Vatican City: A fresh chapter in the global synodal journey has begun with the release of a new guiding document, Pathways for the Implementation Phase of the Synod. Sister Nathalie Becquart, Undersecretary of the General Secretariat of the Synod, highlights the document's purpose: to strengthen collaboration among local Churches and breathe new life into the vision of a synodal Church rooted in communion, participation, and mission.
Following the Second Session of the General Assembly in 2024, the Church now enters a decisive phase implementation. Sister Becquart explains that this stage focuses on putting into practice the discerned fruits of the Synod. For the first time in history, a Synod’s final document has been formally included in the ordinary Magisterium, with Pope Francis giving his direct approval before his passing.
Sister Becquart defines synodality as a way of being Church in today’s world, deeply aligned with the vision of the Second Vatican Council. She draws on theologian Ormond Rush’s description of synodality as “Vatican II in a nutshell” an ongoing journey in which all the baptized are co-responsible for the mission of the Church. Synodality emphasizes listening, collaboration, and mutual respect within the Church’s diverse and global body.
“Synodality is not a one-time event,” she notes. “It’s a continuous conversion a call to live out communion and co-responsibility at every level.” Though the implementation phase is open-ended, it operates within a three-year roadmap leading to an Ecclesial Assembly in Rome in 2028. This process includes diocesan, national, and continental assemblies aimed at fostering dialogue, collaboration, and evaluation of synodal progress. Becquart affirms that the real work lies not in simply having a document, but in discerning, adapting, and applying its contents creatively within each local context. “Every Church is unique, shaped by culture, history, and community. The Synod’s path cannot be one-size-fits-all.”
One of the central themes of the Pathways document is the “exchange of gifts” between local Churches. Becquart emphasizes that no Church walks alone in the synodal journey. Mutual learning and shared insights are vital for growth. “Each local Church has something to offer and something to receive,” she explains, encouraging cross-cultural collaboration and the sharing of synodal best practices.
While bishops remain key agents of implementation, Becquart insists that the synodal process belongs to all the faithful. She urges dioceses to form synodal teams and invites laypeople, religious, educators, youth ministries, and charitable institutions to embrace synodality in their own spheres. “From Catholic schools to seminaries, from pastoral councils to religious congregations—everyone has a part to play in shaping a synodal Church,” she says.
Practical efforts are already underway. Several dioceses around the world are launching local synods, forming synodal commissions, and introducing new roles like Vicars for Synodality or lay coordinators. Institutions are holding implementation days, publishing diocesan vademecums, and promoting educational initiatives like “Schools of Synodality.”
In Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Europe, seminaries and universities are integrating synodality into theological education. Creative efforts include spiritual retreats on synodality, musical compositions based on Synod themes, and ecumenical collaborations that expand the vision of unity and inclusion.
Sister Becquart explains the theological concept of “reception” as a dynamic process: the active welcoming and internalizing of the Synod’s discerned fruits by the whole Church. “True reception doesn’t happen when a document is shelved. It happens when communities live and embody its vision,” she notes, recalling how past councils, like Trent, took over a century to be fully absorbed and implemented.
Reception, she adds, requires participation: “We’re not passive recipients of God’s message. We are co-journeyers engaging in dialogue, discerning the Spirit, and actively shaping the Church’s mission.” With Pope Leo XVI now at the helm, the spirit of synodality continues to flourish. Sister Becquart emphasizes that Pope Leo was already deeply involved in the Synod while serving as Bishop in Peru and later as Prefect in Rome. “His leadership style mirrors the synodal spirit humble, listening, collaborative,” she reflects.
Pope Leo’s commitment to synodality, evident from his participation in consultations and assemblies, promises continued momentum in this ecclesial transformation. “He doesn’t just speak about synodality he lives it,” says Becquart. All over the world, the implementation phase is unfolding with vibrant creativity. From pastoral letters and diocesan assemblies to academic research and spiritual exercises, local Churches are embracing synodality with energy and innovation.
Initiatives such as the School of Synodality in French-speaking Africa, synodal year themes in dioceses like Abidjan, and resource-sharing platforms like the Synod website demonstrate that the Holy Spirit is moving powerfully across the Church. In Catholic schools in the Philippines, for example, synodality is being woven into curricula. Choirs are composing synodal hymns, while artists are translating the Synod’s message into cultural expressions that touch hearts.
In closing, Sister Becquart points to the deeper mission of synodality: to create a Church that listens, includes, and serves in love. “Synodality is about becoming a Church that truly walks together, in communion with Christ and with one another,” she says. With the Pathways for the Implementation Phase now in hand, the Church is called not just to reflect, but to act locally and globally, personally and communally. “The journey continues,” Sister Becquart says, “and the Spirit leads the way.”