Vatican Issues New Guidelines for Synod Implementation - 4 Keys for Understanding while Postponing Reports on Controversial Issues - FULL TEXT

The General Secretariat of the Synod released, on July 7th, “Pathways for the Implementation of the Synod”, which provides “an interpretive key for understanding the implementation phase of the Synod on Synodality.”

Released by the Synod on Monday, Pathways for the Implementation Phase of the Synod offers “local Churches throughout the world the world a shared framework that will make it easier to walk together” and promotes “the dialogue that will lead the whole Church to the Ecclesial Assembly,” set for October 2028 that will mark the culmination of the synodal process begun by Pope Francis in 2020.
FULL TEXT Release: General Secretariat of the Synod: Outlines for the implementation phase of the Synod, 07.07.2025

We are living in a time of great spiritual intensity. The death of Pope Francis has touched us all deeply and we still pray to the Lord to welcome him in his peace and to grant him the reward for his service to the Church. At the same time, we give thanks to God for the election of the Holy Father Leo XIV, who from the very beginning encouraged us to continue in our commitment to the synodal journey, reminding us that we are " a missionary Church, a Church that builds bridges, dialogue, always open to welcoming , like this square, with open arms everyone, all those who need our charity, our presence, dialogue and love" [1] .

This is the same conviction that deeply inspires the Final Document (DF) of the XVI Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, “For a Synodal Church. Communion, participation, mission”, which was approved at the end of the Second Session of the Synodal Assembly, on 26 October 2024. The synodal form of the Church is at the service of its mission and any change in the life of the Church has the purpose of making it more capable of announcing the Kingdom of God and witnessing the Gospel of the Lord to the men and women of our time. This is the key to faithfully interpreting the DF and above all to putting it into practice. We live in a world that is caught in a spiral of violence and endless war, which is finding it increasingly difficult to create opportunities for encounter and dialogue, with a view to the common good and peace. More than ever it needs a Church that knows how to be "in Christ as the sacrament, that is, a sign and instrument of intimate union with God and of the unity of the entire human race" ( Lumen gentium , n. 1; cf. DF, n. 56). In the variety of contexts of this world, the Synod "constitutes an act of further reception of the Council, prolongs its inspiration and relaunches its prophetic power for today's world" (DF, n. 5).

It is the urgency of this mission that drives us on the path of implementing the Synod, which is a task for which all the baptized are co-responsible. Many local Churches, in all parts of the world, are following it with enthusiasm. We wish to thank them and invite them to continue their journey with generosity: they are carrying forward a precious commitment for the entire Church. This text can offer them a horizon with which to compare themselves and above all invites them to share their initiatives, contributing to the broader ecclesial discernment. Other Churches are still wondering how to undertake the implementation phase or are taking the first steps. We encourage them to advance with courage, facing resistance and difficulties, whether practical or of merit, with freedom and parrhesia: they too have a precious contribution to offer and it would be a loss for the entire Church if their voice were to remain silent.

The General Secretariat of the Synod remains at the disposal of both, to listen to them, accompany them, support their efforts and above all contribute to animating the dialogue and the exchange of gifts between the Churches, for the benefit of the entire Church and its unity. This is the way in which we intend to carry out the task of accompanying the implementation phase of the Synod entrusted to us by Pope Francis last March 11 and which Pope Leo XIV confirmed last June 26, on the occasion of his first meeting with the XVI Ordinary Council of the General Secretariat of the Synod, encouraging us to continue. The intention is to ensure that we proceed with the unity of the Church at heart by "harmonizing reception in the different ecclesial contexts" [2] , without taking anything away from the responsibility of each local Church. Placing itself «in harmony with the indications of the Final Document , the objective is to make concrete the prospect of the exchange of gifts between the Churches and in the Church as a whole (see DF, nn. 120-121)» [3] .

The Traces proposed here are placed in the perspective of this service. We address them to all the People of God, who are the subject of the synodal journey, and in particular to the Bishops and Eparchs, to the members of the synodal teams and to all those who in various capacities are involved in the implementation phase, with the aim of making them feel our support and continuing the dialogue that has characterized the entire synodal process. Their content is in fact rooted in the stimuli received from the Churches over the past months and in the fruits of the experiences that they have shared. On the basis of the contributions and questions that it will receive from the Churches and on what appears useful, the Secretariat will offer further stimuli and tools to accompany and support the common effort, in the hope of collaborating to make the implementation phase of the Synod even more fruitful.

We entrust to the intercession of Mary, Queen of the Apostles and Mother of the Church, and of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, whose solemnity we celebrate today, this further step of the synodal journey on which we as the People of God are proceeding together.
Vatican, June 29, 2025
Solemnity of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul
Mario Card. Grech
Secretary General

Presentation

These Traces , prepared by the General Secretariat of the Synod with the favorable opinion of its Ordinary Council and approved by the Holy Father Leo XIV, are part of the service of accompaniment of the implementation phase of the Synod by the General Secretariat itself. They have a dual purpose. On the one hand, they intend to offer local Churches throughout the world a shared framework of reference that makes it easier to walk together. On the other, they promote the dialogue that will lead the whole Church to the Ecclesial Assembly of October 2028, according to the following stages, already communicated in the Letter of 15 March:

•June 2025 – December 2026: implementation paths in local Churches and their groupings;

•first semester 2027: Evaluation assemblies in the Dioceses and Eparchies;

•second semester 2027: Evaluation assemblies in national and international Episcopal Conferences, in Eastern hierarchical structures and in other groupings of Churches;

•first quarter 2028: Continental evaluation assemblies;

•October 2028: Ecclesial Assembly in the Vatican.

The text of the Tracce , which will be followed by others based on the needs that will arise, outlines a profile of the implementation phase, giving answers to some fundamental questions that in recent months have often been addressed to the Secretariat. It is structured according to the following scheme:

1. What is the implementation phase and what are its objectives?

2.Who participates in the implementation phase? With what tasks and responsibilities?

2.1. The responsibility of the diocesan or eparchial bishop

2.2. The task of the synodal teams and participation bodies

2.3. The role of church groupings

2.4. The service of the General Secretariat of the Synod

3. How to use the DF in the implementation phase?

3.1. Maintaining the overall vision

3.2. Investing in the concreteness of practices

4. With what method and with what tools should we proceed in the implementation phase?

4.1. Ecclesial discernment

4.2. Designing and accompanying synodal-style processes

1. What is the implementation phase and what are its objectives?

This is the last of the three phases of the Synod foreseen in Articles 19-21 of the Apostolic Constitution Episcopalis communio (EC, 15 September 2018); it follows the phase of consultation and listening to the People of God (held in 2021-2023), and the celebratory phase, which saw the holding of the two Sessions of the Assembly of the Synod of Bishops (October 2023 and October 2024) and brought to completion the discernment carried out on the basis of listening to the People of God. As EC explains: «the synodal process has not only its starting point, but also its point of arrival in the People of God, upon whom the gifts of grace bestowed by the Holy Spirit must be poured out through the assembly of the Pastors» (n. 7).

\The implementation phase was opened by Pope Francis with the Accompanying Note of 24 November 2024, with which he delivered the DF to the entire Church. With an unprecedented act in the history of the synodal institution, he declares that the DF «participates in the ordinary Magisterium of the Successor of Peter (cf. EC 18 § 1; CCC 892)» and asks that it be accepted as such. The DF, in its entirety, is therefore the point of reference for the implementation phase. At the same time, the Note recalls that its application requires various mediations: «The local Churches and groupings of Churches are now called to implement, in the different contexts, the authoritative indications contained in the Document, through the processes of discernment and decision-making provided for by law and by the Document itself».

The implementation phase aims to experiment with renewed practices and structures, which make the life of the Church increasingly synodal , starting from the overall perspective outlined by the DF, with a view to a more effective implementation of the mission of evangelization. This work includes the necessary theological and canonical study, and above all a commitment to discern what is most appropriate and potentially fruitful in the different local contexts. Concretely, the priority is to offer the People of God new opportunities to walk together and reflect on these experiences to gather the fruits in order to the mission and share them.

The emphasis on the importance of gaining experience does not mean that the implementation phase consists of a sort of exercise or an additional task requested by Rome: it is part of the ordinary life of the Churches and inspires their daily practices. Each local Church, each parish community will be able to practice synodality within its own ordinary pastoral care , improving the way in which it carries out its mission through the ecclesial discernment that the Holy Spirit requires of us today. The DF invites local Churches to also identify " formative paths to achieve a tangible synodal conversion in the various ecclesial realities " (DF, n. 9). Therefore, the implementation phase aims to have a perceptible impact on the life of the Church and on the functioning of its structures and institutions. If it were to limit itself to the formulation of abstract hypotheses, it would not achieve its purpose and above all it would dissipate the capital of enthusiasm and energy that the synodal process has so far aroused.

Furthermore, the implementation phase is an opportunity to keep alive that exchange of gifts that increases the communion of local Churches within the one Church , manifesting its catholicity while respecting legitimate diversity. From these latter flows that creativity that inspires new ways of practicing synodality and enhances fruitfulness in the mission. For this reason, it is necessary that the fruits of the experiences realized in the different contexts be put into circulation and shared, nourishing the dialogue between the Churches. In the implementation phase, therefore, a new process of dialogue comes to life in each Church and between the Churches, on the basis of the DF.

It should also be emphasized that the implementation phase is not a step backwards, nor does it propose a pure repetition of what has already been experienced: the steps and objectives are very different. The point of reference is the DF , which expresses the consensus reached at the end of the discernment of the Pastors from all the Churches and which, as part of the ordinary Magisterium of the Successor of Peter, engages the entire People of God by indicating the direction in which to proceed. Rather, the experience of several Churches over these last months shows how fruitful it is to reconnect with the path taken in the previous phases and with what has been learned through it, with the aim of returning to the local Church the fruits of the process that has involved the other Churches and the Church as a whole.

Growing as a synodal Church requires knowledge that can only be learned through experience and opens a way for us to meet the Lord . This is what the participants in the Synodal Assembly experienced first-hand; it is no coincidence that the DF begins by testifying how "living the conversation in the Spirit, listening to one another, we perceived His presence among us: the presence of Him who, by giving the Holy Spirit, continues to inspire in His People a unity that is harmony of differences" (DF, n. 1). This is also the experience that has been made and that continues to be made in the local Churches and in the various groupings of Churches.

The implementation phase begins during the Jubilee of Hope. This coincidence has invited us to place an important event in the coming months: the Jubilee of the Synod Teams and Participatory Bodies , scheduled for 24 to 26 October 2025, whose organization is entrusted to the General Secretariat of the Synod. It will be a grace to be able to live together a profound moment of spirituality, in union with all the People of God, and it will also be an opportunity to build bonds, exchange experiences and better tune in for subsequent events.

2. Who participates in the implementation phase? With what tasks and responsibilities?

The implementation phase is an ecclesial process in the full sense, which involves all the Churches as subjects of the reception of the DF, and therefore the entire People of God, women and men, in the variety of charisms, vocations and ministries with which it is enriched and in the different articulations in which its life concretely unfolds (small Christian communities or basic ecclesial communities, parishes, associations and movements, communities of consecrated men and women, etc.). Since synodality is a "constitutive dimension of the Church" (DF, n. 28), it cannot be a process limited to a nucleus of "fans". Indeed, it is important that this new process contribute concretely " to broadening the possibilities of participation and exercise of differentiated co-responsibility of all the Baptized, men and women " (DF, n. 36) in a spirit of reciprocity; furthermore, it is crucial that it aims to involve those who have so far remained on the margins of the path of ecclesial renewal constituted by the Synod, such as "people and groups of different cultural identities and social conditions, in particular the poor and the excluded" ( ibid .). Numerous Churches have created paths that aim to make the commitment to be a listening Church ordinary in their life, just as many indicate that listening to young people is a priority. Furthermore, special care is needed in listening to those who have expressed doubts and resistance towards the synodal process: in order to truly walk together we cannot lose the contribution of their point of view.

For this reason, all Churches are invited to continue the search for listening tools appropriate to the wide variety of contexts in which the Christian community lives and works , without limiting themselves to the parishes alone, as in some cases happened during the listening phase, but also involving schools and universities, listening and reception centers, hospitals and prisons, the digital environment, etc. At the same time, the implementation phase represents a propitious opportunity to strengthen relationships between the different components of the Christian community , "in order to give life to an exchange of gifts at the service of the common mission" (DF, n. 65) that involves the communities and apostolic realities linked to Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, as well as Associations, Movements and New Communities. «It is often their action, together with that of many individuals and informal groups, that brings the Gospel to the most diverse places» (DF, n. 118) and the journey of a synodal Church needs this dynamism.

2.1. The responsibility of the diocesan or eparchial bishop

Precisely because it is an ecclesial process in the fullest sense of the term, the person primarily responsible for the implementation phase in each local Church is the diocesan or eparchial Bishop : it is up to him to open it, officially indicate its times, methods and objectives, accompany its progress and conclude it, validating the results. It will be an opportune occasion to practice an exercise of authority in synodal style, in the wake of what the DF states: "Whoever is ordained Bishop is not burdened with prerogatives and tasks that he must carry out alone. Rather, he receives the grace and the task of recognizing, discerning and composing into unity the gifts that the Spirit pours out on individuals and communities, operating within the sacramental bond with the Presbyters and Deacons, who are jointly responsible with him for the ministerial service in the local Church" (DF, n. 69). Whoever receives this gift and carries out this task can authoritatively recognize and confirm the synodal quality of the journey undertaken together by the ecclesial community and the fruits it has produced, thus promoting that unity of the Church which – as Saint John Paul II already said – "is not uniformity, but the organic integration of legitimate diversities" ( Novo millennio ineunte , n. 46, cit. in DF, n. 39), and manifesting the action of the Spirit, master of harmony. The Holy Spirit works with freedom, inspiring initiatives in the People of God where he deems most appropriate: the task of authority is to recognize these gifts, to welcome the invitation to broaden the vision they always contain, to foster their fruitfulness and to promote diversity, so as to enrich the possibilities of exchange of gifts that nourish ecclesial communion.

As the "visible principle and foundation of unity in their particular Churches" ( Lumen Gentium , n. 23), the Bishops are called to inspire and support the participation in the synodal process of all the members of the portion of the People of God entrusted to them. In fact, in every Diocese and Eparchy, there are some who have a lively desire for it, who must be listened to, who are available to engage with enthusiasm and can also offer valid suggestions. Others, however, need to be helped to open themselves to the action of the Spirit, first of all by listening to their resistance. To carry out this task effectively, the diocesan or eparchial Bishops cannot fail to involve, in addition to the Coadjutor Bishop and any Auxiliary Bishops present:

a) Presbyters and Deacons . In fact, it is their responsibility to collaborate with the Bishop "in discerning charisms and in accompanying and guiding the local Church, with particular attention to the service of unity" (DF, n. 72). As the DF recalls, "the experience of the Synod can help Bishops, Presbyters and Deacons to rediscover co-responsibility in the exercise of the ministry" (DF, n. 74) and the synodal dimension of their ministry. Furthermore, in this way, it will also be possible to promote greater involvement of Presbyters;

b) the participation bodies at the diocesan level (Presbyteral Council, Pastoral Council and Council for Economic Affairs), which, in their own ways, are involved in the processes of ecclesial discernment and in the elaboration of decisions that the implementation of the Synod inevitably entails. As the DF recalls, «it is appropriate to intervene in the functioning of these bodies, starting with the adoption of a synodal working methodology» (DF, n. 105);

c) the diocesan/eparchial synodal team , which is particularly responsible for animating the process (see the immediately following paragraph).

In many places, experience has shown that the adoption of synodal procedures for ecclesial discernment and the elaboration of decisions in a synodal style, on the basis of nn. 87-94 of the DF, does not diminish but rather consolidates the authority of the Bishop and facilitates the acceptance and implementation of the decisions taken.

2.2. The task of the synodal teams and participation bodies

The experience of the consultation phase has shown how valuable the work of the synodal teams has been: appointed and accompanied by the Bishop, they are fundamental instruments for the ordinary animation of the synodal life of the local Churches. Their contribution will also be fundamental in the implementation phase: for this reason, the existing teams will be valued and possibly renewed, those suspended will be reactivated and appropriately integrated, and new ones will be formed where they had not been established previously.

The criteria for their composition remain those already indicated in the consultation and listening phase: Lay people, priests and deacons, consecrated men and women of different ages and bearers of different cultures and models of formation that represent the different ministries and charisms of the Church . For this reason it is not possible to define universally valid rules of composition. To facilitate the connection with the life and pastoral care of the diocese, it would be good if some of the diocesan leaders were also part of it . To ensure missionary orientation and avoid the risk of self-referential withdrawal, exactly as for the participation bodies (see DF, n. 106), it would be good to foresee that the synodal teams also include people committed to witness and apostolic service in ordinary life and in social dynamics. It would also be possible to evaluate the opportunity to invite, as observers, some representatives of other Churches and Christian communities or of other religions. Nothing prevents the Bishop from being part of the synodal team; if this does not happen, he must be regularly informed about its work and meet with it when appropriate. As for the requirements of individual members, knowledge of the DF is certainly fundamental, together with direct experience of synodal dynamics, in particular those experienced during the phase of consultation and listening. In recent years, schools or initiatives for training in synodality have been created at national and international level, which can also be used to make the preparation of the members of the synodal teams more solid.

Synodal teams with an adequately varied composition will more easily be able to become laboratories of synodality, experimenting within themselves those dynamics that they are called to promote in the People of God. Their role in the implementation phase is first of all to promote and facilitate the growth of synodal dynamism within the concrete contexts in which each local Church lives; to identify the appropriate tools and methodologies, also with regard to formative proposals; and to carry out the appropriate initiatives so that the necessary steps are taken. Synodal teams are ordinarily constituted at the diocesan or eparchial level, but, where possible, their presence at the deanery or parish level is also desirable. Interesting experiences are already being developed in various ecclesial contexts, which show how these teams, appropriately connected to each other, can contribute to making the synodal process more widespread and participatory. Furthermore, part of the task of animation is to promote the availability and training of facilitators and to coordinate their work.

The scope of competence of the synodal teams does not overlap, but is articulated with that of the participation bodies, in the key of seeking synergies. The synodal teams are established to serve the animation and synodal formation of the Diocese or Eparchy. The participation bodies are called to carry out the proactive and consultative task assigned to them by canon law. Therefore, it is their task to contribute to the elaboration of the decisions required for the implementation of the Synod, with the discernment of pastoral priorities or the renewal of structures and decision-making processes. Regular coordination and timely circulation of information will make everyone's work more fluid.

Finally, the synodal teams will have the task of reaping the fruits of the processes they will animate, also in view of the evaluation phase and the Assemblies planned starting in 2027. Also in this case, it will be up to the Bishop to recognize and confirm the validity of the synthesis with respect to the journey undertaken together by the diocesan community.

2.3. The role of church groupings

The DF, also rooted in this in the Council, is careful to underline that the local Churches are not isolated entities , but are placed within the bonds of communion that unite them among themselves, in particular through the communion of the Bishops among themselves and with the Roman Pontiff.

In many cases, the bonds are informal , the result of history, geographical proximity, twinning, migration, perhaps occasional meetings between people, today increasingly also of interactions through digital media, etc. In our strongly connected society, no Diocese or Eparchy can think of living in isolation, without being affected, for better or for worse, by what happens in others. These spontaneous and informal bonds, which are independent of deliberate planning, are a consequence of the times in which we live, but above all they constitute a wealth and a resource of which we must become aware in order to foster an increasingly articulated experience of the ecclesial we.

In other cases, these links take on a structural form , regulated by law, giving rise to institutions such as the metropolitan churches or ecclesiastical provinces and above all the Episcopal Conferences (national and regional) and the Synods of the Churches sui iuris , as well as the continental Meetings of Episcopal Conferences. These structures also have a role in the implementation phase, which the DF synthetically indicates as follows: «We suggest that the Episcopal Conferences and the Synods of the Churches sui iuris dedicate people and resources to accompany the path of growth as a synodal Church in mission and to maintain contact with the General Secretariat of the Synod» (DF, n. 9).

It is therefore a dual role. First of all, they are asked to: support the processes underway at the local level, especially where they are still in their initial phase, stimulating the local Churches; promote the coordination and networking of diocesan synodal teams; offer training, taking into account the proposals of schools and initiatives for training in synodality present in the various territories (in particular for the members of the teams and for those who are more directly involved in animating the implementation process); promote theological and pastoral reflection , in particular with a view to better inculturation in the local context of the resources prepared by the General Secretariat. Carrying out these tasks at the local level would be more burdensome and would involve a duplication of efforts: for this reason, in a spirit of subsidiarity, they can be better carried out at the level of groupings of Churches, without this exhausting the protagonism of the local Churches.

The second line of action concerns the communication interface with the General Secretariat of the Synod , which will grow in importance at certain times, for example when it will be necessary to send the contributions of the local Churches to Rome, organizing them in national syntheses according to the model already tested. More practical indications will be provided as the contours and deadlines of this phase are defined. The Episcopal Conferences can in any case count on the availability of the General Secretariat to smooth out any obstacles that may arise along the way.

To carry out this dual task, it will be important to proceed with the reactivation and renewal of the national and continental synodal teams , along the lines of what has already been said for the local ones. It will be up to them to carry forward the concrete work.

A third task is then added: the DF recognizes in the Episcopal Conferences an instrument to express and realize episcopal collegiality and to foster communion between the Churches. Synodality therefore also questions the concrete ways in which they function. No. 125 of the DF contains some specific indications in this regard, which clearly cannot be assumed by the individual local Churches. It will be important then that the groupings of Churches activate a reflection and an experimentation of synodal ways of proceeding at their level, the results of which will contribute to the evaluation phase.

2.4. The service of the General Secretariat of the Synod

The General Secretariat of the Synod was entrusted by Pope Francis, first, and by Pope Leo XIV, later, with a role of animation and coordination through a path of accompaniment throughout the four-year period 2025-2028.

Within this framework, a first task of the General Secretariat is to foster communion in the spirit of the exchange of gifts and in the perspective of the "conversion of bonds" (DF, Part IV ) between the Churches. Important tools for this purpose are listening to the experiences realized in the different ecclesial contexts and promoting a shared reflection on them, so that together we can recognize the voice of the Spirit and orient our steps in the direction He indicates. The General Secretariat is called to foster a continuous dialogue between the Churches, facilitating communication and mutual comparison, first of all through the groupings of Churches, in particular at the continental level. To this end, it will listen to the local Churches and collect their feedback, on the basis of which it will prepare notes and aids, and circulate information and suggestions. Furthermore, it will propose moments of meeting that favor mutual listening, sharing the journey and its fruits, and the shared expression of gratitude to the Lord.

The first of these events is the upcoming Jubilee of the Synodal Teams and Participatory Bodies (24-26 October 2025). More precise indications on the methods of organizing other events and collecting feedback will be sent as the journey progresses. For the moment, in order to guarantee an orderly flow of communication and allow for more effective coordination, it is essential that each Diocese or Eparchy register its own Synodal Team in the database of the General Secretariat of the Synod [4] . We ask each Bishop and Eparch to verify that this has been done.

A second task of the Secretariat is the accompaniment of diocesan and eparchial Bishops, and of synodal teams , mainly through dialogue with the appropriate structures activated by the groupings of Churches, particularly at the continental level. However, to the extent possible, the General Secretariat is also available to accompany individual local Churches, as well as Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, Associations, Movements and New Communities, or other ecclesial institutions that request it, with priority attention to Churches with fewer resources. The General Secretariat is committed to remaining "with the door open" [5] , to listen to the needs, intuitions and proposals that come from the local Churches, and to facilitate their work by trying to respond to the requests that will arrive regarding the contents and methodologies of the implementation phase.

A point of particular importance is to encourage the Churches to follow a synodal path . The experience of those who have already begun the implementation phase confirms that the contents and decisions are important, but so are the ways in which they are addressed. Adequate structures and norms are indispensable, but they are not enough. The perspective and beauty of being a synodal Church has been understood in its richness by the communities that have had direct experience of listening and participating in processes of discernment and decision-making. It is to this concrete and shared experience, under the guidance of the Pastors, often marked by the joy of the Gospel, that the Secretariat intends to continue to offer its attentive and punctual service.

A third task consists in continuing to coordinate the Study Groups , in collaboration with the competent Dicasteries of the Roman Curia, in which Pastors and experts from all continents also participate. Pope Leo XIV confirmed this task and also the addition of two new Study Groups (respectively on "The Liturgy in a Synodal Perspective" and on "The Statute of Episcopal Conferences, Ecclesial Assemblies and Particular Councils"). It is also up to the Secretariat to ensure that the Pope's decisions, which also mature on the basis of the results of these groups, are harmoniously integrated into the ongoing synodal journey. Always with a view to deepening the themes that emerged during the synodal journey, the Secretariat will also promote conferences and study seminars, encouraging moments of shared reflection and theological and pastoral development.

Finally, of particular importance will be the task of accompanying the organization of the Continental Evaluation Assemblies (1st quarter 2028) and of organizing the Ecclesial Assembly of October 2028. In view of these appointments, it is good to reiterate that evaluation is not a form of judgment or control, but an opportunity to ask ourselves where we are in the path of implementation and conversion, shedding light on the progress made and identifying areas for improvement (see DF, n. 100): the Ecclesial Assemblies planned in 2027-2028 at various levels must be understood in this line and will constitute occasions to celebrate the gifts received, so as to continue to grow together as a synodal Church committed to carrying forward the mission received from Christ in the concrete circumstances of our time; they will also be an opportunity to put into practice concrete ways of combining synodality, collegiality and primacy, in a faithful and creative way in the perspective of a differentiated co-responsibility. More precise indications on the methods of conduct and the topics on the agenda of these Assemblies will emerge from the dialogue process that precedes them, as well as from the results of the Study Group whose tasks include reflecting on them. What can already be anticipated is that they will be an opportunity to share experiences of renewal of practices and structures in a synodal sense that the individual Churches consider sufficiently consolidated, so as to submit them to the Holy Father for definitive validation, and they will also offer the opportunity to begin to address together the questions that will not fail to emerge along the way.

3. How to use the DF in the implementation phase?

The DF is the point of reference for the implementation phase: for this reason it is so abundantly cited here. Consequently, it is essential to promote knowledge of it, in particular by the members of the synodal teams and by those who at various levels are called to animate the implementation process. Since the DF is a rich and organic text, it will be appropriate to provide (at local, national or regional level) moments and/or tools for training, accompaniment and guidance in reading, which allow one to grasp the inspiration that animates it and not just to get an idea of ​​the issues discussed.

First of all, the reading of the DF must be supported and nourished by both communal and personal prayer, centered on Christ, the teacher of listening and dialogue (cf. DF, n. 51) and open to the action of the Spirit: an abstract analysis of the text will not suffice. In fact, the DF proposes to the whole Church and to every baptized person the prospect of a journey of conversion: "the call to the mission is at the same time the call to the conversion of every local Church and of the whole Church" (DF, n. 11). Like every journey of conversion, it implies a process of deepening and interior purification, which on the personal level will be followed by a change in choices, behaviors and lifestyles. On the community level, the renewal of categories of thought and culture in a synodal sense will be the terrain on which new practices and renewed structures can germinate.

The DF is an organic text, animated by its own internal dynamism , as a consequence of the long process of listening, comparison and discernment of which it is the fruit. It cannot therefore be considered a collection of indications on disparate themes that can be taken into consideration by abstracting them from the context in which they were formulated. This would prevent us from grasping their meaning and therefore from correctly orienting their implementation. Its very structure demonstrates this.

Part I , in fact, expresses the shared understanding of synodality, the fruit of the journey undertaken, and outlines its theological and spiritual foundations, rooted in the Second Vatican Council. At the opposite extreme, Part V takes up the overall perspective and recalls that growing as a missionary synodal Church requires taking care of the formation of all members of the People of God; the Conclusion, then, recalls an eschatological perspective that guides the common mission in which all members of the People of God are called to collaborate.

Within this framework of meaning, Parts II, III and IV focus on some concrete aspects of the life of the Church, formulating proposals for its renewal. In particular: Part II «is dedicated to the conversion of relationships that build the Christian community and give shape to the mission in the interweaving of vocations, charisms and ministries» (DF, n. 11); Part III identifies three crucial practices to initiate processes of “missionary transformation” (ecclesial discernment, decision-making processes, culture of transparency, accountability and evaluation) and highlights the urgency of a renewal of the bodies of participation; Part IV «outlines the way in which it is possible to cultivate in new forms the exchange of gifts and the interweaving of bonds that unite us in the Church, at a time in which the experience of being rooted in a place is changing profoundly» ( ibid .), reflecting on the role of Episcopal Conferences and Ecclesial Assemblies and on the service of the Bishop of Rome.

3.1. Maintaining the overall vision

Rather than offering a summary of the main contents of the DF, which could even prove to be an obstacle to accessing the text in its entirety, it seems preferable here to make explicit some of the lines of force that run through it, give it organicity and constitute criteria for orientation and evaluation of the decisions that are intended to be taken. In this perspective, the concrete steps that will be taken to implement the indications of the DF are called to take root:

a) first of all the DF proposes a precise ecclesiological perspective to refer to, rooted in the Second Vatican Council : «The synodal journey is in fact putting into practice what the Council taught about the Church as a Mystery and People of God, called to holiness through a continuous conversion that comes from listening to the Gospel» (DF, n. 5), in the awareness that each of its members, man or woman, has received the gift of the Holy Spirit;

b) the mission of announcing the Kingdom of God , inaugurated by Jesus and to which all the Baptized are called, each with the specificity of their own charisms, vocation and ministry, constitutes the backbone of the text and its final objective. Reflections on the instruments to be adopted or on the reforms to be implemented must always be placed within the horizon of the mission, which is the fundamental criterion of all discernment in this regard. In particular, the DF pushes decisively for a Church that is ever more courageous in extroflexion , so much so that it asks that communities conceive themselves "principally at the service of the mission that the Faithful carry out within society, in family and working life, without concentrating exclusively on the activities that take place within them and on their organizational needs" (DF, n. 59);

c) the relational perspective and the logic of the exchange of gifts as an expression of catholicity are two other lines of force that run through the entire DF and therefore guide its understanding and implementation. This is clearly seen in the presentation of the figures of ordained ministers, in organic relationship with each other and with the entire People of God (see DF, nn. 69-74), or in the description of the links between local Churches through communion between Bishops;

d) the ecumenical impulse represents the extension of the relational perspective and the logic of the exchange of gifts. It is therefore not an optional addition, but a requirement, with respect to which to verify the dynamism of our journey together;

e) finally, the DF adopts the conciliar vision of a Church in the world, in dialogue with all, with other religious traditions (cf. DF, n. 41) and with all of society (cf. DF, 42). Growing as a synodal Church capable of dialogue has a value of social prophecy that includes the commitment to social justice and integral ecology. These dimensions cannot be overlooked in the implementation phase, leading to the creation of opportunities for dialogue starting from the concrete needs of the territories and societies in which one lives.

In addition to the lines of force mentioned above, the dynamism that animates the DF, and that the implementation phase is called to assume, derives from the continuous articulation of some polarities and tensions that structure the life of the Church and the way in which the ecclesiological categories express it. We list here some of these polarities: the whole Church and the local Church; the Church as the People of God, as the Body of Christ and as the Temple of the Spirit; participation of all and authority of some; synodality, collegiality and primacy; common priesthood and ministerial priesthood; ministeriality (ordained and instituted ministries) and participation in the mission by virtue of the baptismal vocation without a ministerial form. The implementation of the DF requires addressing and discerning these tensions as they present themselves in the circumstances in which each local Church lives. The way forward is not to seek an impossible arrangement that eliminates the tension to the advantage of one of the poles. Rather, in the here and now of each local Church, it will be necessary to discern which of the possible balances allows for a more dynamic service of the mission. Presumably, different decisions will be reached in different places. For this reason, in many areas the DF opens up some spaces for local experimentation , for example in matters of ministries (see DF, nos. 66, 76 and 78), decision-making processes (see DF, no. 94), reporting and evaluation (see DF, no. 101), and participation bodies (see DF, no. 104). Individual Churches are invited to make use of them.

In the current socio-cultural circumstances, one of these tensions seems to present itself in particularly new forms and require an effort of awareness. For this reason the DF dedicates an entire paragraph to it, significantly entitled " Rooted and pilgrims " (cf. DF, nn. 110-119). Traditionally, it is the bond with a place, understood in a spatial and geographical sense, that defines the local Churches as portions of the People of God and that constitutes the basis of people's sense of belonging. Phenomena such as urbanization, growing mobility and migration, and the spread of digital culture profoundly modify the way in which people experience belonging: this refers to networks of relationships rather than spatial areas, even if the human need for community bonds remains firm. Indeed, their weakening makes an effort of missionary creativity even more urgent , which allows the Church to reach people and create bonds with them wherever they are (cf. ibid. ).

In the evaluation phase, it will be important to gather the fruits of the experiences made by local Churches in inhabiting polarities and tensions, and the results of the efforts of missionary creativity, with a view to the exchange of good practices.

3.2. Investing in the concreteness of practices

Listening to the Holy Spirit, remaining within the ecclesiological vision that the DF receives from the Second Vatican Council, the objective of the implementation phase is to discern the steps of conversion of culture, relationships and ecclesial practices, and consequently of reform of structures and institutions. This is a crucial point of the entire process: "Without concrete changes in the short term, the vision of a synodal Church will not be credible and this will distance those members of the People of God who have drawn strength and hope from the synodal journey" (DF, n. 94).

The DF repeatedly emphasizes that " it is up to the local Churches to find appropriate ways to implement these changes " ( ibid .), indeed, this is the task to be faced during the implementation phase. It is therefore not possible to indicate among the many areas of attention of the DF those to be considered universally priority. Local circumstances can more than legitimately make it of indisputable importance and urgency to address a particular point that elsewhere does not have the same priority: this could be the case of the relations between the Latin Church and the Eastern Catholic Churches in some areas, or of the ecumenical impetus or interreligious dialogue in others, which will require giving a particular form, even structural and institutionalized, to the commitment to walk together.

At the same time – and here we are referring to the polarity of the whole Church and the local Church mentioned above – there is also a strong need to proceed together as a whole Church . Indeed, this is the main reason for launching the process of accompaniment and evaluation.

In this line and without prejudice to the responsibility of each local Church regarding the implementation of the indications of the DF in its own context, from now on, on the basis of the process of the Synod 2021-2024, it is possible to foresee that the local Churches will be called to share the steps taken in some specific areas, according to the methods and forms that will seem most appropriate. Among these areas we highlight:

a) the promotion of synodal spirituality (see DF, nn. 43-46);

b) effective access to positions of responsibility and leadership roles that do not require the sacrament of Orders by non-ordained women and men, both lay men and women and consecrated men and women (cf. DF, n. 60);

c) the experimentation of forms of service and ministry that respond to pastoral needs in different contexts (see DF, nn. 75-77);

d) the practice of ecclesial discernment (see DF, n. 81-86);

e) the activation of synodal-style decision-making processes (see DF, nn. 93-94);

f) the experimentation of appropriate forms of transparency, reporting and evaluation (see DF, nos. 95-102);

g) the mandatory nature of the participation bodies provided for by law in Dioceses and Parishes , and the renewal of their functioning methods in a synodal manner (see DF, nn. 103-106);

h) the regular holding of local and regional ecclesial assemblies (see DF, n. 107);

i) the valorization of the diocesan Synod and the eparchial Assembly (see DF, n. 108);

j) the renewal of the Parishes in a synodal missionary key (see DF, n. 117);

k) the verification of the synodal character of the paths of Christian Initiation (see DF, n. 142) and, in general, of the formative paths and the institutions assigned to them (see DF, nn. 143-151).

This is certainly not an exhaustive list and will be further refined along the way, based on feedback from local Churches.

4. With what method and with what tools should we proceed in the implementation phase?

The experience of the entire synodal process has shown how crucial it is to have a method that is adequate for the issues to be addressed. Indeed, for the construction of a synodal Church, content and method very often coincide: meeting and talking as brothers and sisters in Christ about how to better live the synodal dimension of the Church is an experience of a synodal Church that opens up to a better understanding of the theme. Therefore, the synodal method is not reduced to a series of techniques for managing meetings, but is a spiritual and ecclesial experience that involves growing in a new way of being Church , rooted in the faith that the Spirit bestows his gifts on all the Baptized, starting from the sensus fidei (cf. DF, n. 81). Since it is not a technique, the methodology does not guarantee that the desired result will be achieved, because this depends on the openness to listening of those who take part in the journey and on their willingness to let themselves be transformed by the Spirit of Christ in communion with their brothers and sisters. This is another dimension of the synodal conversion to which the DF invites the entire Church.

4.1. Ecclesial discernment

Nos. 81-86 of the DF outline in a synthetic but incisive way the profile of ecclesial discernment, that is, the method proper to a synodal Church. It will be necessary to refer to them, in the awareness that "in the Church there exists a great variety of approaches to discernment and consolidated methodologies" (DF, no. 86). In this regard, it is appropriate to remember that the conversation in the Spirit, which has certainly been a distinctive characteristic and a factor of success of the synodal process, is not the only synodal method and above all it is not synonymous with ecclesial discernment, at whose service it places itself as an instrument and preparation.

As the DF recalls in n. 85, ecclesial discernment requires the contribution of various kinds of expertise for a more in-depth reading of the context and a clearer identification of what is at stake. It is not easy for these contributions to find an adequate place in the dynamics of conversation in the Spirit, which is first and foremost a tool for encounter, growth in relationships and the transition from "I" to "we." Finally, since in the implementation phase it will be necessary to reach concrete resolutions in view of the renewal of practices and structures, the decision-making processes in this regard must be fully ecclesial, recognizing the peculiar function of authority , in particular of diocesan or eparchial Bishops, who are primarily responsible for communion in the Churches entrusted to them and between the Churches.

Concretely, among the premises for carrying out a good discernment process, a clear definition of the objectives is fundamental, ensuring that they are realistic and proportionate to the time available, the spaces that can be used and the number of participants involved. Furthermore, the starting provisions cannot be overlooked: it is crucial that each participant arrives adequately prepared and that the context favors a climate of prayer and an interior availability to listen and discuss. In this perspective, it is worth remembering how much experience highlights the importance and fruitfulness that synodal processes can count on appropriate forms of facilitation , involving prepared people who adequately safeguard and adapt the method, avoiding short circuits and allowing participants to focus more decisively on the issues being discerned.

4.2. Designing and accompanying synodal-style processes

These methodological indications can be declined in a variety of occasions and processes, characterized by different objectives, but united by the fact that they are carried out in a synodal style. To achieve them while avoiding the risk of improvisation and dispersion, it is appropriate to foresee an investment in the design and accompaniment of these processes. Here we indicate some, without any claim to exhaustiveness:

a) processes of ecclesial discernment both to identify the priorities of the mission and to identify forms and procedures of governance appropriate to a synodal Church. Each of the two strands has specific needs that will need to be taken into account in the design of the path. The design and accompaniment of these processes will require having expert people, capable of helping to implement the indications formulated above;

b) training processes for synodality according to the stimuli of Part V of the DF, also with regard to the variety of training needs to be met and consequently making an effort to clarify the specific objectives of each path. Often, the most effective training methodology is sharing and reflecting in a climate of prayer on the experiences of the synodal Church, allowing the strengths and weaknesses to emerge. For this reason, reflection on the processes of ecclesial discernment, on decision-making processes in synodal style or on the functioning of participation bodies can have a stronger training value than a course organized according to traditional models. In this case too, it will be crucial to have expert companions and facilitators. It will therefore be necessary to also take care of the training of these figures;

c) processes and experiences of listening and dialogue in communities , on the territory and at the regional level. Experience has shown that digital tools can also prove to be an important resource for this purpose. In the logic already mentioned, it is important to carry out these experiences in a climate of prayer and to provide a time for shared reflection that allows us to reap the fruits;

d) moments of celebration, meeting and exchange of experiences between communities within a Diocese or between Dioceses of the same region. In this case too, digital tools can be helpful, but we must not underestimate the potential of events linked to popular piety, such as pilgrimages to sanctuaries, which often bring together a large number of people. How is it possible to animate them so that they acquire a more explicit synodal character and foster meeting and dialogue between people?

e) communication processes and activities , aimed both at Christian communities and at the societies in which they live, using the most appropriate tools for each context. It will also be appropriate to explore the potential of new digital communication channels, which today constitute for some, especially young people, real environments for living and building relationships, in which to make the proclamation of the Gospel resonate in an appropriate way. The experience of the Digital Synod constitutes a resource in this regard;

f) paths of renewal of pastoral action in a specific area or on a theme relevant to each local Church (e.g. the promotion of a more lively participation in Sunday celebration, catechetical paths, ecumenical dialogue, the integration of migrants, the commitment to the care of the common home, etc.), implementing initiatives that make the impact of a synodal approach tangible and verifying the results. This can help to make the horizon of synodality concrete in the life of communities;

g) theological, pastoral and canonical research paths at the service of the implementation of the Synod in the specificities of the local context and in the dialogue between the Churches. With this important service, theologians "help the People of God to develop an understanding of the reality illuminated by Revelation and to elaborate suitable responses and appropriate languages ​​for the mission" (DF, n. 67). This also gives rise to a particular responsibility of theological institutions in accompanying the Church to live the synodal dimension ever more fully.

The synodal method has allowed us to be surprised by the Holy Spirit and to reap unexpected fruits in the phase of consultation and listening , as well as during the sessions of the Synodal Assembly, arousing the amazement and enthusiasm of many participants, as many summaries and documents received testify: the communion between the Faithful, between the Pastors and between the Churches has been nourished by participation in the synodal processes and events, renewing the impetus and sense of co-responsibility for the common mission . This authorizes us to look with confidence to the path that awaits us in the coming years, starting with the appointment of the Jubilee of the synodal teams and the participation bodies. We are already working to organize it in the best way, so that the occasion of walking together physically towards the Holy Door becomes an opportunity to exchange gifts and celebrate that hope that does not disappoint, the only one capable of nourishing the commitment to carry forward, as a synodal Church, the mission entrusted by the Lord Jesus to his disciples.

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[1] Leo XIV, First greeting and blessing , 8 May 2025.

[2] Letter on the process of accompanying the implementation phase of the Synod , 15 March 2025, <https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2025/03/15/0186/00366.html#it>.

[3] Ibid .

[4] The registration of the synodal teams in the database of the General Secretariat of the Synod takes place through the link to be requested by writing to the address synodus@synod.va. This registration does not coincide with that of the synodal teams and the participation bodies for the Jubilee.

[5] The email address to write to is: synodus@synod.va.

Translated from the Original text: Italian

Source: https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2025/07/07/0484/00885.html