SYNOD 2020

October 2020

Sunday October 18th marked a significant moment in the Synod 2020 journey. It was to have been the date of the Synod meeting itself. A new timetable has been issued. You can also collect a copy of the timetable at exits for both churches.

On Sunday, 18th October 2020, a Pastoral Message from Archbishop McMahon was read instead of the homily at all Masses. For those, not going to the Sunday Masses, please click here for the message.

Here is a list of each theme and how to respond to each theme.

Theme 1 - ALL CALLED AND GIFTED BY GOD

Online page only available between Saturday, October 24th 2020 and Saturday, October 31st 2020

Theme 2 - SHARING THE MISION OF JESUS

Online page only available between Saturday, October 31st4 2020 and Saturday, November 7th 2020

Theme 3 - HOW WE PRAY TOGETHER

Online page only available between Saturday, November 7th 2020 and Saturday, November 14th 2020

Theme 4 - BUILDING COMMUNITY, NURTURING BELONGING

Online page only available between Saturday, November 14th 2020 and Saturday, November 21st 2020

On November 21st, we are planning to enable all 4 forms to allow people to catch up on any that they have missed filling in. All forms will be closed on December 1st 2020.

Between now and the week beginning 7th December, parishioners will be asked each week to look at the proposals for each theme and indicate 5 proposals and  2 affirmations which people are most drawn to. The phrase most drawn to is used because we are asked to listen to our heart and the community of which we are part, and identify the proposals and ask ourselves ‘What am I most drawn to?’ Meetings are not able to take place and so we ask people to indicate online or in writing the proposals most important to them.

April and May 2020

Message from the Synod organising team: Fr Matthew Nunes, Fr Philip Inch, Matt Jeziorski, Jacqui O’Rourke

Dear friends,
In the light of the changes COVID-19 has brought to our lives, we reflect on the kind of Church God is calling us to be.

During these days of isolation and social distancing we are experiencing different ways of being Church. Our prayer and worship has become transformed as we gather remotely, online, from our own home. Our sense of community is challenged as we find creative and new ways of coming together to meet, to socialise, to work, or to check in on each other.

Today begins our extra period of reflection as we consider what our Synod can learn from the experience of living through these difficult and different times. We have produced a short film and a leaflet to help guide your reflection. Please use them and encourage others to reflect too as we continue to discern the Church God is calling us to be. If possible, share these on your personal and parish social media.

Visit our website (www.synod2020.org.uk), reflect on the materials, and submit your proposals for action. Proposals submission remains open.

News from March 2020

Theme 4:       Building community, nurturing belonging

Due to the Corona Virus, the Parish meeting on Monday 23rd March at St Timothy’s has been cancelled.

Reflection leaflets will be available this weekend (21st and 22nd March) in both churches and people are invited to present ideas for our parish proposals. Grateful thanks in advance . You can also access the questionnaire online.

News from February 2020

Theme 3: How we pray together.

If you are unable to attend the meeting on Monday 24th Feb (see below) we would still welcome your thoughts and a short questionnaire is available for that purpose as you leave Mass this weekend. Please complete and return it next week in the box provided as you attend Masses on 22nd & 23rd   February. Grateful thanks in advance . You can also access the questionnaire online. Print it and put the completed form in boxes provided at Masses on weekend 22nd/23rdFebruary

Meeting Monday Feb 24th at 7pn in St Timothy’s ALL WELCOME!

This is to discuss Theme 3 which is called How we Pray Together.

Prayer is meant to be an integral part of our lives as Catholics and in this Synod Theme we are asked to reflect on that. As with previous Themes we are inviting parishioners to attend our next meeting to consider how we pray together.

News from January 2020

 Theme 2: Sharing the Mission of Jesus

Thank you to all who came to the meeting on Monday 20th Jan and to all who have communicated their suggestions and proposals.

If you still have any proposals to offer please put them in the box provided at the back of our churches. These will be sent to the Synod Office for further consideration.

Meeting Monday 20th Jan at 7pm in St Timothy’s.  ALL WELCOME!

This was to discuss Theme 2 which is called Sharing the Mission of Jesus. Reflection leaflets are still available at the back of church giving a summary of the ideas which came up during the Listening Process, reflections from Scripture and the tradition of the Church and also questions which might enable us to make suitable proposals.

News from December 2019

Proposals for Theme 1 -

As mentioned in a recent parish newsletter, the proposals from this parish have been sent for consideration in the next phase of Symod 2020 and they are now available on this website.

News from November 2019

Theme 2 - Sharing the Mission of Jesus

The second theme is once again based on the comments made during the listening phase. Jesus asked us to Go, make disciples, to teach and to baptise. How do we, as Church, do this?

Leaflets will be given out summarising what was said during the listening phase together with passages from the gospels and recent Church documents. We are asked to consider various questions which might help us to put together a second set of proposals which people will be invited to send i in the New Year.

 Meeting about the first theme

The meeting for the first theme which was last Monday at St Timothy’s Church was very well attended considering the awful weather! Thank you to all who braved the elements. 

We discussed various issues which had come from the Listening stage of Synod and people were invited to suggest proposals which will be submitted to the Synod office for further consideration. 

Obviously not everyone is able to attend these meetings but everyone is invited to suggest proposals which will be considered in the next stage of Synod 2020. 

A sheet will be available at Masses, for weekend November 16/17. giving the questions which were discussed. If you can talk about them with others - family, friends … so much the better. Then if you wish to add a proposal of your own, write it on the sheet and hand it in at church next weekend. The proposals from the parish have to be sent in by 2nd December. 

Coming soon: Theme 2 — Sharing the Mission of Jesus

News from OCTOber 2019

Meeting about the first theme

The next phase of the Synod 2020 process in now upon us. In this next phase of Synod 2020 there will be just one meeting to discuss each of the four themes.

The first theme to be discussed will be “All Called and Gifted by God”. All Parishioners are invited to attend the first  discussion meeting about the above theme. The meeting will be designed to enable you to put forward proposals that will help shape the future of the Church in line with the Synod 2020  directive.

The meeting for the first theme will be held on Monday 11th November 2019 at 7.00 pm at St Timothy’s.

Your opinions, thoughts and comments will be welcomed. Refreshments will be provided.

 Synod Sunday - Oct 12th/13th

There will be a pastoral letter from Archbishop Malcom and prayer cards listing the four themes which will be the subjects of our discussion over the next four months.

In addition, each month there will be a talk on various  Synod themes. All the details are on the notice board at the back of both churches

News from September 2019

The next stage of Synod 2020 has begun. Two meetings have taken place in Wigan for the 500 members of the Synod including our two parish members Marion Simonet and Mark Thompson and our two priest members.  At each meeting:

• Fr Peter McGrail of Hope University presented the listening report that he and Dr Michael Miller produced.

• Our four Synod Themes were announced.

• Archbishop Malcolm offered some reflections about our Synod and how he will bring what he has heard to Rome.

• The next steps in the process, when our themes are explored in local communities, were outlined.

The four Themes will be announced to parishioners throughout the Archdiocese on Sunday 13th October. In addition material will be proved for discussion in parishes and an exploration of these four themes will take place, one each month, from 20th October until 15th March. There will be announcements in the parish newsletter about how we can all participate.

There is a very full report of the Listening Phase available on the Synod website . Click on the blue link to download the report. It is a  substantial document of 133 pages.

News from June and July 2019

During the summer months, there will not be as much visible activity in parishes. After all the parish meetings etc, a team at Hope University will be spending the next couple of months, analysing all the answers sent by attendants at parish meetings and also by sent those who filled in the online questionnaire. Have a look at the timetable

The online Synod 2020 questionnaire is now closed unfortunately but there will be further parish meetings later this year, when you can listen to other parishioners and have your own say, especially if you have not been able to attend the 6 parish meetings in May and June.

News from May 2019

“Time to Listen”  

This stage of Synod 2020 is primarily a listening exercise. Listening to as many people as possible - those who are active in the Church by coming to Mass each weekend and those who are less involved. Also, listening especially to those who just do not come to church any more or those who feel alienated from the church. So, over the coming weeks we will invite people to come together; to listen to each other about what concerns them, about life and about the Church, and share what we hear with those on the Synod team who will be responsible for deciding on the main topics to be discussed during the next stage of Synod 2020. 

Over the months of May and June, our Parish Synod Representatives have been collecting data at scheduled Synod Listening meetings which will ultimately lead to the topics and proposals that will be voted on at our Synod in 2020.  

Alternatively, Parishioners were able to take part in the process via an on-line survey but this has now closed.

 The dates for the scheduled Synod Listening Meetings were as follows:

20th May 2019 - St Paul’s Parish Centre - 7.00 pm

21st May 2019 - St Timothy’s Church - 7.00 pm

3rd June 2019 - St Paul’s Parish Centre - 7.00 pm

4th June 2019 - St Timothy’s Church - 7.00 pm

17th June 2019 - St Paul’s Parish Centre - 7.00 pm

18th June 2019 - St Timothy’s Church - 7.00 pm

“As we journey together to Synod 2020 your views will help us to become the Church we are called to be”

News from April 2019

Our Parish members, Marion Simonet, Mark Thompson and our two priests, attended the third Synod meeting with other members from the parishes of this Pastoral Area at St Oswald's Old Swan on April 25th, 2019.

After reflecting on the two previous meetings and listening to what we had learned from them, we were asked how best to implement this listening process in our parishes.

Listening. This is the key word. This stage of Synod 2020 is primarily a listening exercise. Listening to as many people as possible - those who are active in the Church by coming to Mass each weekend and those who are less involved. So, over the next few weeks we will invite people to come together; to listen to each other about what concerns them, about life and about the Church, and share what we hear with those on the Synod team who will be responsible for deciding on the main topics to be discussed during the next stage of Synod 2020.

Over the months of May and June, Synod has been collecting data  which will lead to the topics and proposals that will be voted on at our Synod in 2020.  Data is being collected through an on-line survey.  There are 4 questions to complete.  If you would like to take part please visit www.synod2020.org.uk and follow the links to the survey.

News from February 2019

News On Sunday 3rd February at 3pm, the Archbishop of Liverpool inaugurated Synod 2020. The 500 members of the Synod (including 4 from our parish , Fr John Southworth, Fr John Meehan, Marion Simonet and Mark Thompson) were present to make their profession of faith and to hear the archbishop send them out to undertake their tasks. We were all invited to the service in order to pray and to support all the members of the Synod.