European Continental Assembly – Final Remarks

Synod 2021-2024
European Continental Assembly
Concluding Dossier
Final Remarks

Final Document – PDF Text:

This is why we wish to continue walking in a synodal style: more than a methodology, we consider it a way of life of our Church, of communal discernment and of discern ment of the signs of the times. Concretely, we want this Continental Assembly not to remain an isolated experience, but to become a periodic appointment, based on the general adoption of the synodal method that permeates all our structures and proce dures on all levels. In this style, it will be possible to address the issues on which our efforts need to mature and intensify: the accompaniment of the wounded, the ‘protag onism’ of young people and women, the learning from marginalised people, etc.

The synodal style also allows us to address tensions from a missionary perspective, without being paralysed by fear, but drawing from them the energy to continue along the way. Two in particular have emerged in our work. The first encourages unity in diversity, escaping the temptation of uniformity. The second links the readiness to welcome as a witness to the Father’s unconditional love for his children with the cour age to proclaim the truth of the Gospel in its entirety: it is God who promises “Love and truth will meet” (Ps 85:11).

We know that all this is possible because we have experienced it during this Assembly, but even more because the life of the Churches from which we come bears witness to it. We are thinking here in particular of ecumenical dialogue, which have echoed strongly in our work, and also of inter-religious dialogue. But above all, we believe that it is possible because grace is involved: building an increasingly synodal Church is a way to concretely implement the equality in dignity of all the members of the Church, founded in baptism. It configures us as children of God and members of the body of Christ, co-responsible for the unique mission of evangelisation entrusted by the Lord to his Church.

We are confident that the continuation of Synod 2021-2024 can support and accompa ny us, in particular by addressing at the level of the Synodal Assembly some priorities: • deepen the practice, theology and hermeneutics of synodality. We have to redis

cover something that is ancient, belongs to the nature of the Church, and is always new. This is a task for us. We are taking the first steps on a path that opens up as we go along it;

• • address the question of an all ministerial Church, as the horizon of a reflection on charisms and ministries (ordained and non-ordained) and the relationships be tween them;
• • explore the forms of a synodal exercise of authority, i.e. the service of accompany ing the community and safeguarding unity;
• • clarify criteria for discernment on the synodal process and which decisions belong on which level, from the local to the universal;
• • take concrete and courageous decisions on the role of women within the Church and on their greater involvement at all levels, also in decision-making and deci sion-taking processes;
• • consider the tensions around the liturgy, so as to synodally re-understand Eucha rist as the source of communion;
• • foster the formation to synodality of the whole People of God, with particular re gard to the discernment of the signs of the times with a view to carrying out the common mission;
• • renew a lively sense of mission, bridging the gap between faith and culture to bring the Gospel back to people’s feelings, finding a language capable of articu lating tradition and aggiornamento, but above all, walking with people rather than talking about them or to them. The Spirit asks us to listen to the cry of the poor and the earth in Europe, and in particular the desperate cry of the victims of war who demand a just peace.

Loving the Church, the richness of its diversity, is not a form of sentimentalism for its own sake. The Church is beautiful because the Lord wants her to be so in view of the task he has entrusted to her: to proclaim the Gospel and invite all women and men to enter into the dynamic of communion, participation and mission that constitutes her raison d’être, animated by the perennial vitality of the Spirit. To build our European Church means then to renew our commitment to carry out this mission, even on our continent, in a culture marked by the many diversities we know.

We entrust the continuation of our Synodal journey to the Patron Saints and martyrs of Europe!

Adsumus Sancte Spiritus!