Resources to assist us in the diocesan synodal journey

In this section, we offer resources to assist you with the synodal meetings that you will be organizing as you consider how to contribute to the Missionary Transformation Project.  The resources in this section focus upon synodality or how we discern together under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

As a reminder, the synod questions and the proposed structure for synodal meetings are included in the Diocesan Handbook.

1. The Diocesan Road-building Prayer and the Adsumus

We recommend that the Diocesan Road-building Prayer be prayed at each Eucharistic celebration. In addition to bringing the graces necessary for the successful achievement of the Synod’s objectives, we hope it will inspire those who hear it to become involved in the Synod as well.

Adsumus and Missionary Transformation prayers (PDF)

 

2. Adaptation of the Diocesan Handbook - Spiritual Conversation Method

The Diocesan Handbook approach can be customized to the unique needs of communities and participants. In these two videos, learn about the spiritual conversation method. This method will support all parties involved in the synodal meeting in listening to the Holy Spirit, in speaking to the group, and in formulating responses to the synodal questions based on your group discussions.

Adaptations of the Diocesan Handbook approach should be used to elicit responses to the two fundamental questions of the synod and to initiate a reflection focused on at least one of the seven elements comprising the statement for a vision of hope.

Training Session #1 : Spiritual Conversation – PPT

 

Training Session #2 : Facilitating a synodal meeting – PPT

Printable Resources:

3. Adaptation of the Diocesan Handbook - Method for families
How can families participate in the synod? We have prepared a family guide that can be adapted to any family situation. It includes 4 themes to spark meaningful and prayerful conversations and an invitation to adopt a small gesture to grow together (“a call to action”). We have also prepared an introductory video, guides for prayer and for living the synod with young children, a visual aid for living the method of spiritual conversations in the family, and, lastly, insights from the Dicastery for Laity, Life and Family on how families are integral to the synodal process.

We invite you to share with us the comments, ideas and questions that emerge from these conversations by sending them to the Centre for Marriage, Life and Family (centredmvf@diocesemontreal.org) by May 23.

Resources:

4. Testimonies from four people whose lives are 'Announcing a Vision of Hope'

The statement ‘Announcing a Vision of Hope‘ is part of our local reality. These testimonies open up the dialogue, showing us how four people are putting the statement into practice in their own lives in service of the mission. The witnesses are quite diverse: a mother who is Director of the Office De Catéchèse du Québec, a mother who is Network Coordinator of the Montreal Archdiocese’s Social Action Office, a brother in a religious community who leads a youth movement dedicated to living together in accordance with the ideal of the first Christian community (Service de Préparation à la Vie), and a priest who is a Biblical scholar and parish pastor.

Coming Soon!

5. A Toolbox for social media, provided by the Vatican

This toolbox provides tips and examples to help communities promote their synodal journey through social media.

Download the PDF

6. Other Tools
  • Historical context of missionary transformation and the synod in our diocese
    • Why does the Archdiocese now have a statement ‘Announcing a Vision of Hope’? Where did this come from? How was it articulated? Who was consulted in its composition? How are the Diocesan Road-building project and the Synod on synodality related? How has the Diocesan Road-building project progressed so far?

      Synod Missionary Transformation and a Vision of Hope – PDF 

  • A summary of what was shared during the years of Seeing and Listening
    • This synthesis summarizes the ideas brought up during the diocesan meetings held in the course of the missionary shift that began in 2018. These ideas were then categorized according to the themes in the statement ‘Announcing a Vision of Hope.’

      Download the PDF

  • Demographic tools
    • Part of our synodal process involves questions about the people among whom the Spirit sends us forth. This document contains a list of different websites with statistics and demographic analyses of your environments. We have also included a demographic analysis of the entire Archdiocese of Montreal.

      Download the PDF

  • The Preparatory Document for the Synod on synodality, as provided by the Vatican
      • This Preparatory Document provides the various communities with elements for reflection on the topics of synodality and our society.

        Points 4 to 9 present an “outline of some significant aspects concerning the current context.”
        Points 10 to 15 summarize “basic theological references to facilitate understanding and proper practice of synodality.”
        Points 16 to 24 highlight “biblical passages to foster meditation and prayerful reflection along the synodal journey.”

        We would like to draw your attention to some points we consider to be the most helpful in this document; the remainder deal with the Synod’s questions on synodality. We have coupled the Synod on synodality with our local diocesan process, so it is important to refer to the Diocesan Handbook for a list of questions and some recommended types of approaches.

        Download the PDF

  • The Vademecum, provided by the Vatican
    • This Vademecum is primarily intended for dioceses. There may, however, be sections in the Roman Vademecum that may help you:

      Subchapter 1.2 explains what a Synod is;

      Chapter 2 sets out the principles of a synodal process;

      Subchapters 5.1 and 5.2 provide a methodology for living the synodal process. Appendix B recommends a method for organizing a synodal consultation meeting.

      The remainder of the points in this document deal with the Synod’s questions on synodality. We have coupled the Synod on synodality with our local diocesan process, so it is important to refer to the Diocesan Handbook for a list of questions and recommended types of approaches.

      Download the PDF