You have heard about the Synod that is taking place in our church. Synod means to journey together. Think of walking along a path while having a heart-to-heart discussion with companions. A synod is a gathering where participants spend time together, pray, talk and listen to each other, and discern ways to take action.

This is a Synod on synodality itself, a practical experience of how lay people and ordained can work together as the Church. The Synod will not result in changes to what our Church teaches. It may, however, result in changes in how each one of us participates in the mission of Jesus.

Pope Francis calls the Synod both a gift and a task. He said, “By journeying together and reflecting together on the journey that has been made, the Church will be able to learn through her experience which processes can help her to live communion, to achieve participation, to open herself to mission."

Your parish may have already held listening sessions as part of a Synod on Synodality. Participants learned guidelines for respectful communication and practiced freely sharing their joys and concerns about being a Catholic today. This Synod will finish in 2024, but our Church will continue to benefit from the improved communication skills we are learning.

Hold a Listening Session in Your Class. It is never too early to learn how to listen and discuss respectfully in a group. Train your students to be more effective disciples.

1. Explain about the Synod and how every person has an essential role in our Church.
2. Seat students in groups of 3-5.
3. Pray: “Jesus, we want to practice listening to others and sharing our ideas for be good disciples. Open our minds and hearts to learning something new today.”
4. Share ground rules for respectful dialogue: One person gives their response to the question while the others listen. After that speaker is finished, he or she invites another person to give their answer. That person then invites another to speak, until all have been heard. Everyone has a chance to speak without interruption.
5. Questions for dialogue:
   • In our class, how do we spend time together? How do we ensure no one is left out?
   • Why is it sometimes difficult to be a good listening?
   • How and when do you say what is important to us?
   • How do we help one another at school? How does our school help those in need?
   • How can we work together as a team in our classroom?
6. Afterward, ask group members to share a new or important idea they heard.

Seeing Ourselves as Disciples. Invite students to draw a picture of themselves being part of the Church, including some of the ideas they learned in their listening session.

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