Scottish Laity Network Journey of Discernment

During the time of lockdown the Scottish Laity Network (SLN) began reflecting on the Future of the Church After a Time of Pandemic and how that related to our core vision of enabling Scottish laity to come together as disciples of Jesus, and through prayer, dialogue and discernment find 'new ways' of being Church in Scotland in the 21st Century.

Reflecting on Pope Francis' leadership we saw clearly the centrality of discernment in his life and in his papacy and that his hope is clearly for a discerning Church that finds full expression as a synodal Church. In his address on the 50th Anniversary of the Institution of the Synod of Bishops Pope Francis powerfully articulated his vision of such a Church:

A synodal Church is a Church which listens,

which realizes that listening "is more than simply hearing".

It is a mutual listening in which everyone has something to learn.

The faithful people, the college of bishops, the Bishop of Rome:

all listening to each other, and all listening to the Holy Spirit, the "Spirit of truth",

in order to know what he "says to the Churches".

To engage in a process of mutual listening and learning we embarked, at the end of May, on an online Journey of Discernment that had a series of weekly presentations from Fr Jim Martin, Massimo Faggioli, Austen Ivereigh, Mary McAleese, Lorna Gold and Jim Wallis. At each session the speaker shared their insights into the 'signs of the times' and then engaged fully with participants in a question and answer session. The initial journey concluded with an Assembly at which Fr Augusto Zampini shared the vision and hope of the Vatican's COVID-19 Commission and also affirmed our Journey of Discernment as being at one with the vision and thinking of Pope Francis.

During the Assembly participants, reflecting on the way forward, identified issues that required further conversations and this led to conversation evenings with A Call to Action and We Are Church Ireland followed by a Scottish Eco Conversation with representatives of Eco Congregation Scotland, Global Catholic Climate Movement, Justice and Peace Scotland and SCIAF. The Eco Conversation linked into the Season of Creation retreat on Gospel Discipleship and Ecological Sustainability facilitated by Diarmuid O'Murchu.

In October Tina Beattie led a conversation and theological exploration about the roles, participation and representation of Women in the Church and on Thursday 5th November, Fr James Alison will address LGBTI People in the Church.

To book for Fr James' conversation or for recordings of previous conversations please email slaitynetwork@gmail.com

LINKS

Scottish Laity Network on Youtube - www.youtube.com/channel/UC5K6Rwhd7ZKWJx3INe2r0zA