During the weekend of June 4-5, we'll hold additional listening sessions after each Mass in the Philippi Room of our Ministry Center.
These listening sessions will focus on St. Austin’s, looking at:
Liturgy
Spirituality
Faith Formation – Adults
Faith Formation – Children
School
Social Justice
Community
For these topics, we will be asking:
What are you yearning or eager or hungry for?
What are your dreams?
What are your joys?
What obstacles/challenges do you see?
Join us as we dream together of the St. Austin’s of our shared future.
The Spirit of the Synods
A recent article by Jesuit Fr. Antonio Spadaro, invites us to consider the Church as a symphonic relationship, of different notes that together give life to a composition.
Still want to contribute your thoughts for the Synod on Synodality?? While we’ve completed the St. Austin’s listening sessions for the diocesan phase of the process, the Diocese of Austin is holding its own listening sessions.
The diocesan-wide sessions are scheduled as follows:
February 10, 6-9 p.m., Bryan/College Station – St. Thomas Aquinas Parish, College Station
February 14, 6-9 p.m., Austin/Round Rock – St. Elizabeth Parish, Pflugerville
February 23, 6-9 p.m., South Austin – St. Catherine of Siena Parish, Austin
February 27, 4-7 p.m., Austin – St. Dominic Savio Catholic High School, Austin
The Diocese is also planning a Pre-Synodal Meeting on March 12, 9 a.m.-12 p.m., at St. Louis Parish in Austin to reflect on the fruits of the consultation process. I'm working on our report to the diocese based on the St. Austin’s listening sessions and our online survey. I'm extremely grateful that the diocese pushed the deadline for that back to February 15th as I was in need of a few days rest before turning my attention to the writing process. Please pray that I'm able to consolidate all that you have generously shared during this process into a report that faithfully reflects St. Austin’s. I’ll post the report once it's been submitted.
Elizabeth M. Korves
ekorves@staustin.org
About the Synod on Synodality
From Pope Francis
An Invitation to Become a Listening Church
Pope Francis convened the XVI Ordinary Synod of Bishops for the Universal Church with the theme of Synodality. As we travel our parish journey of development, we'll accompany the wider church on this voyage "that offers us the opportunity to become a listening Church, to break out of our routine and pause from our pastoral concerns in order to stop and listen." Watch this space for more on this event but for now, we share this link to the Holy Father's speech of October 9, 2021 for the
We stand before You, Holy Spirit, as we gather in Your name. With You alone to guide us, make Yourself at home in our hearts; Teach us the way we must go and how we are to pursue it.
We areweak and sinful;
do not let us promote disorder. Do not let ignorance lead us down the wrong path nor partiality influence our actions. Let us find in You our unity so that we may journey together to eternal life and not stray from the way of truth and what is right. All this we ask of You, who are at work in every place and time, in the communion of the Father and the Son, forever and ever. Amen.
Come, Spirit of Love
The Pope's Concluding Prayer
at the Opening of the Synod
Come, Holy Spirit!
You inspire new tongues and place words of life on our lips: keep us from becoming a “museum Church”, beautiful but mute, with much past and little future. Come among us, so that in this synodal experience we will not lose our enthusiasm, dilute the power of prophecy, or descend into useless and unproductive discussions. Come, Spirit of love, open our hearts to hear your voice! Come, Holy Spirit of holiness, renew the holy and faithful People of God! Come, Creator Spirit, renew the face of the earth! Amen.