„Synodality in Large Cities”
International hybrid conference
In light of the worldwide synodal process initiated by Pope Francis, an international hybrid conference on September 29, 2022, will deal with the topic of „Synodality in Large Cities”. The aim of the conference is to bring together perspectives on, and experiences with, the pastoral challenges in urban regions on different continents and to exchange ideas about how these challenges may be addressed in a synodal manner. The participants can thus experience the universality of the Church.
Among the speakers are Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich SJ (Luxembourg), Bishop Bertram Meier (Augsburg), Constansia Mumma-Martinon (Nairobi), Rafael Luciani (Caracas), Estela Padilla (Philippines), and Julia McStravog (Washington DC).
The conference is organized by the International Catholic Mission Society missio Aachen and the Catholic Academy of the Diocese of Dresden-Meissen .
9:00 a.m. | Opening and greeting | Fr. Dirk Bingener (President, missio Aachen) und Dr. Thomas Arnold (Director, Catholic Academy, Diocese Dresden-Meißen )
9:15 a.m. | Statements: „Synodality in Germany and worldwide” | Sr. Nathalie Becquart (Undersecretary of the Synod of Bishops ) and Prof. Dr. Thomas Söding (Vice-President of the Synodal Path in Germany )
Section I: Continental Perspectives on Synodality
9:30 a.m. | „Synodality and Participation in the East African Church | Fr. Anthony Makunde (General secretary of the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa, AMECEA )
10:15 a.m. | „Synodality and Participation in the Eastern Catholic Churches | Prof. Dr. Thomas Mark Németh (University Vienna , Austria)
11:00 a.m. | Break
11:15 a.m. | „Challenges for the Church's Synodal Way in the Cities of Asia” | Antonio J. Ledesma SJ , Archbishop em. of Cagayan de Oro (Philippines)
12:00 p.m. | „The Latin American Church and the Emergence of Synodality | Professor Dr. Rafael Luciani (Universidad Católica Andrés Bello , Caracas, Venezuela) chaired by Professor Ibérico Ruiz (Departamento Académico de Teología, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú)
12:45 p.m. | Lunchbreak
Section II: Synodal experiences in big cities
2:00 p.m. | „The Pastoral Challenges In Large Cities” | Fr. Victor Roche SVD (missio director in Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands )
2:00 p.m. | „Synodal experiences from Marseille” | Isabelle Faucon (Member of the synodal team, Diocese of Marseille , France)
2:45 p.m. | „Salubong. The Philippine Synodal Experience” | Dr. Estela Padilla (Bukal, Philippines)
2:45 p.m. | „Missionary pastoral care and synodality in Nairobi's largest slum Kibera” | Fr. Firmin Koffi (Nairobi, Kenya)
3:30 p.m. | Break
4:00 p.m. | „The Hungarian Greek Catholic Church and Synodality” | Xénia Sereghy (Pázmány Péter Katolikus Egyetem , Budapest, Hungary)
4:00 p.m. | „Synodality as an ecclesiastical version of grassroots democracy? Experiences of the Leipzig City Synod 2021” | Gregor Giele (Propstei parish St. Trinitatis , Leipzig, Germany)
4:45 p.m. | „Seeds of Synodality: Listening Lay Consultation and Pope Francis’ Synod in the Archdiocese of Seattle” | Tim Hunt (Archdiocese of Seattle , USA)
4:45 p.m. | „Synodality in Brazil. On the road and in the text.” | Professor Erico Hammes (Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul , Porto Allegre, Brazil)
5:30 p.m. | Break
5:45 p.m. | Final reflection from an observer perspective | Daniela Frank (GCL , Germany)
6:00 p.m. | Final podium: „Towards a Listening Church. International Perspectives on Synodality in the 21st Century” | Bishop Dr. Bertram Meier (Diocese Augsburg , Germany), Julia McStravog (LaSalle University , Washington, USA), Dr. Constansia Mumma-Martinon (University of Nairobi , Kenya), Raúl Arderí SJ (Havana, Cuba)