Questions for Consultation

 

The questions in bold are the main questions for the consultation. The bullet points that follow are suggested as helps to deepening our reflection and conversation on these questions. 

 

A synodal Church, in announcing the Gospel, “journeys together.”  How is this “journeying together” happening today in your local Church?  What steps does the Spirit invite us to take in order to grow in our “journeying together”?  

  • What does the Gospel call us to through our Baptism? 

  • How are we called to follow Jesus here and now? 

  • In our local Church, who are those who “walk together”? Who is being left out? 

  • How is every baptized person called to participate in the mission of the Church?  How does our community support us in living our work and family lives in a missionary way? 

 

What is the Holy Spirit saying to our Church today? 

  • How is the Church a visible witness in the world? What needs to be done to make it more visible? 

  • What is the mission of our Church?  What are we doing that matches that mission? Is that mission the same as my local parish?  

  • What enables speaking up courageously, candidly, and responsibly in the Church and in society? 

 

What should we do to improve our parish? 

  • Do prayer and liturgical celebrations actually inspire and guide our common life and mission in our community? 

  • How does our parish connect our local community with God? How does our parish proclaim God’s Word among ourselves and in the broader community?  Are we meetings the needs of our community?  

  • How does our parish try to extend to the world the justice and peace of the Kingdom of God? 

  • How are lay ministries and the responsibility of the laity promoted? What has been my experience of offering time, talent, and treasure to the parish? 

  • What areas of the parish’s mission could be improved or expanded? 

  • What is our parish’s responsibility toward those in non-Catholic faith traditions? 

  • What is our parish’s responsibility toward fallen-away or nonpracticing Catholics? 

  • What are the steps we need to take with those outside the Church in our community, those who have fallen away from the Church, and how can we begin to take those steps?