Dialogue: A call to action

“The Church is very big, there is a plurality and a lot of fragmentation. Some feel they are better than others. Many have agendas and we shouldn’t. Our agenda is Jesus Christ.” This was one sentiment expressed at the November 18 assembly.

Dialogue is the way to build inclusivity, love, unity, empathy, and a deep spiritual connection. By listening to each other deeply, we listen to God.

This is a fruit of the Holy Spirit and part of the work that the Spirit is doing in the Church today. Genuine dialogue cannot happen without openness, recognising Jesus in everyone, and a charitable outlook.

These sentiments underscore a desire for genuine community and inclusivity, so diverse voices are welcomed, valued, and loved without judgement—regardless of age, race, occupation, or worldly affiliations.

Bridging gaps

As Church, we need to stress the significance of unity over divisiveness, recognising that love is the cornerstone for addressing internal discord. We all must work for unity in the body of Christ, emphasising the interconnectedness and mutual dependence of believers.

This cannot happen without God’s grace that facilitates dialogue, promotes inclusivity, bridges gaps, and fosters a sense of togetherness among individuals with differing perspectives.

Central to the discussions at the assembly was the role of the Holy Spirit. Participants have grown accustomed to invoking the Holy Spirit, from day to day. On the one hand, they recognised the Spirit’s pivotal role in fostering understanding, guiding conversations, and empowering individuals within the community.

On the other, they realised the Spirit—at work in the stillness and in chaos—needs dispositions of forgiveness, humility, and vulnerability. Both moments in a dialogue are important for discernment. Each of us needs to allow the Spirit to lead us to let go of our preconceived opinions and be open to change our mindsets—conversion of heart.

The assembly explored and experienced Conversation in the Spirit. In this method, participants are given prayer material and the matter for discernment beforehand. They come prepared to share their prayer and discernment in three minutes.

The first round focuses on I: what God is speaking to me. During this round everyone is listening to the other participants, discerning where they are moved by the Holy Spirit. A period of silence follows, helping participants to be attuned to the Spirit.

In the second round, you then share how you were moved while you listened in the first round.

In the third round, the group moves to a convergence on what the Holy Spirit is pointing them to. So, the process moves from I to You, to “We”. This requires significant changes in mindset and disposition; it is an invitation to seek conversion of heart.

The experience of Conversation in the Spirit, on November 18, moved the participants to communion and to mission. There was a strong desire to translate the ideals of love, compassion, and inclusivity from the Conversation into tangible, bold initiatives within parishes and broader communities.

The gathering emphasised the need to integrate this method into every level of parish life, and the life of the Church, and the wider community, which will require the faithful to act with courage and boldness, witnessing as missionary disciples.

Bureaucracy

It was noted that bureaucratic tendencies and transactional approaches have crept into the Church, making evident that administrative obstacles or organisational behaviour can hinder the community’s spiritual growth and authentic dialogue. This serves as a reminder of the need to address systemic issues that may impede the fulfilment of the discussed aspirations for genuine, love-driven interactions and a relational Church.

Youth was recognised as a group that needed to be integrated more deeply into Church leadership and the present dialogue, remembering dialogue encompasses active listening, inclusivity, love in action, and guidance by the Holy Spirit. Dialogue is a transformative process, enabling Catholics to bridge differences, address divisions, and nurture deeper relationships rooted in shared values and faith.

Dialogue is communication in love guided by the Holy Spirit. It requires recognition of people who are hurting and a willingness to lead them to healing.  Action, love, service, and healing are all parts of the synod process of Conversation in the Holy Spirit.

Overarching desires

As a result of the discussions, the overarching desires could be identified as:

(1) a yearning for unity, (2) inclusivity, (3) spiritual growth, and (4) actionable change guided by Christian virtues and the Holy Spirit.

The feedback from the attendees portrayed a community passionately engaged in seeking ways to embody the teachings of Christ and fostering a more loving, inclusive, and spiritually vibrant Church environment.

Dialogue is not only a human task. As we saw, it requires the Holy Spirit to open our hearts to lead us to vulnerability and the willingness to let go of control. But dialogue goes beyond that: it gets to the heart of salvation.

The apostolic instruction, Aetatis Novae says: “Here, in the Word made flesh, God’s self-communication is definitive. In Jesus’ words and deeds the Word is liberating, redemptive, for all humankind. This loving self-revelation of God, combined with humanity’s response of faith, constitutes a profound dialogue” (6).

Conclusion

The resounding call of the assembly is formation for all our people in the art and skills of dialogue, as pastoral tools equipping people for communion, mission, and participation.

Over the next year, all parishes, religious and ecclesial communities will experience Conversation in the Spirit as the normal way of doing the business of the Church. This requires all of us to deepen our relationship with God.

The three areas of discussion (Community, Inclusivity and Dialogue) manifested an overwhelming desire for youth engagement and formation. This, we need to hear as a movement of the Holy Spirit that needs urgent attention in our time.

In each area, the outliers were identified as (1) not hearing clear teaching on matters of faith and on public issues, (2) too much classification in the Church—racism, classism, and ageism, and (3) bureaucracy in the Church.

All of us now need to pray for the grace of conversion of heart that we may be prepared to be transformed by God who wants to renew His Church.