Church hierarchy including clergy needs to listen to laypeople more and give them greater opportunity to participate in the work of evangelization.
This was stressed in a meeting in Kadapa diocese, Andhra Pradesh of South India.
The deanery level “Synod in Action” meeting was held on May 30 at Sacred Heart Pastoral Centre, Ramanjaneyapuram, Kadapa Diocese.
During the meeting, Father Saginala Paul Prakash, chancellor, Father Ery Mariana Diocesan DGM, Father Johnson Chettur, diocesan Synod Moderator, Father Pappula Sudhakar Amruthavani, director and RVA Telugu Service coordinator, and Father P Abraham opened the event lighting the lamp and prayed together with the priests, nuns, and laity.
Synodality indicates walking together and listening to one another to deepen this essential characteristic of the Church.
“It starts with and involves all the Catholics at local Churches across the world, promising to listen to all, especially laypeople,” said Father Sudhakar.
“Synodal process of encounter, listening, and reflection helps the people of God. The Church needs to provide the opportunities to all,” said Father P Abraham, dean of Kapada diocese.
There was a group discussion that lasted for an hour and there were nearly 25 new questions that were answered.
As many as 34 priests, 42 nuns, and 102 laypeople attended the meeting.
The Diocese of Kadapa is the Ecclesiastical province of Hyderabad in south India. Presently, as many as 68 parishes are catering to 139, 300 Catholics in the diocese.
It has five deaneries. As many as 153 priests and 286 nuns work in various pastoral ministries.
Several lay leaders found the meeting useful.
"Church gave me a chance to share my opinion on the Synod. It was the best place to know one another," says Papi Reddy, a retired headmaster of a school.
"I am privileged to be a part of the Catholic Church and take part in this meeting," said MD Alphonse, a lay leader.
"It was impressed to note involving the religious and laypeople to voice out our opinions for the growth of the church," said Mother Catherine.
"We hope the Synod brings a great change in the Catholic church,” said Kiran L, a participant. - Pujitha Nagalli, RVA Telugu Service
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
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