A synod for the Diocese of Fargo

With great joy I announce to you an important event in the life of our Church in the Diocese of Fargo. On Pentecost Sunday, June 5, 2022, in the Cathedral of St. Mary and in every parish of our diocese, I called the third synod of the Diocese of Fargo, the first such synod since 1951.

What is a synod, you might ask. The word “synod” comes from the Greek and signifies “walking together,” or taking a common road together. The Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us that a diocesan synod is “an assembly of priests and other members of Christ’s faithful who assist the bishop by offering advice about the needs of the diocese and by proposing legislation for him to enact.” A synod is not a legislature or a parliament where the Church’s teachings will be altered. It is a gathering of the faithful for prayerful discernment and consultation. You might recall that last year Pope Francis called for a Synod of Bishops, and asked every diocese to contribute input. This diocesan synod is distinct from that Synod of Bishops that will meet in Rome next year. Our diocesan synod, attuned to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, will deal more directly with the needs and mission of our own diocesan Church.

I believe we can all see that we are living in an era of change both in our world and in our culture.  Some of those changes are positive, and some of them are not. But in the face of those changes, the Church must come to a renewed understanding of her identity as a communion in Christ, the People of God, animated by the grace and gifts of the Holy Spirit. Our diocesan Church is one with the universal Church, and we share in the mission that Jesus gave to his apostles, to “go and make disciples of all nations.” Through this diocesan synod, we will gather in communion and charity to reflect upon the times in which we live, with all their opportunities and challenges. We will discern the grace of the Holy Spirit at work in our diocesan family, and we will accept once more the invitation of our Lord to proclaim the Good News of our faith to the world.

Our diocesan synod will involve a period of preparation and consultation with listening sessions to be held early next year throughout our diocese. I plan to be present for each of those sessions. During this time I will ask all of you to prayerfully consider the needs of our diocesan Church and the mission that has been entrusted to us. The final synodal assembly, which is planned for the spring of 2024, will include representation from all our parishes and organizations, our clergy, our consecrated religious, and the lay faithful. It is my hope that through an openness to the grace of the Holy Spirit and the fervent participation of our entire diocesan family, we will live more fully the life and mission that Jesus has given to his Church here in the Diocese of Fargo.

As with any great initiative in the life of the Church, this upcoming synod will be fruitless unless it is prepared for and supported by prayer. By now you may be aware that the Church throughout our nation began a national Eucharistic Revival on June 19, the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ. This was a special time of prayer and adoration in our diocese and in our parishes. And providentially this period of Eucharistic prayer will coincide with our own synodal preparation here in the Diocese of Fargo. This Revival will be an opportunity to re-dedicate ourselves to Christ in the Holy Eucharist and to reinvigorate our faith. With the grace of the Holy Spirit, it will help us to look more intently on the face of Jesus and receive him into our lives, not only as individuals, but also as a diocesan family. During this Revival, we will entrust the preparation and work of our diocesan synod in a special way to Jesus Christ, who offers himself to his Father and to us in every Mass, and who abides in every tabernacle with burning love for his Church and for every one of his people.

Dear brothers and sisters, we can be certain that the Holy Spirit is moving among us, touching our hearts and the hearts of many others as well. The Spirit sometimes comes quietly as a gentle breeze and sometimes like a powerful wind. The Holy Spirit is the bond of life and love between the Father and the Son, and he comes upon us so we might be one with them. I look forward to praying and journeying with you through our diocesan synod, and I beg the Holy Spirit to pour down his abundant blessing and grace upon this endeavor and on all the faithful of the Diocese of Fargo.