Ciao from Roma to everyone in the Cranaleith community! My first full day here in support of the Synod on Synodality involved travelling to the headquarters of the Christian Brothers, the LaSallian Consulate, to co-facilitate a workshop for young adults studying in Rome. The aim was to give them an experience of the synodal process of deep listening to the Spirit in themselves and in others. (Sounds familiar to all us Cranaleith folks, que no?) Eleven students from Fordham, one from Notre Dame and two from St. John-St. Benedict’s, MN, attended.
Cranaleith’s own Maureen O’Connell, who is currently working on bringing Synodality into higher education, organized the event. Also on the team were other amazing Catholic women from across the country.
The students were open, engaging and eager to try on the process. They were also grateful to work on discerning the message they will bring to significant people they are meeting with this week, like Cardinal Cupich of Chicago and Nathalie Becquart, XMCJ, undersecretary to the Synod of Bishops.
Otherwise, I am busily getting acclimated to the city and connecting with the sixteen other Americans who are part of the delegation from Discerning Deacons, an organization that wishes to renew the Catholic permanent diaconate, particularly regarding women’s ordination to the deaconate.