Resources for Synodal Listening

Below you will find a collection of resources for listening session coordinators as you plan, facilitate, and report on your community's listening sessions.

Play Video

Archbishop's message to listening session coordinators

Take a moment to watch Archbishop Etienne's special message to listening coordinators, as we prepare to take this next step as Church and open ourselves to the voice of the Holy Spirit

Planning

Archdiocesan Overview

An overview of the Synodal Process in the Archdiocese of Seattle, including a discussion of the three Synodal phases

English | Espanol

Preparatory Document

The Vatican's guide to preparing your community for Synodal listening efforts. Available in multiple languages

Click to read
 

Training Webinars

Training webinars for Synod Coordinators and their teams to use when planning their listening efforts 

English | Espanol   

Opening Mass

Northwest Catholic's recounting of the Opening Synodal Mass, including Archbishop Etienne's homily

Click to read

Pastoral Toolkit

A tool to help individuals encounter the Lord and share his love and joy with others. Useful in preparing your team for listening 

English | Espanol 

Planning Template

A template created for Synod Coordinators and their teams to use when planning listening sessions

English | Espanol | Vietnamese

Reflection Questions

The central questions posed by Pope Francis in addition to reflection questions to help you prepare to respond to them during your listening

English | Espanol

Vadamecum

The Official Vatican handbook for listening and discernment in communities leading up to the Assembly of Bishops in Synod in October 2023

Click to read

Facilitating

Facilitation Handbook

"Process for Facilitating Synodal Consultations" by Leadership Roundtable. Provides sample session agendas and structures for meetings/listening sessions

English | Espanol

Prayer and the Synod

Tools for Synodal teams to use when grounding their listening sessions — and larger Synodal efforts — in prayer 

English | Espanol

Synod Question Summary

The collected questions Pope Francis is asking us to answer during listening sessions, along with suggested supplemental questions

English | Espanol

Renewed Encounter

 "A Restorative Justice Engagement Guide for Catholic Communities" by the Catholic Mobilizing Network. 

Link to more info 

Reporting

Session Summary Form

A form for your team to pray over and complete following each listening session. The form is fillable on a computer, but you can also download and print as many copies as needed  for each of your listening sessions

English | Espanol

Online Synthesis Tool

For use after Synodal listening sessions have concluded. Use this form to synthesize the notes from your listening sessions as recorded on the Session Summary Forms. For use after your Synodal listening sessions have concluded. Must be completed online

English | Espanol

Synod Synthesis Training

A training webinar to assist Synod coordinators in recording and reporting the findings from their listening sessions. Includes general information on reporting as well as details on forthcoming reporting tools | Espanol

English | Espanol

Synodal Training Videos

Grounded in Prayer

St. James' Director of Liturgy, Corinna Laughlin, provides strategies to ground our listening sessions in prayer

Click here to view

Intentional Listening

Director of Pastoral Care, Joe Cotton, walks through ways to create intentional, inviting spaces for listening

Click here to view

Synodal Overview

An overview of the Synodal process and the primary asks being made of listening session coordinators

English | Espanol

Miscellaneous Resources

Training Webinar Slides

The slideshow presentations used in our first round of Synod Coordinator Training Webinars in December 2021                                                    

English | Espanol

USCCB Webpage

USCCB's official Synod webpage. Contains background and resources on the Synod in the United States

Link to more info

Vietnamese Resources

Vatican Synodal documents translated by the Catholic Bishop’s Conference of Vietnam

Handbook | Planning Doc

Vatican Webpage

 Includes background information, planning resources, and communication tools in various languages

Link to more info

“We will strive to hear from every member of the Church, especially those who often feel unheard and invisible. This is a time for all voices to be heard: men, women, young people, laity, clergy and religious, those who are active in the Church and those who for whatever reason have fallen away.”

~ Archbishop Etienne 

Contact

For questions or if you are interested in coordinating a listening session, contact Pastoralcouncil@seattlearch.org