you can skip "Share and Listen, Round 1." Also, in some groups you may have folks that are more talkative than others. Just remind everyone that they are encouraged to share their thoughts, but they should be mindful of allowing others time to do the same and should just listen rather than commenting on what the other people in the group have said. Finally, be sure to allow time for silence in order to hear the Holy Spirit in the voices of the group.
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"What is more important - the process or the information being collected?"
The answer is both. The Diocesan Synthesis that we will submit to the USCCB will include information about the process - what we did, how it went, and what we learned - as well as the common themes that came up during the listening sessions and the emerging action steps that were recommended. We have provided a number of options and a variety of resources so that you may choose the most helpful tools to meet the needs of your community.
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"The process we are using for the listening sessions seems to be focused on the individual's personal experiences. Won't that lead to a lot of random topics?"
Maybe. The Lord works in mysterious ways. You never know what will come up during the conversations. However, one of the fundamental attitudes that we should exemplify during this process is the conviction that God is at work in the world. During the "Let's Share and Listen" step, we listen to one another and we listen to the Spirit. You may hear a number of different stories, but they represent the lived experience of the People of God. When the group moves into the next step, "Let's Think Locally", the group will take what they learned from the listening process and transform it into actionable steps that meet the expressed needs and concerns of the group.
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Ecumenical Dialogue
The dialogue between Christians of different confessions, united by one baptism, has a special place in the synodal journey. In preparation for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity on January 18 - 25, 2022, we have adapted the listening session for your use in dialogue with Christians of other traditions and denominations.
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