Letter: re Irish Synod website

You rightly report on Monday 17th January launch of the Irish Synodical website. *

It is worth reflecting on the process to date. Ten months ago our Irish Bishops called upon the faithful to submit brief 300 word suggestions as to how the process of engagement might be undertaken. Some 500 submissions were made by the deadline eight months ago.

In mid October bishops throughout Ireland held Prayer Services to launch their diocesan Synodal journeys. About sixty people together with our Bishop, a priest and a deacon we gathered in our local cathedral for our diocesan launch.

A full two months later, and in common with other Irish dioceses, there has been virtual silence about the Synod.

On Monday in answer to repeated requests for a summary of the 500 submissions I got an email telling me that: "The consultation responses were passed to the Steering Committee and Task Group appointed to help guide the work of the Synodal Pathway. A summary report is in preparation. This has taken some time to prepare as over 500 consultation responses were received. Thank you for your contribution to this process. When the report is completed it will be available on the new website for the Synodal Pathway."

What concerns me about the process to date is the apparent organisational half-heartedness. It also strikes me as very strange that we are now proceeding on a path when it seems that no serious attention has yet been given to the submissions made. What a sad signal that this send out.

All of this is in massive contrast to the engagement process I have witnessed at first hand over several months in my family's London parish.

Alan Whelan

Killarney, Co Kerry.

LINK

* Ireland: New website launched to support Synodal Pathway - www.indcatholicnews.com/news/43877