Parish communities in the spirit of Pope Francis’ synodality

Abstract

Pope Francis said we need to hear the voice of the entire Church, what is happening in local parishes and what individuals think we should do to help improve dioceses, parishes and the entire Church. This is how the synodal process can be briefly characterized. The word synod means traveling together and involves listening to the Holy Spirit and to each other in order to discern the path we are to travel together. It is so important to enter and follow this path with an open heart. This article attempts to show what light the synod sheds on the parish and what needs to be overcome so that parish communities can come alive again and become living members of the parish as a community of communities. Today, people increasingly need support in developing their relationship with God, parish communities can respond to this need in a very good way and satisfy it. Nowadays, the parish community should constitute an alternative in the life of a believer and encourage participation in it instead of in the wide range of other interests of the modern world.