Synod 21-23
For a synodal Church
communion - participation -mission
Sunday 5 November 23
Synod Report:
Sunday 29 October 23
Letter from the General Assembly to the People of God at the conclusion of the Synod in Rome. Read here.
October 23
General Assembly takes place in Rome .
Sunday 13 November 22
Working Document for the Continental Stage.
Sunday 24 July 22
Seeking our Hearts' Desire A Reflection from the Bishops of England and Wales following the compilation of the Synodal National Synthesis Document
Seeking our Hearts' Desire Full text.
Sunday 3 July 22
Vatican News report on the National Synod Day and interview with Fionnuala.
Sunday 26 June 22
Synod 21-23 National Synthesis
Message from Louise & Gerard
In the narthex
Copies of the National Synthesis
Copies of the Message from Louise and Gerard given at Masses this weekend.
Sunday 15 May 22
In the narthex
Copies of the May Hallam News which contains the summary of the Hallam Diocese response are now available.
Also available: easier to read, large print copies.
Sunday 8 May 22
St William's Parish
Hallam Diocese
Sunday 23 January 22
In the narthex
Individual response forms
This is the same form as the one sent out with the Christmas card in Advent.Listening Church surveys
This is a public opinion survey which you can fill in as well as the parish individual response form.Synod Response Box
You can post your individual response form and your listening church survey into the box.
Two parish meetings via Zoom
1. Thursday 27th January at 7pm
2. Sunday 30th January at 4pm
We will be given the opportunity to break out into little groups and explore the questions posed by Pope Francis.
Listening Church Survey online
The link is available here https://hallam-diocese.com/synod/ and then go to the "online survey" which is an option within the menu across the top of the page; this is suitable for anyone, so do share the link with anyone who might fill it in.
Sunday 16 January
Message from our Synod parish reps, Louise & Gerard
We are now approaching the last few weeks of our synod journey within our Parish. We are grateful to those who attended the meetings after Mass in December, and we know that many of you are engaging in preparing your individual and group responses. Thank you!
We have another two parish meetings organised and we would welcome your attendance. Because of the ongoing impact of COVID, these meetings will be via zoom, something that we have all become adept at using over the last 20 months or so, through participation in Mass and daily prayer and in seeing our families during lockdown. So we hope that as many of you as possible will join us.
These meetings will be on:
1. Thursday 27th January at 7pm
2. Sunday 30th January at 4pm
We will be given the opportunity to break out into little groups and explore the questions posed by Pope Francis.
Just a reminder that
individual and group responses are due by 6th February 2022
and can be posted or hand-delivered to the Parish office, emailed to office@stwilliamofyorksheffield.org.uk
or put into a box that will be available at Church after Mass from next weekend until 6th February 2022.
There is also the opportunity to respond directly to the diocese through an
online survey that has been set up.
The link is available here https://hallam-diocese.com/synod/ and then go to the "online survey" which is an option within the menu across the top of the page; this is suitable for anyone, so do share the link with anyone who might fill it in.
This is a "once in a lifetime" opportunity for us to let Pope Francis hear about our views and experiences and our relationship with the Catholic Church. We should all embrace this opportunity but also talk to our friends and neighbours, our children and those we know who might not attend any longer, so that full breadth of response is provided.
Thank you for your support, Gerard and Louise
Listening Church Survey
The online survey mentioned above is also available in the narthex to take home and fill in.
What do you want to say to Pope Francis?
For those who have not been able to join a listening group in their parish, there are three opportunities to join one of the Diocesan-wide events (either in-person or on-line):
22 January 10:00-12:30
Blessed Trinity, Wickersley, Rotherham5 February 10:00-12:30
All Saints Catholic High School, Sheffield19 February 10:00-12:30
St Peter’s Doncaster
Participants will need to register to join by visiting the Eventbrite page and choosing the event they want to attend: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/diocese-of-hallam-synod-38169347133
Sunday 12 December
The parish responses deadline is now Sunday 6 February.
A helpful, short video providing guidance about discernment which might be useful as we pray and listen and discern our responses to Pope Francis’s questions.
An invitation to chat about the Synod - weekend of 11/12 December
In Person
We have an opportunity to come together in the Parish Centre over a cup of tea after Masses this weekend:
- after 5.30pm Mass -11th December
- after 9.30am Mass -12th December
- after 11am Mass -12th December
to have a chat and explore the process that we are now engaged in to provide our responses to the questions posed by Pope Francis.
It will take about 30 minutes of your time and will be an opportunity for you to raise any questions.
We hope to see you there!
Via Zoom
We are conscious that some might not want to participate in a face-to-face meeting, so we are also offering a zoom meeting on:
Sunday 12th December - 5.30pm.
(id: 816 3688 9603 pwd: 782189)
The zoom meeting link will be emailed out to those who receive the newsletter by email.
St William's Parish- Individuals
5 December 21
Individual information sheet
Individual response record
Each family on the parish register has been sent an information and response record sheet to enable as many as possible to participate in the synod process.
If you are a parishioner, did not receive a letter, and would like to receive future communications by post, email office@stwilliamofyorksheffield.org.uk.
St William's Parish Groups
28 November 2021
Parish Groups information sheet
Parish Groups response record
Parish Contacts
Louise Shield
Gerard Bonner
Contact via office@stwilliamofyorksheffield.org.uk
Synod Prayer
We stand before You, Holy Spirit,
as we gather together in Your name.
With You alone to guide us,
make Yourself at home in our hearts;
Teach us the way we must go
and how we are to pursue it.
We are weak and sinful;
do not let us promote disorder.
Do not let ignorance lead us down the wrong path
nor partiality influence our actions.
Let us find in You our unity
so that we may journey together to eternal life
and not stray from the way of truth
and what is right.
All this we ask of You,
who are at work in every place and time,
in the communion of the Father and the Son,
forever and ever.
Amen.
Parish Resources
31 October 2021
Synod 21-23 Parish leaflet
There is a brief explanation to the Synod here
Pastoral Letter on the Synod 10 Oct 21
The Synodal Process explained
Austen Ivereigh Talks
Austen Ivereigh, talks on The synod on synodality: why it matters
Austen Ivereigh, talks on Pope Francis' vision for a synodal church.
Support the Synod in prayer
The Vatican has launched a website and smartphone app to help Catholics pray for the success of the two-year process culminating in the 2023 synod on synodality.
At prayforthesynod.va, Catholics can find information in English, Spanish, and other languages about how to support the synod through prayer.
The Click To Pray app connects Catholics to a global network to share prayer intentions via their smartphones — and will be another way to pray with others during the synodal process. The Click To Pray network has a website and is present on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
Full CNA news report here.
24 October 2021
Report on the Opening Liturgy in St Marie's Cathedral on 17 October
It was a joy to come together to begin our Synod journey. We listened to inspiring personal testimonies of individuals’ witness to faith. We received a candle to light, to represent the flame of the Holy Spirit when we meet in groups in due course. Our first meeting as representatives will take on 22nd October, after which we hope to have clarity as to how we move forward in our parish. Let us pray for the Holy Spirit to bring us wisdom and discernment as we meet together.
View the Opening Liturgy here
Opening Liturgy service booklet
Unpacking the meaning of synodality
A 20 minute conversation from bishops’ conference.
https://youtu.be/JFvfixE07iY
Further information from synod@hallam-diocese.com
As the two-year global consultation process leading to the 2023 Synod begins, Venezuelan theologian Rafael Luciani highlights the importance of this epochal event for the Church and the contribution of theologians. Read all here.
Diocese of Hallam Resources
Leaflet to help in Synodal conversations
Synodal Smaller Steps
Question 1:
What are your experiences of ‘journeying together’ as Church in your diocese, your parish, for you personally? What joys, difficulties, wounds have you encountered?
Question 2:
What is the Holy Spirit saying to you through those experiences? And what steps is the Spirit inviting you to take in order for the Church to grow as a synodal Church?
Synod Working Group Meeting 1
Useful Links
Diocese of Hallam Synod Webpage
Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales
Preparatory Document and accompanying Vademecum
Diocesan Co-Ordinators
Fionnuala Frances
Kevan Grady
Contact via synod@hallam-diocese.com