Synodality in Scotland

Paddy Ferry has forwarded the following:

Bishops’ Conference of Scotland

The Catholic Church in Scotland has submitted its response to the Vatican following the call from Pope Francis in 2021 to participate in a two-year process called “a synod on synodality,” which will inform discernment in the coming year on the life and priorities of the Universal Church.

Each diocese in Scotland participated in the Synodal process, while efforts were made to engage pastorally beyond diocesan and parish boundaries, through Prison Chaplaincies, schools etc.

Meetings and events held across the country, reported a post-pandemic climate of faith, with the final document describing “the first shoots of new ecclesial life”. Parishes and communities, unable to celebrate Mass and the Sacraments together in person, have discovered new ways of being parish, whether in online celebrations, reaching out to the most vulnerable members of their communities, providing foodbanks etc. For the first-time new volunteers have become involved in the daily parish life, while a new ministry of welcome was instituted in many parishes.

There is a determination to improve lay participation in the life of the Church and reach out to those who may have felt rejected in the past.

You can read the Bishops’ Conference final document here: https://www.bcos.org.uk/Resources