In recent interviews with Tara Perks, from the Archdiocese of Perth in Australia, Rev Professor Eamonn Conway (pictured) likened the Synodal Process of listening and discerning to that of eavesdropping on God’s conversation with God’s people.
Father Conway, a priest of the Archdiocese of Tuam, and formerly Head of the Theology and Religious Studies at Mary Immaculate College in Limerick, is currently the Professor of Integral Human Development in the School of Philosophy & Theology at the University of Notre Dame in Australia, and one of the expert theologians appointed to assist the Holy Father at the forthcoming assembly of the Synod in Rome this October.
When asked how we could link the Synodal Process to the establishment (or re-establishment) of pastoral councils, Father Conway said we have a lot of tools in our toolkit with the whole emphasis on Synodality but how we adopt the synodal style in the life of the Church at local level will be where it matters. He went on to say that, “it’s not all about the big councils that happen every so often or the larger gatherings. It is more about how it’s happening in the lives of our parishes and our local communities … it would be incongruous if the pastoral council did not reflect a Synodal style and therefore reflect a process of listening intently with the ear of the heart where people felt free to speak courageously, and would be respected.”
Both interviews with Father Eamonn Conway are available on the homepage of synod.ie or from the Synodal Pathway’s YouTube channel here: Video
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