Category Archives: Synod

Synodality – Spirituality and Conversion

Having worked in parish ministry, I conclude that the deficiency in human formation, especially regarding relationship building, contributes significantly to the anaemic growth and development of parish life, as well as the virus of unresolved conflicts. In tandem with this deficit is the disproportionate investment in spiritual formation as against human formation. This lopsided investmentContinue reading “Synodality – Spirituality and Conversion”

Synodality – Call for Caution

As I measure the pulse of the synodal journey throughout the Antilles Episcopal Conference’s geographic region, I sense grave anxiety and urgency to shift into implementation gear. Based on the parish and diocesan syntheses, pastoral leaders have listed common themes, and have invited parishioners and parishes to identify two or three priority areas for implementation.Continue reading “Synodality – Call for Caution”

Synodality – Listening to Voice of Creation

The theme of the 5th Annual St. Francis Canticle Award Ceremony for children and schools, organized by the Franciscan Institute, was “Listen to the Voice of Creation.”  What is meant by “Listen to the Voice of Creation?” Listening is used as a metaphor for awareness. The voice is a metaphor for communicating messages about situationsContinue reading “Synodality – Listening to Voice of Creation”

Synodal Preparation

Life is like a marathon race or a mountainous hike. It tests our spiritual, physical, emotional, and social competencies. There are overflowing and overwhelming surprises, creating disruption, dislocation, and disequilibrium, leaving us with bruises and scars – some visible, others invisible – and sometimes exiling us.  We see and encounter the wounded soldiers of lifeContinue reading “Synodal Preparation”

Synodality – Graced Journey

I have vivid memories of my first road trip to the Cumana Retreat House of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Cluny, Cumana, Trinidad and Tobago. I was generously gifted with clear instructions to locate it. “Pay keen attention to the concrete milestones along the roadway. The most important one is milestone number 33.5”. DrivingContinue reading “Synodality – Graced Journey”

Synodality – Historical Listening and Kairos

In a group conversation during the synod retreat for the clergy of the Archdiocese of Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago two concepts and insights related to the synodal journey emerged.  The first is historical listening. This type of listening is an awareness of the historical wisdom of the Church that it passes on throughContinue reading “Synodality – Historical Listening and Kairos”

Synodality and Trust

Writing in The Sunday Gleaner, September 25, 2022, Cedric Stephens remarks on the trust deficit as a big problem in Caribbean and Latin American societies. His source is the 2022 book published by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) entitled Trust: The Key to Social Cohesion and Growth in Latin America and The Caribbean.  Quoting theContinue reading “Synodality and Trust”

Building a Synodal Church

In building magnificent engineering structures such as bridges, skyscrapers, ocean liners, and bullet trains, human beings have learnt and applied some fundamental lessons. One such basic lesson is that development is a painstakingly slow-moving process devoid of shortcuts. Furthermore, the journey towards completion entails challenges that, once embraced, stimulate creativity and innovation.  Throughout history we’veContinue reading “Building a Synodal Church”

Synodality – Individual’s Contribution to the Whole

The heart is used metaphorically as the centre. For example, a son or daughter is referred to as the heartbeat of parents.  The rhythm of the heart indicates the quality of our overall health. By using a stethoscope, medical doctors listen to the heartbeat. Positioning it in their ears, the stethoscope drowns out external noiseContinue reading “Synodality – Individual’s Contribution to the Whole”