About fifty delegates (bishops, priests, men and women religious, laymen and laywomen) from all the dioceses of Rwanda met from 2 to 6 March in Mbare to reflect together on ‘how can we become more and more a synodal Church in mission in Rwanda, starting from the orientations proposed by the synodal path?’.
Accepting the invitation of Pope Francis, Mgr Edouard Sinayobye, Bishop of Cyangugu and member of the Assembly, organised this ‘school of synodality’ so that the participants could deepen, starting from the Final Document, some key themes that emerged in the synod process, and experience the synodal style of listening and discernment also through ample time dedicated to Lectio Divina.
“The synod process in our dioceses has been welcomed and experienced as a kairos, a time of grace and renewal,’ said Mgr Sinayobye. ‘The Church of Christ that is in Rwanda thirsts for communion and unity, and really wants to walk together, taking care of everyone. Together with my brother bishops, we have convened this assembly to form true ‘missionaries of synodality’ in our Christian communities, and for this shared journey to become a style of ecclesial life. This session was itself an authentic synodal experience: a time of mutual listening and community discernment to understand, in the light of the guidelines of the Synod’s Final Document, where the Holy Spirit is leading the Church in Rwanda”.
The meeting, promoted by the Rwandan Bishops’ Conference, was attended by Fr Giacomo Costa, SJ, Consultor of the General Secretariat of the Synod, who facilitated the proceedings and offered some interventions aimed at training participants in a synodal style.
“Aware that the implementation phase of the Synod must be based on what has already been tried and tested, and make the most of the fruits that have emerged, the work began by tracing the synodal journey to date,” recalled Father Giacomo Costa SJ. ‘I was able to appreciate the enormous amount of work carried out during the listening phase by the Rwandan diocesan synod teams, who committed themselves to involving everyone, even those furthest from the communities. Their role has been fundamental and will continue to be so in this phase of the synodal journey. Many shared the many expectations of the faithful who actively participated in the listening phase and who are waiting for answers. In this sense, it became clear during the works that the heart of the implementation process is not limited to transmitting the content of a document or providing solutions to be applied, but rather that it is a matter of providing an experience, capable of making people perceive the beauty of walking together and the transformative power of listening to one another. Above all, it’s about becoming aware that every baptised person is responsible for the Church’s mission”.
In a message addressed to the participants, Cardinal Mario Grech recalled how “the Synod on Synodality is not over, indeed in many respects it is now embarking on its main phase”. The Final Document “has been handed over – or, in a certain sense, returned – to all the local Churches, precisely so that it can guide the third phase, that of implementation or reception”.
In fact, for the Secretary General of the General Secretariat of the Synod, “no document and no reform, in reality, can be truly incisive if they do not enter into the heart of the journey of the Churches, which are so different from each other in terms of history, culture, traditions, potential and challenges. The path of reception is thus, inevitably, a path of inculturation, a theme on which the Churches of Africa have always been at the forefront”.
Lastly, applauding the “authentically ecclesial” character of the Rwandan bishops‘ initiative, Cardinal Grech recalled how “synodality, before being a doctrine, is a style, a mentality, a culture: a style of Church in which the episcopal ministry itself, even in its irreplaceable centrality, is understood and exercised ‘together’ with the innumerable ministries and charisms that God bestows on his Church for the evangelisation of the world”.
That of the Rwandan Bishops’ Conference is one of the many initiatives implemented at various levels by local churches or church bodies. Some of these are presented on the website: www.SynodResources.org
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Synodus Episcoporum.
