Registration opens for online Synod course on synodality

By Devin Watkins

As the Synod on synodality continues through the Continental Stage, registration has opened up for an online course to be held in Spring 2023 focused on the ongoing Church-wide event.

In a press statement released on Friday, the General Secretariat for the Synod said the 4-stage course would be offered in Italian, with simultaneous translation in English, Spanish, and Portuguese.

Theoretical and practical scope

The synodality course seeks to offer a “wide-ranging theological and pastoral preparation with the objective of providing the Christian community with a model for the communal exercise of Christian thinking and acting.”

According to the press release, the course will consist of four stages, including 3 academic modules and a residential meeting.

“They will deal with topics related to the synodal process: what is synodality? Is it in line with what is expressed in the Magisterium of the Church and Canon Law? How is it possible to live it in the Church?”

Open to all

Registration closes on 15 January 2023, and can be found at the website of Sophia University Institute.

Based in the central Italian town of Loppiano, the Focolare-run university is hosting the course through its Evangelii Gaudium Centre.

Cardinal Mario Grech, Secretary General of the Synod, will offer the first introductory lecture on 17 January.

Anyone can take part in the course, including bishops, pastoral workers, priests, consecrated men and women, seminarians, and lay people.

Participants can choose to follow the entire course or single modules.

More information on the course can be found at the link.