Synodality - Walking Together in the Spirit

A Word about Synodality

One of my religious sisters’ who lives in North Africa has brought to my attention some relevant words of the Church Fathers:

The main tool exercised in Synod practice is Conversation in the Spirit. This promotes silence, listening to one another, discernment of inner movements, participation of everyone in a group, in the Church, calling for renewed and genuine witness, prophetic commitment and implementation of each one’s gift of the Spirit, each one’s charism.

Many of us have discovered Conversation in the Spirit as a precious tool in rereading experiences in community and of community building with an outcome different from a discussion. Learning to use Conversation in the Spirit has become part of our formation programs, initial and ongoing formation. Processes have been started that keep us walking in the light of the Spirit as pilgrims of Hope.

Pilgrims of hope, pilgrims of synodality

The conclusion of the Synod was but days away from the beginning of the Holy Year 2025 under the motto “Pilgrims of Hope”. If we are pilgrims of hope, we are at the same time pilgrims of synodality.

1. The attitudes exercised by the conversation in the Spirit, affect over time our way of communicating, we are also transforming our communication in daily life. We are encouraged to choose intentional attitudes of reflection, listening, sharing from the heart and accepting what other shares from his or her heart. This process will convert from within and renew communication and lead to deeper communion.

It might be accidental that the jubilee of communication was the first one in the year, celebrated from January 24th to 26th, in connection with the feast of Saint Francis de Sales, the patron saint of writers and journalists.

Catholic communicators should make a difference

Here we will explore the message of Pope Francis for the 59th World Day of Social Communications (published on 24.01.2025) to focus on some characteristics of Christian communication.

Be “communicators of hope”

Saint Peter writes: “Share with gentleness the hope that is in your hearts” (cf. 1 Pet 3:15-16). Far beyond words, Christians can give a face to Hope, the face of Jesus; with Jesus shining through there can be trust, joy and creativity despite difficulties. In the words of the Argentinian singer Diego Torres we “paint our faces with the colour of hope”. ²

Disarming communication

Both Pope Francis and Pope Leo appeal to us to be witnesses and promoters of a non-aggressive communication, to help to spread a culture of care, to build bridges and break down the barriers of the present time.

The tool of spiritual conversation helps us to disarm communication. It is a new paradigm in our relationship with those who are different, which involves going beyond simple tolerance to embrace a vision where diversity is valued as a source of richness and mutual enrichment. It is a call for a profound change in our mindsets and practices to build a world that is more just, more empathetic, more inclusive... where the Gospel is lived out in action, even where it cannot be proclaimed in words.

Sr. Speciosa serving in North Africa gives an example:

At a summer school activity for children a sister of the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Africa (in the context of North Africa called White Sisters for the white habit they once wore) came to help a team of three Tunisian women who were cooking for around sixty children. A donor association brought fruit and other food items to prepare snacks for the children. These three women were in constant conflict. Each of them hid fruit and other food items to take home. The White Sister joined them without saying much, she just encouraged these women to work together and to serve the children before serving themselves. With the sister there, each woman felt recognized and appreciated for what she did well...!

And the head of the Centre, a notable Muslim man, seeing each woman's contribution to the teamwork, exclaimed: The Sister's presence helped each woman to give the best of herself. She helped them to live the values of the Gospel without talking about them!

Build community

Hope is always a community project, in community we foster our ability to join in the pursuit of the common good, to listen to one another and to understand each other’s point of view. During this Holy Year we set out together, we journey alongside our many brothers and sisters, and we pass through the Holy Door together.

One Sister in the webinar shared that through radio programs she broadcasts messages of hope and encouragement that can reach many, especially young people. They can participate through telephone Apps, ask questions and share what gives them hope.³

Encounter and Storytelling

“At this Jubilee, I ask you … to tell stories of hope, that nourish life. Your storytelling must be hope telling at the same time.” Pope Francis said to journalists.

Telling others about what gives us Hope enables people to (re)discover the link with God, and to tell their own stories. Like Jesus in the Gospel stories, communicating hope in words and gestures of healing and reconciliation, our own hope telling can lead to hope-bearing encounter. A priest from Ukraine says that to communicate hope you must be a witness of hope. For this, staying close to people is the most important. “Our pastoral priority is to stay with the people in the riskiest areas. Even in the most dangerous places there are priests. In this presence the people see the presence of God with them.”

Colum McCann, an American storyteller said: “My stories want to give strength to the Hope for Peace.” All that creates emotional links between people necessarily works against war (cf Sigmund Freud). The world seems to have lost hope, because we have become blind to one another. ⁴

Care for your heart

Finally, the Pope gives this advice: “Care for your heart, your interior life. Tell stories steeped in hope, be concerned about our common destiny and strive to write together the history of our future.”

One religious man mentioned the following personal means to communicate Hope: Look at my personal way of communicating, my prayer life, how I bring hope to community initiatives, and keep a Hope diary.⁵

In one of the first encounters he had as Pope, Pope Leo XIV met the World Press, 6000 journalists (12 May 2025). He reiterated the same points as Pope Francis:

“We don’t need a loud or muscular information, but one that knows to listen to the weakest. Let us disarm the words and we will contribute to the disarmament of the Earth. A disarmed and disarming communication allows us to share a different look on the world and to act in a way that is coherent with our human dignity. In fact, communication is not only transmission of information, but it creates a culture, human and digital environments that can be spaces of dialogue and discernment.” (Pope Leo XIV).

Missionary Institutes as “experts in synodality”?

During the Year of Consecrated life Pope Francis wrote in his Apostolic Letter of 21 November 2014 to all consecrated persons that they were “experts of communion”. Consequently, can we say that members of missionary institutes are “experts in synodality”?

In this part, we take inspiration from an article in the review “Spiritus”.⁶ The authors propose the following role of the missionary vocation in today’s context:

Missionaries are a fruitful sign of the unity of the human race

In the above-mentioned letter Pope Francis adds you are “witnesses and architects of the ‘plan for unity’ which is the crowning point of human history in God’s design”. (1,2) Jesus came to invite us humans to friendship (fraternité) with God and among us. He chooses to “build bridges rather than walls”. Missionaries are at the service of this common aspiration.

Missionaries promote respect for other cultures to serve the Gospel

In the Message for World Mission Day 2024 the Pope comments on Matthew 22:9: Invite all to the wedding banquet. "The missionary is the bearer of a message, or rather, he himself becomes the message, addressed to all.”

Many missionaries live in intercultural communities, and we are - sometimes painfully - aware that we are guests in another culture. Ephesians 4:16 reminds us: The whole body is joined and held together by supporting ligaments, and it grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.’

The specific nature of missionary work requires reaching out to others, going towards others leaving one's comfort zone, choosing to live with others out of love, with a desire to share life, joys and sorrows, to learn about other cultures, and to endure hardships alongside those who are most in need.

Missionaries encourage reciprocity with all people of good will

One constant feature of Paul’s journey stands out: mutuality in missionary activity. It unfolds as a ‘journey of mutual recognition’ between missionaries and their hosts. Circumstances reshape the concrete form of the mission.

Among those of good will are believers of other religions whom Pope Francis has regularly included in his discourses and his efforts to foster peace and understanding. Interreligious dialogue is often a dialogue of life like through the service of Caritas:

The women in North Africa of whom we spoke before gathered for a rereading of their experiences of working together: they all expressed their joy at having committed themselves out of love and at having contributed to making the children and activity leaders happy. Each one observed the strengths of the others and made a point appreciating them in front of them. They appreciated the fact that everyone spoke to each other face to face and not behind their backs. We could see that their different ways of doing things had become an asset rather than an obstacle.

One of them, sitting in the center of the table, said: ‘I like to be in the lead, but seeing Meriem observing and weighing her words before speaking, and being quick to lend a hand or fix a sandwich that was too full, I'm giving her my place to lead our group. I've learned important relational values from her.’

And Meriem exclaimed, ‘It's thanks to the work I've done on my emotions in the family setting with the help of the Caritas family therapist, where I felt listened to and understood. I no longer fear difference; I easily accept other people's ways of doing things.’

Missionaries read the signs of the times

Some would think that missionaries have had their time and were also too much involved with colonial powers etc. Rather than taking such a radical stand can we try to reread our past to recover what has remained an unfulfilled potential?

Can we reread the history of “distant missions” in the light of new circumstances: a globalized world, shaken by the enormous challenge of digital technology and artificial intelligence, those of conflicts and growing divisions and lead at times to despair about justice and peace? Circumstances shape the mission; we said it before!

Missionaries promote a family spirit and partnership

The founder of the Missionaries of Africa, Fathers, Brothers and Sisters, Cardinal Charles Lavigerie, was a pioneer in this regard. From the very beginning of his two missionary institutes in 1868 and 1869, he declared that “despite the zeal of male missionaries, their efforts will never bear sufficient fruit unless they are assisted by “women apostles”, who alone can touch other women through their generosity, courage and lively faith.”

He understood and wished these Institutes as branches of the same family. For over 150 years, Fathers and Sisters have collaborated successfully, overcoming occasional challenges.

One aspect of collaboration was the foundation of African religious congregation. While the Fathers were in the role of “founders”, the Congregation of the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Africa had the role of forming these congregations and leading them to independence. Today these 23 congregations form the “Our Lady of Africa Family” engaging on a “synodal way” of their own and searching for ways of partnership with the MSOLA or among themselves, for instance several congregations in the same country.

So then, are missionary institutes “experts in synodality”? Yes and No.

Yes, in the sense that the missionary vocation as a gift of the Spirit in multiple forms and charisms within the Church.

Yes, because religious receive in general a formation that prepares them to take on a role of spiritual leadership, a prophetic role to proclaim the Gospel message and to denounce all that goes against it even at the risk of one’s life.

Yes, because missionaries are per se witnesses, carrying a message, one of Love, of Peace, of Justice for all humanity. They are often in places of facilitation and guidance.

No, because the role of being “Missionaries of synodality” belongs to all the faithful. Missionaries are but one group within the Church, there are plenty of lay groups and movements of Catholic Action with the same and sometimes better qualifications as missionaries may have.

The synodal process started from the grass roots by listening to the faithful of the whole world and counts on all the faithful for the transformation of the Church into a living body trusting in their Spirit-giftedness.

The General Secretariat of the Synod released recently the “Pathways for the Implementation of the Synod”. It is time to give shape to the synodal style, to make it an ecclesial form at the service of the Mission and to make it a place of encounter between God and humanity. May we all honour the memory of Pope Francis and walk decidedly with Pope Leo XIV and create missionary pathways of synodality.

1. Thoughts shared by Sr. Speciosa Mukagatare MSOLA, translation from French by DeepL

2. Some examples taken from a UISG webinar on the Jubilee of communication with religious men and women from different Institutes and other sources

3. Cf 2

4. Interview with Avvenire published on 25th January 2025,

5. Cf 2

6. Spiritus N°260, September 2025, pages 361-369.