By Noëlle M.
There is a deep, profound joy to be found being vulnerable before Christ.
This was one of my most impactful takeaways from participating in the Franciscan Synod at Mount Saint Francis in Cochrane, Alberta this past weekend.
This gathering marked the first time that lay people had been invited to join the Franciscan Holy Spirit Province in synodal discernment. Lay and consecrated men and women, totaling 49 of us from across Canada, gathered to discuss where the Spirit was leading the Church and just what exactly “synodal church” means to us.
By filling our day with prayer and being intentional with our discussions, we cultivated an atmosphere of welcome that inspired people – many of whom had just met for the first time – to share thoughts and opinions from the deepest reaches of their hearts.
I was starkly taken aback by the depth of sharing that everyone engaged in, and I was overwhelmed by the love that the rest of the group showed in response. From sexual orientations, to addictions, to childhood traumas and fears, our conversations reached every conceivable topic, and from there, our conversations wove our life experiences into our perceptions of our faith and church.
Focusing on the theme of “Rebuild My Church!”, we reflected on three topics over the weekend. First, Charism: where we were in our own personal faith journeys? Where and how do we hear God’s voice? Second, Communion: What does it mean to be a synodal church? Where are we going – individually and collectively? And third, Mission: What is our vision for the Church, and where do we see the church and the Holy Spirit calling us to go?
Some thoughts were idealistic, while others were concrete; and while we did not agree on everything, we did reach some kind of agreement on all topics through prayer and discussion.
While our day was filled with prayer, Mass, and discussion, our evenings were left open for fellowship. The Franciscans are well known for their sense of devoted fraternity, and they spared no effort in welcoming us with open arms, loving hearts, and don’t forget the nature walks, board games, karaoke, and plenty of snacks!
On our last day in a large circle, we shared what we were taking away from our experience and what we were grateful for. The most resounding sense of gratitude was for each other, but also for our experiences this past weekend, our trust in each other, our love for our Church, and our one true Faith.
It was through our vulnerability before each other and our vulnerability before Christ that we realized we are intrinsically to each other’s journey of walking together in the Church. Together, we lived firsthand the Synod church we had imagined in our discussion groups, and we left feeling empowered to bring our new perspectives to our own home parishes.
This synod was transformative in our understanding of what we are called to do as a church. We are called to be inclusive missionaries of Christ. We are all distinct voices blended into the symphony of the Gospel composed by Christ.
I am so thankful to have been invited to participate in this synod and to all those who organized it. I am grateful for the friends I made, and for all the laughter, tears, and love we all experienced this weekend. Most importantly, I am thankful to my God who saves, and my God who loves.
Veni Spiritus Sanctus.