Synodality and Dialogue

The Catholic Times published an article on the parish priests' meeting for the Third Synod, which pledged to restore relationships and communication to realize Synodalitas. The priests stated that they would find the starting point of all relationships in the Lord, live as companions, walking the path of faith with the faithful, and, as a community, share one another's weaknesses and heal together with fellow priests.

The Bishops' Conference held the 'Gathering of Parish Priests for the Church of the 3rd Synod' at the Culture and Spirituality Center of  the Benedictine Abbey from April 28 to 30. Concluding the meeting, the attending priests adopted a comprehensive statement titled 'Relationships and Communication, Our Reflections and Commitments.' The statement contains the reflections and discernments shared by priests as they engaged in "dialogue in the Holy Spirit" on the themes of "relationships and communication." The priests stated that the restoration of relationships begins with a relationship with the Lord, and that relationships with the faithful and fellow priests must also be renewed within a community of companionship and restoration. They also emphasized that true communication is not merely an exchange of opinions or a matter of decision-making, but a "spiritual process of jointly discerning God's will." Furthermore, they conveyed that the path toward communication is not simply a change of methods, but a "journey of conversion in which the entire culture of the Church is evangelized." The statement is significant in that it represents a tangible outcome that demonstrates the Korean Church's concrete, practical efforts during the Synod implementation phase. The Bishops' Conference announced that it plans to share the statement with the Secretariat of the World Synod of Bishops at the Pontifical See and the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences. This gathering was attended by 53 priests from 15 dioceses nationwide, with ordination years ranging from their 1st to their 36th.  The Dialogue in the Holy Spirit, conducted under the themes of 'Reflecting on Relationships' and 'Moving Forward Through Communication', began with thematic introductions and personal prayers, followed by participants sharing their thoughts in groups based on reflection statements and questions. A joint identification session was also arranged for all participants to review and revise a draft of the comprehensive opinion paper based on each group's presentation. Through this process, attendees experienced Synodalitas not merely through words, but by listening and identifying together. The  Secretary General of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Korea, who has been in charge of planning and preparation since the first meeting, said, “As the meetings continue, they are establishing themselves as a priestly formation program that shares the spirit of the Synod, and the dialogue is becoming richer in the Holy Spirit.” He urged, “I hope that the priests participating in the meetings will learn genuine ways of communication and be reborn as pastors who internalize the Synod style”.