Reading the Final Document Together Episode Two: The Conversion of Relationships with Prof Anna Rowlands

Mission and ministry in a changing world  

Welcome the School for Synodality’s second podcast series: Reading the Final Document Together.

In this second of six episodes, Dr Avril Baigent, one of the Directors of School for Synodality and a facilitator in Rome during October 2024, is in conversation with  Professor Anna Rowlands to discuss how in rediscovering our true nature and purpose, we can shift the perspective on challenges the Church faces, “re-rooting us in a language and economy of gift, of abundance, of cooperation and of communion”.  

The Final Document was written by the 350 delegates of the16th ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, a month-long meeting in October 2024 of cardinals, bishops, Religious and lay men and women from around the world. It was the culmination of an extraordinary three-year global listening process. In the closing moments of the assembly, Pope Francis took the document to form part of the ordinary teaching of the church.

The document is the fruit of the joys of these encounters, and can be downloaded for free via our website and in different languages on the Synod official website. In this series of six podcasts you are invited to join us as together we explore the Final Document, officially named For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation and Mission, and unpack its meaning so that we can begin to live out its fruits in our parishes, communities and wherever we are.  

The School for Synodality is an organisation supporting the synodal conversion of the Catholic Church. Through conversations, resources and programmes, we aim to enable an openness to the Holy Spirit with listening, sharing and discernment. The website has guides and resources for prayer, discernment, and parish practice including downloadable materials for Reimaging Parish Pastoral Councils, Small Group Resources for exploring the Final Document further and Conversation in the Spirit videos and workshops.   Sign up for our newsletter to keep up to date with our activities.

Episode 3: “The Conversion of Processes” Dr Avril Baigent talks to Dr Estela Padilla a Manila based theologian, Director of Bukal Ng Tipan, Executive Secretary of the Office of Theological Concerns at the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences and a voting member of the General Assembly of the Synod on Synodality,  Rome 2023 and 2024.  Estela will discuss the transformative capacity of healthy discernment, seeing how contextual approaches helps the gospel enter daily life as an “energy of hope”, and how synodal decision-making is “not based in a power structure, but a mission structure”.

Links

Podcast Episode 2: Transcript
Frascati document 'Enlarge the space of your tent'   
Instrumentum Laboris
The School for Synodality

Full list of episodes

1. The Heart of Synodality – Jos Moons SJ
2. The Conversion of Relationships – Professor Anna Rowlands
3. The Conversion of Processes – Dr Estela Padilla
4. The Conversion of Bonds – Professor Cathy Clifford
5. Forming a people for Missionary Discipleship – David McCallum SJ and Sandra Chaoul
6. A Feast for All peoples – what next for our Church? – Archbishop Jason Gordon