St. Theresa Catholic Church

"Our Lord has given me the grace to face everything."
- St. Theresa

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Synod 2021-2023

Sunod Logo Inglese

 

Synod Prayer

 

Parish Synod Notes

Parish Synod Listening Sessions Notes

The parish will have two listening sessions.

Tuesday, March 1 at 7:00 pm in the church

Thursday, March 3 at 7:00 pm on Zoom

Our Synod process will gather groups from our parishes, schools and Catholic organizations to prayerfully discern and explore our relationship with our church and our Lord Jesus Christ. After these listening sessions, responses will be collected, presented to Bishop Barber and sent to the Vatican. The final process will culminate in a gathering of bishops from throughout the world in 2023.
 
In responding to this question, we are invited to:
- Recall our experiences: What experiences of our local Church does this question call to mind?
- Re-read these experiences in greater depth: What joys did they bring? What difficulties and obstacles have they encountered? What wounds did they reveal? What insights have they elicited? 
- Gather the fruits to share: Where in these experiences does the voice of the Holy Spirit resound? What is the Spirit asking of us? What are the points to be confirmed, the prospects for change, the steps to be taken? Where do we register a consensus? What paths are opening up for our local Church?
 
Listening Session Questions
• How is “journeying together” happening in your local church or group, in carrying out the Church’s mission?
• What are the joys in carrying out journeying together? What helps or hinders us in this?
• What new paths is the Holy Spirit leading us to discern to grow in our journey together?
• How is the Holy Spirit inviting us to proclaim the message of Jesus Christ in today’s world?
 
In responding to these questions, it is helpful to remember that “journeying together” occurs in two deeply interconnected ways. First, we journey together with one another as the People of God. Next, we journey together as the People of God with the entire human family. These two perspectives enrich one another and are helpful for our common discernment towards deeper communion and more fruitful mission.

Synod Closing Liturgy Mass

Wednesday, June 8, 2022

Cathedral of Christ the Light

2121 Harrison Street

Oakland, CA

7:00 pm.

Our Holy Father Pope Francis has invited the Catholic Church to embark on a journey together. Through listening and discernment rooted in the Holy Spirit, the entire people of God will be called to contribute to a process by which the Church deepens in understanding of Her mission and looks toward the future.

 

A Synod, which is the process by which the Church will begin this important work is not just a convening of Bishops reflecting on a particular topic and advising the Pope. A Synod is a journey of discernment, in which the people of God are called to pray and reflect upon the Holy Spirit’s will for the Church. Through our listening and our sharing, we will seek to understand what the Holy Spirit’s will is for the topic being discussed – and thus, for the Church.

 

For the 2023 Ordinary Synod of Bishops, that topic is synodality. Simply put, synodality is discerning how the Spirit is moving through and with the Body of Christ, so that we may continue to fulfill our mission to evangelize in the world.

Vatican Synod Page