The Diocese of Hakha held a zonal-level Synodal Church Meeting on August 15, the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, at the Pastoral Centre Hall in Hakha. The program began at 9 a.m. and was attended by 38 participants, including Bishop Lucius Hre Kung, eight priests, seven religious sisters, and 22 representatives of the lay faithful.

The program began with an opening prayer, followed by the proclamation of the Gospel in Hakha and Burmese. After two minutes of silence, Bishop Lucius Hre Kung delivered the opening address.

A Call to Journey Together

In his message, Bishop Lucius emphasized that the Church is a pilgrim community journeying toward heaven and a community of communion, participation, and mission. He stressed that no one should be left behind in the synodal journey.

“Synodality means that the Church listens to the voices of the faithful and the people,” the Bishop said. He encouraged the participants to listen to the Word of God and to allow the Holy Spirit to guide their lives. He also reminded them that, just as God remained with the Israelites during their suffering in the Book of Exodus, God would continue to accompany the Church through future challenges and difficulties.

He also stressed the importance of the Holy Spirit, saying that even good leadership could become like a secular organization if it lacks the guidance of the Spirit. A gathering without the Holy Spirit, he noted, cannot fully reflect the Gospel.

Understanding Synodality

Fr. Lucas Tha Ling Sum presented an overview of the Synodal Journey and encouraged the participants not to underestimate the importance of synodality. He explained that the Church provides guidelines to help parishes, communities, and dioceses understand how to continue their journey toward heaven.

Quoting from the final document of the Synod on Synodality paragraph 43, Fr. Lucas said that synodal spirituality comes from the action of the Holy Spirit and requires listening to the Word of God, contemplation, silence, and conversion of heart.

He also shared an example of a person from the United States who visited three different Christian communities. According to the example, although the different denominations emphasized the importance of the Bible, only the Catholic Mass gives considerable time to the proclamation and reflection on Scripture.

Fr. Lucas emphasized that a synodal spirit requires humility, forgiveness, and patience. He also spoke about the need for healing within the Church, particularly in response to wounds and scandals connected with different forms of abuse. He said that people cannot truly become renewed without learning to forgive others.

Three Key Dimensions

Fr. Lucas presented the three key dimensions of synodality: Communion, Participation, and Mission.

He said Communion means journeying together and ensuring that no one is left behind. He encouraged the faithful to support one another, especially those who are sick, suffering, or facing difficulties. He stressed that Christians should be united in the Spirit of Christ.

Participation means that all baptized Catholics have a responsibility to participate in the mission of the Church. Baptism in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is the Christian identity of the faithful, and Catholics are called to live according to that identity.

Mission means bringing the Gospel beyond the Church and doing good to others. Fr. Lucas encouraged the participants to show kindness and good deeds not only within the Catholic community but also to people outside the Church.

Reflecting on the Synodal Logo

During the meeting, participants also reflected on the logo of the Synodal Church. One participant explained that the image shows people of different ages and backgrounds—including children, young people, adults, elderly people, people with disabilities, clergy, religious, and lay faithful—walking together toward one destination. The Holy Spirit is represented as encouraging them to continue moving forward together.

Fr. Lucas encouraged greater participation in the liturgy by all members of the community, including young people, fathers, mothers, and children. He stressed that liturgical participation should not always be carried out by catechists or only one person.

The participants were also reminded that synodality means journeying and working together, listening to the Holy Spirit, discerning the Word of God, asking how God’s Word can be lived in daily life, and promoting forgiveness and reconciliation.

Concluding Remarks

In his concluding remarks, Bishop Lucius thanked all the participants for taking part in the important gathering organized by the local Church. He encouraged them to bring what they had learned back to their respective parishes and communities.

Referring to the disciples who received the Spirit of Jesus and lived for the good of others, the Bishop encouraged the faithful to share their good works and activities with RVA so that the mission of the Lord could reach a wider audience.

He also urged the participants to become like the Good Samaritan by doing good to others. He noted that even young children can demonstrate beautiful acts of faith, such as making the Sign of the Cross before others.

The meeting concluded with the participants praying the Angelus together. A group photograph was then taken inside and outside the Pastoral Centre before the participants returned home after lunch.

By RVA Falam Chin Service