Over the next several weeks, the San Diego Diocese will be analyzing the information the parishes submitted after they held their synod sessions in March. Meanwhile, the sessions for young people continue through mid-June at parishes and schools.
Experts from two local universities are assisting the diocese’s synod team to summarize the findings submitted by the parishes in a report for Bishop Robert McElroy. He said he plans to share it with the faithful in the months to come.
The report also will be sent to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, which will submit a report of its own to the Vatican summarizing all dioceses’ findings.
At schools and parishes, meanwhile, principals and faith-formation directors had a variety of age-appropriate formats available to them to engage their students in the synod process. Some opted to hold sessions using the listening-circle model used by the parishes, while others invited students to share their experiences in creative ways, such as through drawing or writing.
St. Charles School in South Bay held eight synod sessions for its students in fifth to eighth grades, from March 28 to April 4, said Sylvia Benning, the principal.
The school used the circle format, with 8 to 10 students per group. The week before the sessions, the teachers introduced the concept of the synod.
“They stressed how special it was that our pope wanted to hear from our students,” she said.
“I wish I could say that students shared freely but that wasn’t our experience,” she said. “They were somewhat hesitant. As soon as one student passed on a question, many others passed or said they felt the same as what another student had already shared.”
One of the questions in the session asks participants to share a time when they felt joy in the Church. The principal said that this was the easiest question for the youngsters.
“For most, it revolved around receiving sacraments.”
The most challenging question was when the students had to share a time when they felt disappointment in the Church.
“My honest opinion was these students were too young to offer many insights,” she concluded. “However, I feel introducing the synod process and reasons behind it was of great importance….”
The above comes from an April 25 story in the Southern Cross, San Diego’s diocesan newpaper.
Unlike the archdiocese of San Francisco, where Catholic school students write of the value of human life or write to those in prison, in San Diego, they share their experiences through drawing and writing. They offer their valuable insights, envisioning the Church they would like to see, like a church that embraces gender fluidity, includes all in Communion, disregards marriage and has no homework. Great.
Sometimes when I think the Bay Area is too insane, I see something that reminds me that at least I don’t live in the Diocese of San Diego.
When the Arian heresy or the Protestant “Reformation” were raging, Saints managed to be the adults in the room, defend the truth and teach it to children.
I love children, but are you going to follow their financial or medical advice?
Our Faith is more important than our finances or physical health.
Unlike the archdiocese of San Francisco, where Catholic school students write of the value of human life or write to those in prison, in San Diego, they share their experiences through drawing and writing. They offer their valuable insights, envisioning the Church they would like to see, like a church that embraces gender fluidity, includes all in Communion, disregards marriage and has no homework. Great.
Sometimes when I think the Bay Area is too insane, I see something that reminds me that at least I don’t live in the Diocese of San Diego.
When the Arian heresy or the Protestant “Reformation” were raging, Saints managed to be the adults in the room, defend the truth and teach it to children.
I love children, but are you going to follow their financial or medical advice?
Our Faith is more important than our finances or physical health.
Look up the Delphi Method. The outcome is already determined, and the synod’s final report has already been written. These sessions are purely for show.
I looked up the delphi method and a determined outcome before the conversations is not part of it. Are we reading about the same delphi method?
There are 176 archdioceses and dioceses in the US. Each diocesan synod will submit a 10 page ‘diocesan synthesis’ summarizing all of this. Plus any supporting visual attachments. If these kids get a single sentence for their trouble it will be a miracle. Not that introducing them to the way the Church can work is a bad thing, but it’s a little disingenuous to pretend for them that someone is actually listening to what they have to say. In the end they could just end up feeling patronized and lied to…
The main mistake these “educators” are making is that children have valuable opinions to offer. Students’ role is to learn at that age, not to contribute. Why don’t teachers understand that? Stop the sharing sessions and get on with memorization, reading, learning and test taking.
Wow, looks like attendance was standing room only. The synod is completely unnecessary. The Church has her Divine Mandate and it is unchangeable.
Going therefore, teach ye all nations: baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you. (Mark 16 19:20)
Didn’t you read in Vatican II where the laity have a dignity in the church? It’s not just about the prisets and bishops. Oh, I made a tipo, but I’m going to leave it because it’s the Holy Spirit guiding my fingers… instead of priests I typed prisets, as in presets. The church is not just abotu the presets. Thank you Holy Spirit for allowing me to teach people through you guiding my inspiride typos.
psychological child abuse
The Pope’s synods are all a big waste of time. And worse, they are flirtations with heresy and immorality. How will the Vatican use material from the heretical, immoral Cdl. Hollerich, the Relator General for this synod, and the German bishops, and Sister Jeannie Grammick— all of whom are staunch supporters of the LGBT agenda, and want to change the Catechism? And Catholic schoolchildren need to be given a good catechetical program in Catholic schools, worldwide! Involving children in this synod is too silly– they are way too young. I did not like the parish synod questionaire for adults– useless. We just picked out a pre-written answer to each question, from a given list — no place to write your own ideas.