Parishioners of the Diocese of Tucson have been gathering at local churches for listening sessions in honor of the synod of bishops.

The listening sessions are designed to have parishioners share experiences with each other. According to The Conversation, on Oct. 10, Pope Francis opened a two-year process called “A synod of synodality,” which is also known as “Synod 2021-2023: For a Synodal Church.”

“On Nov. 30 senior members of Tucson’s St. Cyril of Alexandria Parish gathered for a listening session for #Synod2023. This was the first of five sessions the parish will hold in December,” the Synod Diocese of Tucson posted on Facebook.

The Diocese of Tucson has been documenting the listening sessions on a daily basis since it begin.

“Synod” comes from a Greek word meaning “coming together” or “traveling together.” The Synodal tradition for the Church began with ancient Christian leaders who would come together to discuss and pray about issues that affected the whole Church. By the 16th century, these gatherings were happening infrequently. 

The most recent synod was the Second Vatican Council from 1962 to 1965, where the aim was to re-emphasize the role of bishops as leaders of their communities and encourage more communication and cooperation between bishops.

According to the New Outlook, in preparation for the Synod, the Diocese of Tucson invites participants to consider the following questions: “In our local Church, who are those who ‘walk together? Who are those who seem further apart? How is God speaking to us through voices we sometimes ignore, especially people who experience poverty, marginalization, or social exclusion? How do prayer and liturgical celebrations actually inspire and guide our common life and mission in our community? To what extent do diverse peoples in our community come together for dialogue? and What methods and processes do we use in decision-making?”

Bishops all around the world are tasked with consulting with monks, nuns, parishioners, and lay people to bring more openness and transparency to the Church. The bishops will convene in 2023 and discuss how to move forward as a church that “journeys together,” according to The Conversation.