Julieann Moran: Synodal Pathway Update
| Catching Up on the Synodal Journey: News, Reflections and Next Steps 🕊️ |
| Dear friends in faith, So much is happening in our Church these days, it feels like I’m constantly racing to keep up! Over the past weeks and months, the themes of synodality, renewal, youth, listening, and deeper co-responsibility have been surfacing again and again in diocesan initiatives, national assemblies, and theological reflections. All of this is building towards another major milestone on our journey: the upcoming pre-synodal assembly in Kilkenny on 18th October. Below is a roundup of recent articles and reflections – some you may have seen, others you might have missed – to help us all stay informed, engaged, and inspired as we prepare for this next chapter. |
| Dr Sheila Curran, RSM writes that the Synodal Pathway is God’s call to renewal – messy and challenging, but rooted in inclusion, listening to those on the margins, confronting injustice, and embracing diversity as the Spirit leads us into deeper communion and mission. Click to article |
| Bishop Michael Router how the Archdiocese of Armagh is preparing for its 2026 Congress on Youth, Family and Faith, a Spirit-led process of listening, prayer and discernment aimed at renewing parish life, empowering young people and families, and contributing to the Church’s wider synodal journey. Click to article |
| Julieann Moran highlights how the Pre-Synodal Assembly in Kilkenny (18 October) marks a pivotal step in Ireland’s Synodal Pathway, gathering voices from across the Church to discern seven key priorities of renewal, rooted in baptism, healing, inclusion, and shared mission. Click to article |
| Sarah Macdonald writes in The Tablet that ahead of October’s pre-synodal assembly in Kilkenny, the Irish Church invites all the baptised to reflect on women’s leadership, youth, healing, formation, and belonging as it charts pathways for renewal. Click to article |
| Fr Gerry O’Hanlon, SJ writes that the Church must address long-standing tensions around teaching, including the role of women, with honesty and courage rather than delay. He urges open theological dialogue as the Irish Synodal Pathway continues. Click to article |
| Sr Anne Codd, IPBVM writes that Religious Congregations and Missionary Societies are living out synodality as a ‘way of journeying together,’ integrating Vatican II’s vision with Pope Francis’ emphasis on shared mission and listening to the peripheries. Click to article |
| Sarah Macdonald also writes about Cardinal Mario Grech’s recent visit to Dublin. How the Cardinal’s talk (commemorating the centenary of Austin Flannery’s birth) focused on synodality being ‘essential’ in a polarised world. Click to article |