Synod of Synodality: CNA Basic Glossary

As the Church begins the second session of the Synod on Synodality this week, it is helpful to understand some basic terms and concepts. This glossary seeks to clarify the vocabulary related to the synod.

What is a synod?

A synod is, traditionally, a gathering of bishops who meet to debate a theologically or pastorally significant topic. The word “synod” comes from a Greek term that means “to meet” or “to walk together” (syn: together; hodos: path or journey). From the first centuries, the term was used to designate ecclesial assemblies of different size and importance.

The Synod of Bishops was created in 1965 by Pope Paul VI towards the end of the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) to encourage union and closer collaboration between bishops around the world and the Pope, and to provide information and reflect on themes and situations that touch the internal life of the Church and its necessary activity in today’s world.

Types of Synod

Pope Paul VI established three types of synod:

· Ordinary: for matters that have to do with the good of the universal Church.

· Extraordinary: for pressure matters related to the Church.

· Special: focused mainly on the concerns of a region or continent.

Over the years, 15 ordinary sessions have been held, from 1967 to 2018; three extraordinary sessions, in 1969, 1985 and 2014; and 11 special synods, the last in 2019, dedicated to the Pan-Amazon region.

The synod operated under Paul VI’s 1965 creation decree, with some minor modifications under Pope John Paul II, until the current pontificate. The current Synod of Synodality, which consists of two parts, is considered the XVI Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops.

Key terms of the Synod of Synodality

Accountability or accountability

The practice of taking responsibility for one’s own actions and decisions and being able to explain them.

Co-responsibility

The shared responsibility of all baptized members in the mission of the Church. A central theme in the synod debates was clarified in the 2024 synod document to distinguish between roles emanating from the sacred order and those arising from baptism.

Consent

In the context of the Synod, consensus does not mean uniformity or democratic majority, but rather refers to the process of listening to one another in an atmosphere of prayer and inner freedom.

Consultation

A process of listening, especially as it relates to listening to the faithful and hearing their perspectives on issues of Christian life, before making a decision. According to the organizers of the Synod of Synodality, “The current Synod seeks expand the “consultation” experience to move toward a more synodal Church that more fully listens to and engages all of God’s People.”

Discernment

The process of distinguishing or deciding between options, guided by the Holy Spirit. The organizers of the Synod have stressed: “We listen to each other to discern what God says to us all.”

Ecumenical dialogue

The relationship between the Catholic Church and other Christian churches in the search for full and visible unity.

Facilitator

In the Synod of Synodality, a new role is introduced: the facilitators, who are experienced people who have the task of helping with the work at various times during the assembly.

Fraternal delegates

Representatives of other Christian churches and ecclesial communities were invited to participate in the Synod as observers.

general congregation

The assembly where all the delegates, including the Pope, participate in the debates.

An instrument of labor

In Latin it means “working document.” It serves as a basis for discussions during the Synod. For the 2024 session, el Work Tool 2 was published on July 9, 2024. It clarifies the desire expressed by the Holy Father that the deliberations of the Synod focus more on concrete proposals for synodality than on controversial issues.

Living tradition

The set of revealed truths—Apostolic Tradition—about faith and morals that are not contained in Holy Scripture, but that are faithfully and continually transmitted from generation to generation, under the living teachings of the Catholic Church.

Mission to the Gentiles

The mission of the Catholic Church is to bring the Gospel to those who do not know Christ or have abandoned the faith.

Parrhesia

Greek term denoting courage or bravery, specifically bravery that comes from the Holy Spirit. It was incarnated in the hearts of the apostles at Pentecost and in the courage it took among the first Christians to go out and proclaim the Gospel throughout the ancient world.

penitential rite

An element newly introduced in the 2024 Synod, in which participants participate in a collective act of repentance and asking for forgiveness. This practice underscores the Church’s commitment to transparency and accountability and includes several notable innovations, including the idea of ​​“sins against synodality.”

People of God

Key ecclesiological concept highlighted in the Synod, which places emphasis on the community of all baptized faithful. The term came into use particularly after Chapter 2 of the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church (Light of the Gentiles) of the Second Vatican Council and has its roots in both biblical and patristic images of the Church.

The role of the Holy Spirit

Pope Francis has repeatedly stressed that the Holy Spirit is the true “protagonist” of the Synod. This term has become one of the most used during the public interventions of the participants.

The sense of faith

Also called “the sense of the faithful” (sense of the faithful), is the supernatural instinct of the faithful to recognize and support authentic Christian doctrine and practice. It is described in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (no. 92) as “the supernatural sense of faith of all the people: when from the bishops to the last of the Christian laymen they show their consent in matters of faith and morals” .

Structural changes

Modifications are proposed to the decision-making processes within the Church aimed at expanding the participation of the laity while respecting episcopal authority.

Study groups

Ten groups were created to delve into specific topics that emerged from the first session of the Synod. The most controversial issues that arose in the first session—including authority, the possibility of deaconesses, and the Church’s work in reaching out to the LGBTQ community—were addressed in the study groups so that Synod participants could focus on the ways in which the Church can be truly synodal.

Synodality

A term emphasized in the pontificate of Pope Francis, generally understood as a process of discernment, with the help of the Holy Spirit, involving bishops, priests, religious and lay Catholics, each according to the gifts and charismas of their vocation.

Synthesis report

Document that summarizes the debates at the end of a synodal phase. The document will be presented to Pope Francis and traditionally serves as the basis for his own document, a post-synodal apostolic exhortation.

Transparency

The quality of being clear, open and responsible in processes and decision making.

Women’s participation

A notable feature of the 2023 and 2024 synod sessions is the participation of women with the right to vote. In 2024, 54 women will once again have the right to vote in the Synod.

Youth

In Vatican terms, a “young person” is defined as a person between 16 and 35 years old. This age range extends beyond what is typically considered a “young person” in many countries, particularly the United States.

Since the Synod of synodality is an ongoing process, interpretations or applications of these terms may evolve as the Church continues its synodal path.

Translated and adapted by the ACI Prensa team. Originally published inCNA