(New Ways Ministry. Kevin Molloy).
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has released its next national synthesis for the Synod on Synodality, and the document notes the passionate tensions among U.S. Catholics, including disagreements over LGBTQ+ issues.
The National Synthesis of the People of God in the United States of America for the Interim Stage of the 2021-2024 Synod, drawn from over 1,000 listening sessions involving 35,000-plus participants, reported that participants articulated two hopes for Catholicism: that it be a church of “Safe Harbor of certainty and openness and prophetic mystery [which] is at the heart of our Fiery Communion.”
As a church of Safe Harbor, the USCCB acknowledges that many participants in listening sessions believe the “‘Church is at its best when it’s warm, welcoming, and focuses on community building and doing more for other people’ (Region XII).” The report recognizes, too, that the church is a vastly diverse community, and U.S. Catholics want to focus on diverse community building. The report stated: