The Irish Synodal Pathway – The Journey So Far When a major initiative is discussed for years, people naturally begin to wonder if anything is actually happening, and can feel disconnected. However, in 2021 and 2022, the synodal journey started right at our parish doors when thousands of people across Ireland participated, through a local consultation process, in sharing perspectives about what was working and what was broken in the Church. Those local conversations became diocesan reports, which helped shape global input. Last autumn, delegates from every Irish diocese met in Kilkenny to propose specific national priorities based on that feedback. Read more: www.dioceseofmeath.ie/synod

The Irish Synodal Pathway: What is Discernment? Spiritual discernment is at the core of the Irish synodal pathway. Discernment is an intentional practice of becoming aware of and understanding the Lord’s voice. As Pope Francis highlighted, synodal discernment is an exercise in “giving the microphone to the Holy Spirit”. Throughout the Irish synodal journey, quiet awareness, self-examination, and patient discernment were used extensively. Last year the Meath Diocesan Synod Team offered five sessions across the diocese for Parish Pastoral Councils to train them in a method for discernment called Conversation in the Spirit. This approach helps support authentic, prayerful listening and decision making so as to discern together what God is saying