Newry Parish would like to invite parishioners to contribute to the Universal Synod taking place in Rome in 2023. Pope Francis says that the purpose of the Synod "is to plant dreams, … allow hope to flourish, inspire trust, bind up wounds, … learn from one another.” We need to hear your suggestions on how we can help to make the Church a welcoming place for everyone, how to encourage people to participate, how to revitalise our liturgies and how to promote greater practise of the faith. There are just six questions. I would encourage you to consider them carefully and answer them honestly and succinctly to aid the process of analysis.

Canon Francis Brown Adm.


Take a moment to reflect on what kind of journey, in Church and in faith, you've been on so far. You may wish to explore some of the following themes in your answers:

• Prayer and the Sacraments.
• Participation, Inclusion and Dialogue. (Who are we walking with and who might be feeling left out or ignored?)
• The role of lay people, especially young people and women.
• Governance and Decision Making in the Church.
• Our relations with other Christian denominations and people of other faiths.