By Most Rev Prakash Mallavarapu
Archbishop of Visakhapatnam
Our people in general hold the Church and the priests with high regard and respect, and do not easily question or make demands. Most of them are happy that they are given Holy Mass and other sacraments, and are available when they need to meet or invite the priest to their homes for some blessing or prayers or to share a meal.
Apart from such expectations, they are silent, so silent that it would appear as if they are indifferent to what is going on in the parish and they do not want to partake of any activities or events in the parish: Just go to the Church and go back home! Priest and a small number of regular helpers or volunteers or some people of goodwill are present at all the events and are ready to help the parish and life and activities go o
. But, what about the rest in the parish community? It is here that there is scope to promote “Communion, Participation, and Mission” in the parish community. Here, if the priests and their immediate collaborators do not listen and respond to the call to “Synodality and Synodal Church” in one’s parish and local communities, nothing new will happen in the parish. Listening to God and listening to the Church means accepting in good faith and in obedience try to follow the directions God and the Church give.
The Synodal process that is initiated wants the Church to be a Synodal Church where there is a lot of mutual listening, active participation in the life and mission of the Church, and where
there is participation and collaboration of all the sections! The structures provided by the laws and directions of the Church should be formed and it should be seen that they are functioning! It is perhaps always easy and of less trouble to work alone than working together with others. But, working alone or with few people would mean that a vast majority are not participating and are not involved. A journeying together demands change and adaptation, selflessness, respect and recognize others in the community, and to be generous to give what is due to others! Inclusion rather than exclusion, communion rather than isolation, sharing rather than appropriation for oneself should be desired and pursued!
It is feeling with and feeling for the church which should prompt the members to listen and follow the directions and instructions with a sense of being part of the Church, Universal, National, Regional and local level. After all, the Church keeps speaking to the members with a concern to fulfill the mission entrusted to her by the Lord. At the diocese level and parish level we should not have the attitude like, “ let the Church say what she wants to say, we will do what we want to do and how we want to do!”
Freedom given to the pastoral clergy and its collaborators is not for doing as one chooses to do according to what one wants or likes to do! In matters of Liturgy or pastoral care or administration of the diocese or parish or institution, handling finances and material goods of the church in all these we have to be with the Church and her directions or instructions utilizing all the God-given gifts, talents, and resources – human and material. With the present media facilities available, no one should say as an excuse, “I have not heard of that or I have not read or seen that and therefore, I have not thought about it in my parish. In these challenging times to be a good Catholic Community, bearing witness to Jesus Christ and His saving love, we have to be strong internally. For this, our Community, its faith, its piety, and its efforts to persevere in Christian faith, should be our strength. Our strength in the field of education, health care, and socio-economic programmes for the poor is not the same today as before because of the changes in the world and in our nation, and the changes in our Telugu region. Therefore, listening to the call of the Synod for being a Church in which there is “Communion, Participation, and Mission,” taking initiatives to be a listening
Church is very necessary, listening to God, listening to the Church Universal, and listening to one another! Diverse as we are in many ways, only a positive thinking and acting will
alone help us to be the Church in the locality where we are. Pastoral leadership and initiatives from the priests in the parishes and institutions are very crucial!
Conclusion: In the questionnaire that was sent to the parishes and others has three questions at the end. These need to be answered at the diocese, parish, and community level in the
given diocese. This will lead to reflection and action about the concrete initiatives that have to be taken by the parish or deanery or diocese in response to Synod 2021-2023, towards
a Synodal Church:
1. What are the best practices to journey together?
2. What are your concerns regarding Church?
3. What is your dream Church?