Synodal Church: ‘Hotel for saints, hospital for sinners’
Vatican news
As the Church heads towards the second session of the Synod on Synodality, Fr Cletus Mwilla explores the hope for a paradigm shift towards a more inclusive and participatory Church.
By Sr. Roselyne Wambani Wafula, FSP
In anticipation of the second session of the Synod's Ordinary General Assembly scheduled for October 2024, several hundred parish priests from around the world gathered near Rome in early May.
Father Cletus Mwiila, a Zambian priest who participated in the event, explained to Vatican News how the Church can become “a hotel for saints and a hospital for sinners.”
Following the Second Vatican Council, the Church committed itself to adopting the leadership of the Holy Spirit and embarking on a renewed missionary path, he noted, emphasizing that years later, challenges remain.
Pope Francis launched the Synod on Synodality, a multi-year global initiative aimed at fostering a more participatory Church in 2021.
Fr. Cletus, who has embraced the Church's desire for synodality, is dedicated to sharing his experiences and promoting this collaborative approach.
Adopt listening and inclusiveness
Fr Cletus described the current movement towards synodality as a “wind of change” that calls the Church to embrace listening, humility and inclusion. He stressed the need to revisit priestly and religious formation to ensure that it promotes these values.
For Fr Cletus, media plays a crucial role in modern evangelization and must integrate media training into the training of priests and religious personnel to ensure they remain relevant in the contemporary world.
He further emphasized that the Church can no longer afford to ignore the power of the media to reach a wider audience. “In today's digital age, the media are no longer a luxury but an essential tool for spreading the Gospel,” said Father Clétus.
A “hotel for saints and a hospital for sinners”
Fr Cletus also stressed the need to question the practice of requiring a donation for Church services, such as sacraments or votive masses, saying it can exclude people who do not have one. not the means, thus obscuring the essence of compassion.
The Zambian priest envisions a welcoming Church that embraces all, especially those who have drifted away, regardless of their past, so they can feel accepted and return to the faith.
“I would like to see St. Mary’s, the Church for which I am responsible, become a hotel for saints and a hospital for sinners,” said Fr. Cletus.
Walk together and leave no one behind
The concept of a synodal Church means “walking together,” Fr Cletus said, emphasizing the importance of including everyone – those living on the peripheries, the sick, the poor, the young, the elderly and the women.
“The goal of the Synod on Synodality,” he added, “is to achieve a process called “ecclesial discernment,” in which every voice will be heard and, therefore, inform the decision-making of the Church .
A shared responsibility
In conclusion, Fr. Cletus expressed his hope that the Synod could help realize Pope Francis' vision of a synodal Church that serves as a “field hospital for the soul.”
By embracing synodality, he said, the Church can move forward as a community united in its mission, so that no one is left behind.
“The wind is already blowing in favor of synodality,” he said. “It is time for us to rise up and join the Church, working together, listening and healing one another. »
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