St. John’s Synod Evangelization Team
(L-R back row) Lee Treml, Rob Jensen, Matt Smaron, Fr. Paul, Mike Gfrerer, Neil Steffl, Bob Gabler, AnnaMarie Ingalls, Emily Perez, Ann Laird, Soccie and Louie Fondevilla, Mike Gonzalez, Catherine Floeder, Claire Brostrom, Naomi Hard, Melanie Dowell, Jill Fink, and Beth Robertson. Not pictured is Tammy Denton
Year 2 Information Year 2 Implementation Plan Year 2 Events
Join the Archdiocese Passport Adventure this Summer!
As we finish our implementation of Year 2 of the pastoral letter focus on the Mass, the Archdiocese has created an Archdiocesan Passport Adventure. Our Archbishop would like to encourage all the faithful to visit a variety of local parishes, as a way of deepening our appreciation of the liturgy and celebrating the diverse gifts we’ve enjoyed in this archdiocese for 175 years.
Here’s the challenge: Visit at least seven churches “new” to you between now and October and log them in your passport. Then join our bishops on Sunday, October 12, at the Cathedral of Saint Paul. There will be an ice cream social after all morning Masses on that date, and we’ll have a special celebration for all who’ve participated in this Archdiocesan Passport Adventure.
There are many different ways to fill out your passport this summer. You can choose any parish or venture to any new parishes or go to the more border parishes or incorporate in this Year of Jubilee the co-cathedral of the Basilica of St. Mary or St. Paul’s Cathedral. An easy tool to find out when different parishes are celebrating Mass is by using the Parish Finder.
The Archdiocesan Passport Adventure was born so that, in this Jubilee Year of Hope for our Universal Church and in our local 175th anniversary, we can have the opportunity to see different parishes, meet new people, and experience the liturgy in new ways. By coming to know parishes outside of our own, perhaps we will have the chance to collaborate better and to imagine new ways of spreading the Gospel to those around us.
“Behold, I make all things new.” Revelation 21:5
Another Synod?
The Catholic Church on a universal level has been readily in the news cycle this past month with the death of our Holy Father Pope Francis, the conclave, and election of Pope Leo XIV. As a people of faith we welcome the inspiration and leadership of Pope Leo XIV as he endeavors to guide the ship of Mother Church through our time.
On a more local level, our archdiocese is embarking on another Synod this June 7. The last Synod was a three-day event in 2022 looking at over 40 propositions as we moved from listening to action of how the Holy Spirit was guiding our local church. The Synod of June 7 will be a one-day event back at Cretin-Derham Hall in St. Paul to regather delegates to pray, review and vote on the 12 Synod Propositions that received the highest votes from Synod 2022.
St. John’s will be highly represented with our two parish delegates Rob Jensen and Beth Robertson, as well as Fr. Paul being a member of the Presbyteral Council serving as dean of north metro parishes in deanery 12, Fr. Derek serving as a Deanery Clergy Representative and myself serving from the capacity of former Synod Executive Committee Member.
The theme of the Synod is Be My Witnesses Assembly which takes it’s lead to further implement Archbishop Hebda’s pastoral letter issued in Advent 2022 entitled, “You Will Be My Witnesses: Gathered and Sent From the Upper Room”. For the last several months delegates have been engaging in video presentations of the 12 propositions to be discussed, attending a retreat and participating in service projects. The 500 delegates will be formed not only with the practical points of information on the propositions but with the Holy Spirit’s guidance in walking together with Archbishop Hebda in advancing the needs of this archdiocese. This synodal way has the importance of continuing to listen, discern and adapt to help foster unity, renewal and evangelization in the archdiocese. As our second reading today from Revelation reminds us, the Holy Spirit is about the word of making all things new.
Where are we at with the Proposition Implementation:
Three of the propositions from the 2022 Synod are currently being implemented: Forming small groups in every parish of the archdiocese; educating the faithful on the beauty, form and meaning of the Mass, with special emphasis on Christ’s real presence in the Eucharist; and forming and inspiring parents to understand and fulfill their responsibility as the first teachers of their children in the ways of faith. This last proposition has been divided into a two-year focus with next year the focus on reclaiming the Lord’s day and the following year focusing on fortifying parents as the primary educators of their children. These propositions and the remaining eight will be considered at the Synod with the delegates during the day and culminating with the annual Pentecost Vigil Mass at the Cathedral of St. Paul of which all the faithful across the archdiocese are invited to attend. For more information on the 12 Propositions, go to our St. John’s website and click on the Synod icon.
As our Catholic Church universally and locally seeks to make all things new in our time, be in prayer for the upcoming Synod that the Holy Spirit may guide and lead.
Sincerely,
Jill Fink
Director of Discipleship
Eucharistic Miracles Display
Grow in your love and knowledge of the Most Holy Eucharist by reading about the amazing miracles that have happened all around the world. Click here to see each miracle.
Read the Pastoral Letter
Learn more about the Synod process and Pastoral Letter here:
Synod Website Pastoral Letter Website
Follow along with the Archbishop’s narration of his November Pastoral Letter, You Will Be My Witnesses: Gathered and Sent from the Upper Room with the online version in English in Spanish.
Keep up with the National Eucharistic Revival!
Contact Jill Fink, Director of Discipleship at finkj@stjohnnyb.org
See more at Archdiocesan Synod – Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis (archspm.org)