Synodality in Mission
SYNODALITY IN MISSION
by Jhoanna Resari
Jao, as she is fondly called, is a Columban lay missionary from the Philippines who is assigned on mission to Taiwan
I was 24 years old when I first joined the Columban Lay Missionaries (CLM). My first mission assignment was in Taiwan and my ministry work was in the field of HIV and AIDS. I journeyed for six years with people living with and affected by this illness in shelters run by a non-profit organization. Afterwards, I worked in the HIV and AIDS education and outreach ministry in the Hsinchu Diocese.
My experience in mission has truly been a blessing, because I had not fully understood my baptismal call to live out God’s mission until I met the Columbans.
Since I was raised as a Catholic and was imbued with Christian values and traditions, I grew up treating the Church as a place where my spiritual needs can be met, a place where I can expect people of authority, mostly priests, to provide certain services. At a young age, I also learned not to ask questions about the Bible or the religious practices or traditions. I grew up feeling it was my place to merely receive what was offered by the Church and to fulfill my obligations without any questions asked. These were some of the things ingrained in me that I unconsciously accepted in living out my Catholic faith.
In saying this, I also recognize that many of my faith experiences were necessary for my spiritual growth as a child and development as a young adult. But, as I grew into adulthood, the comfort of the familiar and the convenient role of a passive recipient member of the Church stagnated my spiritual growth and limited my participation in the life of the Church.
I am grateful God led me to discover the Columban missionaries. Cross-cultural mission has allowed me to grow in my faith, own my identity as a member of the Christian community, as well as understand that the Church is more than a place in which one can get spiritual services or replenishment for the laity.
In line with Pope Francis’ decision to move towards a synodal renewal of the Church, we need to create conditions that enable people to recognize and respond to their roles as principal and active participants in mission. It is important to facilitate and guide people in their journey until individuals are able to truly find their voice in their mission.
If we see ourselves as facilitators, we can bring people together, learn from one another and be enriched by our encounters with different cultures and experiences. We need to creatively and faithfully respond to the changes brought forth by our journey together, especially when these changes lead us closer to people in the peripheries of society amidst these challenging and uncertain times.
When I arrived in Taiwan, I recognized how structures in our mission unit requires a full participation that fosters partnership and shared responsibility and accountability among ourselves. I had to let go of my past conditioning that influenced my dynamics with the ordained and my view on my role as a lay woman in the community. It was not easy, but I gradually understood that my opinions and my contributions would be received and respected by others.
The encouragement young members received from fellow missionaries helped build our confidence to contribute in discussions, take initiatives and accept responsibilities. Of course, with our diverse cultures, personalities, and personal histories, it is expected to experience resistance, tension and conflict.Although we would rather avoid these, they are part of our reality, and overcoming them is necessary for our growth individually and as a community.
With God’s grace, environments or conditions the likes of what I have experienced can bring about an awakening in an individual, leading to a deeper understanding of one’s calling and a sense of ownership of our shared responsibilities in the community.
Synodality also calls us to address clericalism and exclusion in the Church. From what I have witnessed and learned in my ministry about confronting stigma and discrimination, behavioral and attitudinal changes are just as critical as finding a cure that would end HIV and the realities brought about by this illness.
The same sort of thing is true for the Church. It is vital that we honestly examine our narratives and root out religious and cultural misconceptions or taboos, and any other structural or ideological components of the Church that perpetuate clericalism or justify acts of exclusion.
Only when we are aware of these attitudes and behaviors, and take steps to counteract them, can we ensure that we are not blocked from responding to, and relating with, people around us. Thereafter, we can be catalysts of change for inclusion and diversity, bring healing into the Church, and truly move forward in the spirit of communion with one another and with God.
May our encounters with people in the margins teach us the meaning of witnessing to the truth that every person has innate value and dignity. May it deepen our understanding of what St Paul meant when he described the Christian community as, “one body with many members, so it is with Christ. We are the body of Christ, and individually members of it.” May the Holy Spirit guide us to remain faithful in welcoming others to share in God’s mission as disciples of Christ.
