Synod 2021-2024

Synod on Synodality

Pope Francis has asked Catholics around the world to contribute to the Synod of Bishops by prayerfully considering its topic: “For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, and Mission.” The Holy Father invites the whole Church into “an exercise of mutual listening.” “Let us walk together. Let us listen to the Lord and allow Him to guide us by the ‘breath’ of the Spirit.”

Diocese of Charlotte Synod: By the Numbers

Between January and early June 2022, more than 7,000 people across the Diocese of Charlotte participated in 400 listening sessions as part of the diocesan Synod, considering these questions:

• What are the most significant signs of the Lord’s presence in your life?
• What are the biggest challenges or questions you face in responding to the Lord’s call?
• What steps is the Holy Spirit suggesting to you and your community to respond more fully to the Christian vocation?

Most listening sessions (about 350) were held in person, involving about 6,000 people. More than 30 parishes and groups created and distributed online surveys to allow people who could not participate in one of the in-person listening sessions to contribute to the synod, involving 1,000 people. Synod sessions were held in English, Spanish, Tigrinya, Vietnamese and Korean.

Synod sessions were held by:

• More than 80% of our parishes and missions (76)
• Nearly all Diocese of Charlotte offices and ministries, including Catholic Charities, Family Life, Youth Ministry, Faith Formation, Hispanic Ministry, Vietnamese Ministry, and Korean Ministry
• Campus Ministry, for many of the college communities they serve
• Catholic Schools, with all of our diocesan schools
• Priests in at least 5 vicariates
• Permanent Deacons
• St. Joseph College Seminary in Mount Holly
• 16 lay associations, apostolates and groups, plus more whose members participated in the synod process through their parishes
• 2 religious orders: the Benedictine monks of Belmont Abbey and the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas
• Eritrean Catholics of Charlotte, an Eastern Rite Catholic community