As part of the Synod process, the Diocese of Tucson has been holding listening sessions at various schools and churches throughout the last few months.

There is still time to participate in a listening session, but the diocese is now beginning the process of reviewing all the feedback from the listening sessions in order to prepare a report for the bishop.

"As we begin processing the feedback from more than 130 parish and school listening sessions, we look forward to the release of the online survey in the next few days," the Diocese said on Facebook. "This is also a time to schedule some final sessions with special groups within the diocese, from whom we have not yet heard. Please pray for the 12 members of the steering committee and those who are helping us make the first steps in preparing our report for Bishop Weisenburger."

On Oct. 10, 2021, Pope Francis declared a “synod on synodality,” which is formally titled “Synod 2021-2023: For a Synodal Church,” the Conversation reported.

The process will last for two years and involves expanding the existing “Synod of Bishops.” Bishops all around the world are tasked with consulting with monks, nuns, parishioners and laypeople 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.”

“Synod” comes from a Greek word meaning “coming together” or “traveling together,” the Conversation said.

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. One of the goals of the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) was to reemphasize the role of bishops as leaders of their communities and encourage more communication and cooperation between bishops, the website said.

As part of the Synod, the Diocese of Tucson invites the faithful 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?”