The Holy Father, Pope Francis has invited the entire Church to take part in preparing for a Synod of Bishops in Rome in October 2023. The Pope has asked the whole Church to take part in a Synodal Journey. The term “Synod” is derived from a Greek word meaning journeying together. The Pope invites us to recognise that the whole Church is on a journey together until the Lord comes again. At this time, we are asked to listen attentively to the Holy Spirit and to one another so that we can discern what God is asking of his Church as we journey together into the future.

This prayerful listening exercise is an invitation for people to come together to reflect on the life of the Church under three key headings:

Schools are a very important part of the life of the Church so it is essential that they contribute to this Synodal journey. Our Archdiocese has invited all schools to take part in listening exercises. On Wednesday 2nd March pupils representing all four Key stage 2 classes (Year 3 to 6) gathered together with the RE Coordinator Mrs Long and took part in a Synodal Journey Prayerful Listening Exercise. The children were very responsive and reflective and gave many thoughtful insights into questions about faith, mission and participating in the life of the Church. We have already sent our responses to the Diocese and are proud to be part of such an important process.