Catholic Outlook Magazine | Ordinary Time| 2023 Issue

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The road most shared:
what is synodality all about?
STORY MICHAEL MCGIRR
There’s a story about Pope St John XXIII who
was pope from 1958 to 1963. Pope John was an
Italian peasant who served as a chaplain during
World War I. So, his feet were well and truly on the
ground and he thought that the Church needed
to get its feet in the same place. That is why he
called the Second Vatican Council. Like most
grounded people, he was never far from laughter.
One time a journalist came to the Vatican to interview
the Pope. It is said that the journalist asked a
tricky question.
If you knew that Jesus
Christ was coming back
to earth in half an hour,
what would you do?
The pope thought for a moment and shrugged
as he replied: “I’d look busy.”
Synodality is a bit like that. It is a serious attempt to
be a bit more light-hearted, to free our community
from pomposity and pretension. Of course, God
takes us seriously. But not too seriously.
Like all the most profound ideas, synodality is
really quite simple. The word itself is not especially
inviting, mainly because you never hear it outside
Church circles. You won’t find a synodality section
in Bunnings, although heaven knows it requires the
right tools. And you won’t find a synodality section
in Aldi, not even in the centre of the store where
they seem to sell all sorts of random items, although
synodality is certainly an idea that can feed and
nourish us.
Nor will you find a synodality aisle in Chemist
Warehouse, although the concept is deeply healing.
I may be proved wrong on that last point. You never
know what you might find in Chemist Warehouse,
especially in the vitamin section. Synodality vitamins
would be labelled ‘strengthens the heart for a shared
journey: suitable for all ages.’ They would sit beside
the tablets that help with travel sickness. These ones
will help create travel excitement.
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