To aid the urgent task of implementing the practice of synodality – as outlined in the Final Report of the XVIth Synod of 2023-34 in Rome – the secretariat for the synod has issued a shorter ‘Pathways’ document to guide the initial process, beginning in the Autumn of 2025.

‘Pathways for the Implementation Phase of the Synod‘ restates that synodality is simply the church once more consciously ‘on mission’, with every baptised Catholic having their own responsible role in that.

“We are a missionary Church, a Church that builds bridges and encourages dialogue, a Church ever open to welcoming – like St Peter’s Square with its open arms – all those who are in need of our charity, our presence, our readiness to dialogue and our love.” (Pope Leo XIV)

This quote introduces a document of just 24 pages – to assist the reading and implementation of the synodal final report.  It summarises the roles of bishops, of diocesan synodal teams and other church bodies in the implementation process – and restates key principles such as the primacy of the sacrament of baptism, the real equality of everyone in discerning the future, the need for conversion, and the possibilities for rediscovering ‘dialogue’ that have already emerged in the practice of ‘conversation in the spirit’. Single page ‘infographics’ accompany the document – to serve as simple introductions to the process, and to ‘conversation in the spirit’ – in a parish or diocesan setting.

To download or read the ‘Pathways‘ document, click here.

Accompanying Infographics:

Conversation in the Spirit (1) :CONV_SPIRIT_ENG
Conversation in the Spirit (2) : Conv_Spirit_Mod-2_ENG
Timeline of the Synodal Process 2025-28 : ENG-Timeline-2025-2028