Synodality and reimagining God
By Fr Donald Chambers It’s a widely accepted sociological principle that ideas profoundly influence behaviour. Our idea of God, for example, is inherited from our families, […]
Conversion as Transformation
By Fr Donald Chambers In a reflection to the bishops of the Antilles Episcopal Conference, Sr Julie Marie Peters SSM distinguished between “change” and “transformation”. She […]
‘Bawling’ for deeper communion
By Fr Donald Chambers Fr Donald Chambers of the Archdiocese of Kingston, Jamaica is the General Secretary of the Antilles Episcopal Conference. “By the conclusion…everyone had […]
Communion as friendship
By Fr Donald Chambers “Friendship flourishes when we dare to share our doubts and seek the truth together” —Fr Timothy Radcliffe OP, Friendship, Synod Assembly 2023. […]
Smal up yourself’ on the synodal bus ride
By Fr Donald Chambers I have travelled on public transportation in different countries, and my experiences have ranged from dangerous to hilarious. In Jamaica, for example, […]
Jubilee Year 2025: A Spiritual Rest Stop on the Synodal Journey
By Fr Donald Chambers As we eagerly anticipate the Jubilee Year 2025, it’s crucial to grasp its profound significance within the context of the Church’s synodal […]
On the synodal journey for Christmas
By Fr Donald Chambers The liturgical season of Christmas is close at hand, and it is celebrated within the universal Church’s synodal journey. What is the […]
Synod, not a project but an experience
By Fr Donald Chambers Synod is not another pastoral programme or project to be added to the litany of Church projects. As a well-oiled institutional machinery, […]
Silence and synodality
By Fr Donald Chambers “There is a time to keep silent and a time to speak” (Ecclesiastes 3:7). Silence is an essential element in the Church’s […]
Synodality – medicine for a divisive world
Archbishop at Synod Gathering II There is divisiveness in the world – in families, institutions and even nations, but there’s a solution, Archbishop Charles Jason Gordon […]
Letter of the XVI Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops to the People of God
Dear sisters, dear brothers, As the proceedings of the first session of the 16th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops draw to a close, […]
Synod and Mission
By Fr Donald Chambers In his spiritual input entitled The Samaritan Woman at the Well, at the Synod Assembly (October, Rome), Fr Timothy Radcliffe OP writes, […]
On the synodal journey: silence and prayer
From the Antilles Episcopal Conference Every meaningful journey necessitates long and short-term preparations. The Synod Assembly in Rome, a milestone on the Synodal journey from October […]
Live the synodal experience
PART TWO From the Antilles Episcopal Conference Q: What scripture passage suitably informs us about the Synod? Prayerfully and reverently read Luke 24:13–35, which recounts the […]
Synod: a new way
PART ONE From the Antilles Episcopal Conference Q: What is the Synod? Synod means the People of God (laity, clergy, religious) “walking together” (Communion and Participation) […]
Spiritual conversations essential on synodal journey
By Fr Donald Chambers In today’s culture, group discussions and one-on-one conversations tend to be guided by the philosophy of “the survival of the fittest”. They […]
Challenges of the synodal path
By Fr Martin Sirju The Synod on synodality continues. Pope Francis has pushed back the date for the formal closing of the Synod to October 2024. […]
CatholicTT kids participate in Synod art event
I dream of church being…’ was the open-ended statement participants in the Synod art exhibit 2022–2023 reflected on to come up with their creative expressions. The […]
SynodTT: “Synod experience is like a rose garden”
By Kaelanne Jordan mediarelations.camsel@catholictt.org Archbishop Jason Gordon has likened the synod experience to a rose garden. The roses, he said, presented positive experiences; thorns, the problems […]
Synod 2021–2023: The Journey
Following is the Foreword by Archbishop Jason Gordon for the booklet prepared for the November 19, 2022, Synodal gathering. Archbishop Anthony Pantin convoked the People of […]
Where are we, on the synodal journey?
By Fr Donald Chambers The synodal journey was launched by Pope Francis on October 10, 2021. The journey consists of the diocesan and continental phases, climaxing […]
Synod through Lent: “Convert to become fruitful”
By Fr Donald Chambers The word ‘conversion’ appears ten times in the synod handbook, Vademecum. Its frequency is a critical clue to a primary fruit which […]
The synodal journey – a gift for our catechists
By Fr Donald Chambers The spirit and guidelines of the Synodal journey (2021–2023) is without doubt a gift to all, including catechists – teachers or formators […]
Synod through Lent: “Transfiguration moments”
By Fr Donald Chambers The Gospel of Luke (Year C) is an idyllic synodal gift to the Church because Luke crafts Jesus’ ministry as a journey, […]
Temptations as pitfalls
By Fr Donald Chambers Imagine you are a member of a group on a hiking trail. On the trail, you bump into huge rocks, running streams, […]
We think we know people you know…We don’t!
– Journeying with youth in a synodal Church From The Office of Youth Ministry On February 5, 2022, the Office of Youth Ministry held its quarterly […]
Synod and social justice
By Leela Ramdeen Chair, CCSJ & Director, CREDI “Do you live what you believe?” —Pope Paul VI, Evangelii Nuntiandi, 1975) The diocesan phase of the global […]
Intentionally listening to the other
By Fr Donald Chambers On August 18, 2021, I posted a personal blog entitled ‘Conversation, Conversation, Conversation’ (belovedreflections.org) about the fruits from a weekend conversation with […]
Church must consciously engage Youth
As the Archdiocese embarks on a series of consultations for the Synod, the inclusion of youth will not happen by chance. “It is important for the […]
Archbishop’s Tobago visit – Synod, Education among issues discussed
Archbishop Jason Gordon and the Episcopal Vicar of the Eastern Vicariate and Tobago, Fr Steve Duncan, paid a courtesy call on Tobago House of Assembly’s (THA) […]
Synod with Youth
From The Office of Youth Ministry Synod 2021–2023 is upon us. Synod teams have met, plans are being conceived and executed, and we are beginning to […]
SYNODTT – We’re getting ready to listen
Wondering what stage our local Synod is at? On Saturday, January 15, the Archdiocesan Synod Team met with over 200 Synod coordinators of parishes, commissions, and […]
Synod coordinators meet virtually
By Renee Smith For Synod 2021–2023, the Archdiocese’s parishioners, commissions, ministries, and clergy alike will play an essential role in the local Church’s listening process. The […]
Synod 2021-2023: “Everything must be heard”
By Renée Smith comms.camsel@catholictt.org For the official launch of Synod 2021–2023 in the Archdiocese of Port of Spain, Archbishop Jason Gordon expressed this synodal experience is […]
Meet the synod team for the Archdiocese of Port of Spain
The synod can only be successful with full participation of everyone including the persons whose voices have not been heard over the years. “This is an […]
A momentous shift for the church – Archbishop on synod launch
The listening to take place during the synod is a time of “pastoral conversion” for all the faithful, not just priests and bishops, Archbishop Jason Gordon […]
Delving into discernment
Q: Archbishop J, how do we transform a ‘deliberative assembly’ into a ‘discerning assembly’? Pt 2 A discerning assembly has its own rules. The first rule […]
Our Synodal journey begins
The Archdiocese of Port of Spain on Sunday (Oct 17) launches the synodal journey at the diocesan level. Archbishop Jason Gordon is inviting Catholics to “get […]
Opening of the Synodal path
Following is the homily delivered October 10 by Pope Francis at St Peter’s Basilica to begin Synod 2021–2023. A certain rich man came up to Jesus […]
Walking together as Church
Q: Archbishop J, how do we transform a ‘deliberative assembly’ into a ‘discerning assembly’? A ‘deliberative assembly’ and a ‘discerning assembly’ share several things in common. […]
Preparing for difficult conversations
By Fr Donald Chambers If the synod journey consists of conversations among the diversity of individuals and groups of the People of God, to discern the […]
Mission – our very nature
Q: Archbishop J, what is the role of synodality in the mission of the Church? October is mission month. We are invited again to reflect upon […]
Synod process – through dialogue and discernment
Q: Archbishop J, why synodality? Synodality speaks about a way of being Church, where its members walk together, where its leaders listen to all the faithful, […]
A change of era in catechetics today
Q: Archbishop J, what is the task of the catechist? The catechist’s task is first and foremost to hand on a living faith to this generation […]
Communion, participation, mission—the new ‘S’ word
Q: Archbishop J, why is the Church speaking synod again? Shortly after I was installed as Archbishop, a good Catholic said to me: “Archbishop, I hope […]
Synod as listening
By Fr Donald Chambers “For this synodal process to be enriching for both the regional and universal Church, a welcoming space must be established to listen […]
Synod as storytelling
By Fr Donald Chambers “One listening to the others; and all listening to the Holy Spirit.” These were words from the Vatican News website announcing that […]