A DESIRE TO LISTEN

On Feb. 1, the Albany Diocese held its second webinar presentation discussing the Synod of Bishops on synodality initiative enacted by Pope Francis last fall. 

The presentation, “What is the Synod and Why Should I Care? Part 2: Walking & Listening Together,” dove deeper into what it means to listen - truly listen - to our brothers and sisters without judgment or bias, as well as what it means to be a Church where communion and participation are evident. 

David Amico, director of Lay Ministry and Parish Faith Formation, led over 100 attendees in an opening prayer over Zoom in the morning session (there was also an evening session at 7 p.m.) before diving into a brief summary of the previous diocesan webinar Jan. 25. 

The synod “is a way we are claiming and living our baptismal dignity,” Amico said, “and in doing so we are helping to create not another Church, but a different Church. We are embracing an opportunity for individual and communal conversation and spiritual growth.”

Amico added that “this path of synodality isn’t necessarily an easy one.”

“It sounds nice, but remember we are human beings, we’re broken and yet healed,” he added. “And so we are called to put our whole selves into this and to let go of things we need to let go of so the Church can be renewed.”

Amico focused on the need for Catholics to open their hearts and minds when having conversations about the future of the Catholic Church and the direction of our faith. 

“We have to have the desire to grow in our ability to walk together and listen to one another attentively,” Amico said. “We have to foster that desire to listen to one another respectfully and deeply, and we can’t do this on our own, we need the guidance of God and the power of the Holy Spirit with us.”

As a demonstration of this in Scripture, volunteers from the Zoom webinar, including Father Robert Longobucco, pastor of St. Kateri Tekakwitha Parish in Schenectady, helped in recounting the tale of the “Road to Emmaus” in the Gospel of Luke, where Jesus appears to two disciples after his crucifixion and resurrection.  

As Jesus is walking along with these men, he is seen as a part of their journey and conversations. He listens and is intrigued, and because of this, the disciples “have an openness to listen and to hear Jesus,” Amico added. 

Father Longobucco said this is how Jesus wants to be with us. 

“You tell the good news not because you're convinced of it, but because you’re being heard,” he said. “Being heard allows us to trust that when we speak others will hear us, and that will resonate in a place that people might not even recognize is in them. That’s why this is such a privileged opportunity for all this.”

“The journey to synodality and the journey to Emmaus teaches us we need to encounter others where they are because God is already there ahead of us,” Amico said. “God is already at work in someone’s heart, just like he was in the hearts of those two disciples. And in a more synodal Church, we can speak sincerely from the heart about our experience and we will be listened to fully. It’s about simply listening and listening with an openness to learn about one another.”

Ed Solomon, deacon at The Church of Saint Peter in Saratoga Springs, hoped that by opening up to others our own parishes and church communities will open as well. 

“When we get back to our parishes, we shrink. And wouldn’t it be really wonderful as part of our own teaching, to help people to realize that we are one holy, Catholic and apostolic Church because throughout the world we are in union with all Catholic churches,” Solomon said. “No matter what dome we sit under we are all part of one Church. I think if there were more of the spirit of universality of the Church, we could have more comfort being in other spaces, and we might prepare for the future a little better. 

“I think no matter what we do in this process it’s going to be challenging, just because it’s going to be different,” said Laura Countryman, head of Family Ministry and Lifelong Faith Formation for the Church of the Holy Spirit in East Greenbush. “We have to be ready to tweak it and to pivot, as we’ve been doing a lot of that in the last couple of years; to try things out but also give them a chance. It’ll be interesting.”

The final diocesan synod webinar - “Part 3: All the Baptized – Co-responsible for Mission.” - will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 8, at 10 a.m. or 7 p.m. For more information, please contact the Office of Lay Ministry and Parish Faith Formation by email or phone (518) 453-6670. To register visit: https://webapps.rcda.org/ParishFaithFormation/