Archdiocesan Liturgical Celebration for the inauguration of the Pre-Synodal Process 2021-2023. For a synodal Church Communion, Participation, Mission

Archdiocesan Liturgical Celebration for the inauguration of the Pre-Synodal Process 2021-2023 was presided over by His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith, the Archbishop of Colombo, together with the Auxiliary Bishops, clergy, religious, and laity at the Sacred Heart Chapel, Archbishop's house, Borella.

By Fr. Asitha Madushanka

"Catholic Church is not simply a Hierarchy Church….. we are a church of communion… where all of us are inspired by the Holy Spirit through the Sacrament of Baptism we all share in common…. therefore the difference between Charisms and institutions should not be too sharp. And the difference between Dogma and Theology should not be too sharp…because we are a Communion of hearts, not an institutionalized Church…." His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith

As Pope Francis formally launched the two-year universal consultation process leading to the 2023 synod on synodality, with a call to "look others in the eye and listen to what they have to say," the Archdiocese of Colombo in line with the same universal call "For a synodal Church: communion, participation, mission" inaugurated its synodal process with the liturgical celebration presided over by His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith, the Archbishop of Colombo together with the Auxiliary Bishops, clergy, religious and laity at the Sacred Heart Chapel, Archbishop's house, Borella. 

Addressing the faithful of the Archdiocese of Colombo in particular and the Sri Lankan Church at large, His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith described the upcoming Synod as "a Journey of discovery." "The church is never stagnant, but always a reality that evolves," the Cardinal stated. Therefore, He prayed that the Holy Spirit may inspire us in a journey of discovery towards a participatory Church, a church as "communion of Communities" by way of already given to the Church in Asia by Pope John Paul II in his apostolic exhortation "Ecclesia in Asiaa." His Eminence further reiterated that this journey should never lead the Church to create descensions but should help us put aside even the illusory divisive mentalities that lead one to call himself or herself as Conservative and progressive. Hence as the Archdiocese, we aspire to begin a journey through this synodal process in which the whole Church is engaged, the Cardinal added.

His Eminence denoted that this journey is rather pivotal to understand how the Church should understand the modern-day issues and how best the Church can become structurally ordered in order to listen to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. As all the Baptized are anointed by the Holy Spirit, the Archdiocese will consult the people of God in different levels hoping that our brothers and sisters will tell us how the Church should be in the future. The archdiocesan phase of the Synod will take place with a dynamic approach towards mutual listening, involving the whole the people of God".