Like many dioceses today, the Diocese of San Jose has heeded Pope Francis’ call to enter into a meaningful diocesan synodal process. Bishop Cantú foresees that it will foster a stronger focus on evangelization, among other priorities.
Bishop Cantú has invited the Congar Institute to accompany the members of the Diocesan Department for Evangelization to discern how to resource creatively whatever new structures come out of the Diocesan Synod. The goal is to facilitate an empowering vision that aligns both with the changing needs of their ministries and their capacity to respond. We are working with the members to engage a practical theology method, enriched and informed by the Diocesan Synod 2023. The method begins with a data-based understanding of the current reality (Where are we now?), leads through a disciplined theological reflection on that reality (Where is God calling us to be?), and assists the group to discern prayerfully a strategic and theologically-informed response (How do we get from where we are now closer to where God is calling us to be?).
The choice of method is based on the conviction expressed in the Church’s Pastoral Constitution Gaudiem et Spes, which reads: “To carry out [its] task [to carry forward the work of Christ under the lead of the befriending Spirit (#3)], the Church has always had the duty of scrutinizing the signs of the times and of interpreting them in the light of the Gospel” (#4). It also reflects the kind of pastoral conversion envisioned in Pope Francis’ seminal document Evangelii Gaudium.
The visioning scope will look forward to the year 2031 to gather inspiration and energy from the dual celebration of the 500th anniversary of the encounter between San Juan Diego and Our Lady of Guadelupe and the 30th anniversary of the foundation of the Diocese of San Jose. The connection to the Tepeyac encounter will provide strong inspiration to the Department for Evangelization and an empowering touchstone for reflection.
The purpose will be to assist members’ understanding of the changing demands of the ministry by connecting them with their original vocation (and passion) for the ministry and the action of the Holy Spirit. We aim to place the current challenges within a prayerful openness to the call of the Holy Spirit, leading to a reappraisal of the mission in light of the current reality and a creative re-visioning of how they might respond. It is a paschal journey that will involve dying to an original vision and rising to a new one with greater life and energy. It will be accompanied both by prayerful, ritual engagement as well as solid factual data and disciplined but inspiring theological reflection rooted in the Catholic Tradition. The method will assure that the outcomes will be fully owned by the members through this shared discernment.