Not Only with Words…Synodality, Community Organising and Catholic Social Action
On Wednesday 20 November I attended the launch of a new report from the Centre for Theology and Community at St Margaret’s Church in Canning Town, London, entitled, “Not Only with Words…Synodality, Community Organising and Catholic Social Action.”
The ‘three rivers’ of the title flow together to learn from the principles of broad-based community organising how to make the vision for a more synodal Church with a focus on communion, participation and mission more of a reality.
After a prayer hour of adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and then then benediction led by Mgr John Armitage, we heard a first-hand account of the recent synod in Rome from keynote speaker Austen Ivereigh, who was there as one of the ‘experts’ to support the synod. Austen highlighted the relational vision at the heart of the synod process, with the method of Conversation in the Spirit being encouraged to help us really listen to each other and discern what the Holy Spirit is saying to us.
The projects we heard about on the night from various parishes have this same relational vision for the building up of the Kingdom of God. The report emerges from the work of Catholic parishes and ecumenical partners in east London, who have responded to this “Synodal” call, and have found the practice of broad-based community organising helpful in both the internal and the external journey.
This may seem surprising: community organising is known best for its campaigns on issues such as the Living Wage, affordable housing and migrants’ rights. However, what is most distinctive about community organising is the foundations it builds before such action is taken – focusing on the identification and development of leaders (especially those who are overlooked and marginalised by the dominant culture), the “cultural, spiritual, and religious values of the people”, and the life of the parishes, congregations and other organisations of which they are a part.
It is this focus on the renewal of congregations and the development of leaders that gives community organising such relevance to the Church’s “Synodal journey”. You can download the full report here: