Opening of The Synodal Pathway for Dromore Diocese.  

The Vigil Mass in Newry Cathedral on Saturday 16 October was celebrated by Archbishop Eamon Martin. The special celebration of the Mass launched the journey on the Synodal Pathway for the Diocese of Dromore.

Pope Francis called for the Synodal pathway to begin in every Diocese across the world last weekend. The address he gave to the faithful of Rome earlier that week highlights the importance of ‘mutual listening’ and that this will be at the heart of the Synodal process throughout the Church and beyond the boundaries of our Churches.

What is a Synod?

The word “synod” evokes the image of “walking together on the way”.  For the Church it is a time-honoured way of working out together the “navigation map” for the Church at particular times.  Synodality is about the whole People of God helping each other listen to what the Holy Spirit is saying to the Church.

The next two years (2021-2023) will be a period of prayer, listening and discernment, involving an international consultative conversation on the theme: “For a Synodal Church: communion, participation and mission”. This will allow individuals and parishes, religious orders and associations as well as groups, movements and organisations, both within the Church and in Irish society at large, to share their insights into the Church in Ireland – past, present and future.

At the Mass the Dromore Diocesan Synodal Core Group were present as well as representatives from across the 22 parishes of the Diocese. Paula Jordan and Lynn Laverty represented Tullylish Parish and Archbishop Martin commissioned the Core Group at the Mass. The Dromore Diocesan Synodal Core Group have been meeting since the summer and have been tasked with finding ways to engage and listen to Catholics from across our Diocese over the coming weeks and months.

Click above to watch the Mass from Newry Cathedral for the Opening of the Synodal Process

Synod Prayer

We stand before You, Holy Spirit,
as we gather together in Your name.
With You alone to guide us,
make Yourself at home in our hearts;
Teach us the way we must go
and how we are to pursue it.
We are weak and sinful;
do not let us promote disorder.
Do not let ignorance lead us down the wrong path nor partiality influence our actions.
Let us find in You our unity
so that we may journey together to eternal life and not stray from the way of truth
and what is right.
All this we ask of You,
who are at work in every place and time,
in the communion of the Father and the Son, forever and ever. Amen.