Diocesan Commission
Chair
Helen Osman
573.635.9127, ext. 232
512.785.3006
Director of Intercultural
and Marriage Ministries
Deacon Enrique Castro
Women's Ministry Coordinator
Barn Prasad
Canonist
Ben Roodhouse
Delegate for Religious
Sr. Kathleen Wegman, SSND
2207 West Main St
Jefferson City, MO 65110
For a Synodal Church
In October 2021 Pope Francis called the Catholic Church into Synod.
A Synod is a gathering of the faithful in order to listen to what the Holy Spirit is saying to the Church and asking her to be and to do. This gathering can involve the faithful in different ways: pastors with lay people, bishops with the other ordained ministries, pope with bishops, etc.
This process … is an exercise of mutual listening, conducted at all levels of the Church and involving the entire People of God. The Cardinal Vicar, the auxiliary bishops, priests, religious and laity have to listen to one another, and then to everyone else. Listening, speaking and listening. It is not about garnering opinions, not a survey, but a matter of listening to the Holy Spirit, as we read in the book of Revelation: 'Whoever has ears should listen to what the Spirit says to the churches' (2:7).
Pope Francis, Address to the Faithful of the Diocese of Rome, 18 September 2021
Diocesan report
In the first phase of this two-year process, dioceses around the world were asked to gather people to listen to one another and the Holy Spirit. Diocesan reports are being gathered to regional and national conferences, and will be provided to the Holy See.
Our diocesan report includes a cover letter from Bishop Shawn McKnight and the report itself.
… “The rural character of our diocese deserves recognition in our discernment of where we go from here. Rural life treasures the farm as a unique place for the family to unite around a common purpose and the necessity of depending on each other.”
Read Bishop McKnight's statement on the diocesan synod report HERE“The listening sessions called for by the Holy See come in the midst of a movement already occurring in the Diocese of Jefferson City — a movement to a stewardship way of life and ongoing, intentional pastoral planning to encourage the laity and clergy to engage in a co-responsible manner, which will build our parishes’ capacity as centers of charity and sanctuaries of mercy.”
Read the synthesis report HERE
LEARN MORE
Listening sessions yield report for international Synod
Catholic church begins worldwide synod - Jefferson City News Tribune, Jan. 9, 2022
Visit the Vatican's site to learn more about this two-year journey (2021-2023) of reflection and sharing for the future of the Catholic Church.