Dear Parishioners and Families of St. Frances Cabrini,
Pope Francis wants to hear from you and we are all invited to participate!
Pope Francis wants to hear about our joys and struggles. He is asking us to do something that has never been done before in the history of the Church. We as the laity are part of the Body of Christ. Woman, Man, Youth, Divorced and Separated, Single Parent Families, Single, Unmarried Couples, LGTBIQA+, no matter who you are or how you experience Church we are invited to come and listen to one another and share with each other. We are all part of the Body of Christ and we all have a voice.
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UPDATE: ZOOM CALL INFO FOR MARCH 16TH:
Topic: Synod Meeting
Time: Mar 16, 2022 06:30 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)Join Zoom Meeting
https://dsj.zoom.us/j/96408102428?pwd=RFBOallHNHB4cWRNQWtsdXR5OCtndz09Meeting ID: 964 0810 2428
Passcode: 016951
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Meeting ID: 964 0810 2428
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The Synod of Synodality
What is the Synod?
Beginning in March, St. Frances Cabrini Parish and School will sponsor listening sessions, allowing us to share our insights. The outcomes of those sharing sessions will be collated and sent to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops by June. The USCCB will incorporate the reports from all Dioceses in to a final report which will go to the Vatican.
Who should participate?
- All those who come to Sunday Mass, or during Covid times, participated through livestream. You consider yourself an active member and the church community is part of your family. You love the Church. You participate in parish events. Your family members and friends know you are Catholic. We need to hear what brings you joy about being a Catholic.
- All those that consider themselves Catholic and attend Mass occasionally but don’t necessarily feel part of the parish community. You have doubts that the Church practices what it preaches. You question whether the Church is relevant today. You might have looked at other faith communities You just don’t feel there is a good fit. We need you as you continue to search for a place to worship, a place to belong, a place to have an honest dialogue, a place to strengthen your faith.
- All those who consider themselves a Non‐Practicing Catholic. You were baptized and received your sacraments but you think of yourself as a spiritual person but not religious. Or maybe you left the church because of a particular incident or because you didn’t feel the church was meeting your needs. It could be because you have been hurt by someone in the church‐ physically or emotionally. It might have been several little things that happened and you finally decided you had enough and walked away. We need you to share why you consider yourself a lapsed Catholic. Why did you leave? We want to give you a safe place to express yourself. We want to listen to you.
Why do we need everyone to be a part of the Synod?
This is a sacred time. We need to hear your voice and pay attention to the experiences that break your heart about the Church; we need to know the encounters that fill your heart with joy. We want to listen to one another, and will allow the Holy Spirit to work through each one of us.
Listening sessions in March
St. Frances Cabrini Parish and School will hold five listening sessions in March with three in‐person and two on Zoom. Participants will be broken into smaller groups with a facilitator and notetaker. Anonymity will be exercised with all individual remarks. A report will be made for the Diocese based on all remarks and comments.
When / Where will the listening sessions be held?
- Wednesday, March 16‐ 6:30 pm on Zoom
- Sunday, March 20‐ 10:30 am in person in Essig Hall
- Wednesday, March 23‐ 7:00 pm on Zoom
- Sunday, March 27‐ 11:00 am in person in Essig Hall
- Sunday, April 3‐ 11:00 in person in Essig Hall
Please register to attend one session by emailing kpetersen@sfcschool.org or call the Parish Office at (408) 879‐ 1120 ex 14. Please let us know how many will be attending.
What can you do to make the Synod a success?
- Sign up for one of the listening sessions
- Invite your neighbors, friends, and family to attend. We especially encourage you to invite, friends, family, neighbors who are not practicing, your teens who think church is boring, someone who has been alienated by the Church, and those who have left the church. You do not have to be a parishioner to attend.
Questions? Please contact kpetersen@sfcschool.org or (408) 879-1120 ex 14
As we journey together, let us ask the Holy Spirit to enlighten us, move us to act with courage and fortitude, and open our ears and hearts to listen to one another in the Spirit of love.
Kristen Petersen
Director of Religious Education
St. Frances Cabrini Church and School 408-879-1120 #14