Announcing The Peoples Synod
We are announcing The Peoples Synod, the first-ever national event, addressing the Signs of the Times (as Vatican II did) and coping with its challenging realities. Our changing culture is filled with distrust, frustration, bitterness and rage that results in a new levels of violence. How do we cope? It appears the axiom of fight or flight is at play.
We have seen many Catholics flee the institutional Church, a closed system unable to respond to the Signs of the Times, seemingly unaware of the reality we live in today. Others choose to fight the institution that has fallen off its honored pedestal as the source of comfort and support to those in need.
We believe we have the collective wisdom to find new ways to deal with this chaos and create a new vision of what becoming church means to each of us. Vatican II opened the door to this concept by stating that the People of God truly are the Church so we chose to explore what that might mean to the average Catholic.
Ours is not a typical conference where attendees sit obediently, mute and reverential to a famous speaker; it is a synod, an event that brings people together to deeper dialogue around the issues of the day and how we are called through our faith to respond to those issues. We will explore with others in small groups what that unique call is for each of us. We will define ways we could exercise the values of our faith to not only cope with issues of concern but make real, healthy change beginning at the grassroots level.
We are responsible to our Creator and the next generation to live the values we were taught by Jesus to deal with this new reality, a reality that has both rights and responsibilities, recognizing us, the People of God, as church. The times are calling us to be who we were created to be accessing the Spirit’s power within each of us to live intentionally.
We choose to come together this September in Baltimore, MD to enter into deeper dialogue, to journey together on this new adventure, to encounter one another in a new way, to understand Sr. Ilia Delio’s statement, “we are unfinished beings in an unfinished universe” and begin to be church together in a new way intentionally. There is something liberating in such dialogue as change happens only when it is compelled to happen and the times are compelling us now.
We welcome you to join us in this historic event, an event recognizing at Baptism, we were anointed to overcome the challenging crises of our times by creating a common vision of church. Pope Francis calls us to join him in this mission. See details on our website, thepeoplessynod.org, to learn more, understanding that God is in the midst of our current darkness, calling us through our fear and asking us what we want to become as individuals, families, communities and as a nation. To have a different world, we must become different people. Let’s explore this together.
Invest in yourself through a lens of faith, and grow with us from the ground floor.
In Christ’s love,
Janet W. Hauter
Chair: The American Catholic Council
The People’s Synod
September 27-29, 2019
Baltimore Convention Center
Questions? Do not hesitate to call (847) 366-2761
Registration and Event Information
