A Synod Journey with the Holy Spirit
In 2021, the Archdiocese of Agana joined the Universal Church in answering a call by Pope Francis to embark on a journey of reflection, humility, dialogue and prayer guided by the Holy Spirit.
The pope had announced a process of reflection on the local diocesan level leading up to a meeting of the 16th Synod of Bishops to take place in Rome in October of 2023.
Our “Diocesan Phase of a Synod on Communion, Participation and Mission” commenced on Dec. 7, 2021 with Mass celebrated by then Archbishop Michael J. Byrnes at the Dulce Nombre de Maria Cathedral-Basilica.
The Synod journey of the Church expanded from the local and regional spheres to the worldwide level from Sept. 30 to Oct. 29, 2023 as representatives from all regions of the Catholic Church gathered in Rome for the XVI Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops.
The Synodal journey was an experience of prayer, a process of discernment seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit in the way forward to becoming a Synodal Church for mission.
“The whole experience is really an experience of prayer and a discernment process,” said Sister Angela Perez, RSM. “We engaged in a methodology called Conversation in the Spirit which entailed a lot of speaking, listening, being silent and praying -- all trying to discern through the guidance of the Holy Spirit what is the way forward as a Church in mission.”
A member of the archdiocese’s Curia and the Sisters of Mercy on Guam, Sister Mary Angela Perez, RSM was selected to participate as a member of Oceania in the General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops. Talking, discerning and praying alongside the Holy Father, bishops and numerous representatives from all areas of our Universal Church, Sister Angela took part in the Synod journey that now continues into the next phase.
ON OUR WEBSITE
The links below here at https://archagana.org/synod-info encompass documents, letters and information from both the regional process in our Church on Guam as well as the major General Assembly of Synod of Bishops in Rome. The very important document, A SYNODAL CHURCH IN MISSION Synthesis Report is included. Further updates are forthcoming.