Bishop’s Message
Dear Fathers, Sisters and Brothers,
Greetings!
As the days of the diocesan synod in coming November at Holy Cross College, Nagercoil are drawing near, I wish to thank all of you, dear Fathers and parishioners, for your boundless cooperation and avid involvement in the synodal process. I am also much pleased to note that, in view of the forthcoming diocesan synod, the liturgical celebrations of five Sundays in the month of July and August along with the responses and feedback gathered from the people for the questionnaires given in our parishes went well. My sincere thanks go to the coordination teams at the diocesan, vicariate and parish levels, vicars forane and parish priests for the cooperation rendered at this important phase of the synodal process. It was not conducted in a couple of parishes, I am aware, owing to parochial feasts or some other genuine reasons. I wholeheartedly entreat the parish priests of these parishes to carry out the process without fail as early as possible in consultation with the diocesan coordination team. Let us realise the fact that the role of the parish priest is more vital to the diocesan synod!
Besides the guidelines already stipulated by our diocesan coordination team, I also would like to outline briefly a few steps, in the light of the Vademecum document of the Vatican, 2021 to be followed in the compiling and reporting stages of the synodal process which is underway in our diocese. Firstly, having gathered feedback, insights, and suggestions from the parishioners, especially of marginalized and underrepresented groups, the designated coordinator of the parish and the other members of the coordination team synthesize the feedback into a comprehensive report, highlighting key themes, concerns, and recommendations. Secondly, the synthesized report is submitted to the vicariate level, where it is combined with reports from other parishes. Thirdly, the vicar forane and the designated team synthesize the reports from all parishes of the vicariate, identifying common themes and concerns. Fourthly, the vicariate synthesis is submitted to the diocesan level, where reports from all the vicariates and other groups are combined. Finally, the designated team synthesizes all the reports received, identifying key themes and concerns. We know that the synodal process takes time and effort. But let us not forget that it is not the efficiency that matters along the journey, but rather effectiveness and engagement as the people of God.
Taking the above into account, I earnestly request all of you to follow the directions given by the diocesan coordination team. In this journey of our diocesan synod, I wish that all of us bear in mind, as Pope Francis emphasizes, “the Holy Spirit is the protagonist of the synod and primarily synodality is not about gathering opinions nor an inquiry but listening to the Holy Spirit.” He also reminds us that the synodal process becomes a truly spiritual and ecclesial undertaking only when we invoke and rely on the Holy Spirit; otherwise, it will be merely a human endeavour. Hence, the whole process must be followed in an atmosphere of prayer and discernment.
I believe that we have an important lesson to learn from the warning of the Holy Father because we may be also tempted at times to treat the synodal process merely a collection and synthesis of people’s opinions with the aim of bringing out a document for the future. In line with the Holy Father, I think that the primary purpose of the synod should not be a new and an additional document for the future, but rather this envisioned diocesan synod, I am convinced, must provide an opportunity for us, as the church of Kottar to discern together how to move forward as the People of God guided by the Holy Spirit on the path towards being a more synodal Church in the future. A synodal Church does not allow itself to be bogged down by internal politics or manipulated by people with agendas. Rather, a synodal Church is guided by the Holy Spirit. The only agenda of the synodal Church is to proclaim the Kingdom of God.
If so, becoming a synodal Church of Kottar means we, as a community of people who discern God’s will in things both great and small; who often realize our hearts burning within us as we encounter Christ in the breaking of the Word and the breaking of the bread; and that the experience of our communal fellowship would lead us to build bonds of unity among ourselves, as the body of Christ. Much more than a document, the outcome of the synod must be that there is no division based on caste and gender, no competition between disciples of Jesus, except the competition to love more deeply, to sacrifice more earnestly, and to serve more humbly like Jesus in the church of Kottar.
“Let us remember that the protagonist of the synodal journey is the Holy Spirit, not us. He alone teaches us to listen to God’s voice, individually and as the church” (Pope Francis, June 13, 2024).
May the Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church, accompany us on this journey, and help us to be open to the promptings of the Holy Spirit! (Pope Francis, Opening Address, Synod of Bishops, 2015). Wish you all a happy feast of Our Lady of Nativity!