Reflections on the Third Synod of the Diocese of Fargo

“Where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” These words of our Lord were certainly fulfilled in recent days. From April 11–13, an extraordinary event took place in our diocese. After much planning and consultation, the Third Synod of the Diocese of Fargo was held at Sts. Anne and Joachim Church in Fargo. This was our first diocesan synod in more than 70 years, so it truly was an extraordinary event. The Church encourages dioceses to hold occasional synods to address particular needs and to assist the bishop in his ministry as shepherd of the diocesan church, and this synod undoubtedly followed that exhortation.

You might recall that I called for a diocesan synod on Pentecost Sunday in 2022. I invited everyone in the diocese to offer their input, either through written recommendations or through participation in one of many listening sessions around the diocese, and we received thousands of responses. In its final stage, I asked every parish to send a representative, and we finally gathered for three days of prayer, discussion, and discernment at the synodal assembly in Fargo. Nearly 300 hundred people participated—priests, deacons, religious sisters, and lay representatives from almost all our parishes.

I was impressed and edified by the spirit of those who participated in the synodal assembly. We held fruitful discussions on the many proposals we had received, and gave everyone an opportunity to speak in the plenary sessions. It was serious business, but there was a spirit of joy among the participants, and the peace of the Holy Spirit was evident during our time together. On the second day of the synod, I celebrated a Mass of the Holy Spirit for the participants, and I mentioned our spiritual connection with the members of the apostolic Church who gathered in the Upper Room of Jerusalem and received the gifts of the Spirit at Pentecost. I believe the Holy Spirit was with us in the same way, blessing us with his gifts and all the grace we would need to carry out the important work of our Synod.

The principal themes of the Synod were Encounter, Formation, and Mission: our encounter with God through Jesus Christ, our formation as his disciples, and our ongoing mission as a diocesan church. The delegates at the Synod considered many proposals around each of these themes that came from throughout the diocese, and in the final session, they voted on recommendations to me for priorities and future plans for our diocese. Some of these recommendations included the broader encouragement of Eucharistic adoration in all of our parishes, and fostering additional catechesis and greater participation in the sacrament of Penance. There was wide support for more comprehensive adult formation of the faithful and Catholic families throughout the diocese, especially regarding contemporary moral issues. There was general agreement that additional effort is needed to promote the holiness and uniqueness of the Sabbath, the Lord’s Day. The delegates recommended reconsideration of our current practice of the joint celebration of Confirmation and First Eucharist for our children. They also strongly recommended vigorous outreach to those who have fallen away from the active practice of the faith, as well as those who are on the margins and have special needs in our parishes, e.g., the elderly, the poor, the lonely, etc. There was agreement on our call to give witness about our Catholic faith, and the need for formation in the work of evangelization. There was also an awareness of the need to actively support vocations in the Church, the priesthood, diaconate, religious life, and married life.

This is only a sample of the recommendations made by the delegates; a more complete list will be presented elsewhere. But this gives a feel for the breadth of our discussions and the propositions that were put forward at the Synod. It would be unrealistic to think that this Synod has answered all of our questions and solved all of our problems. But it did bring the wisdom of the faithful to bear on the challenges we face as a diocese. And I truly believe that the Holy Spirit was active throughout the course of the Synod, gently guiding us to greater clarity and unity among ourselves, along with a deeper understanding of our union with Christ in his Church.

After all this time and effort, what comes next? What will be the fruits of the Synod? Based on the recommendations made to me by the participants, I intend to prepare a pastoral letter for our diocese within the next six to nine months. I hope to bring out the key points that were raised at the Synod, and present some priorities and directions for our future journey together as a diocese. The fruitfulness of the Synod will emerge over time, and the results will not be instantaneous. The life of the Church unfolds slowly, and the Spirit works as he wills among God’s people. But this truly was an occasion of grace for our diocesan church, and I have no doubt that the Synod will be a blessing for our diocese in the years to come. I also hope to follow up on the Synod with future diocesan events, and perhaps even another Synod!

I want to offer a heartfelt word of thanks to all who participated in this Third Synod of the Diocese of Fargo! The priests, deacons, religious, and lay delegates gave generously of their time and energy, and their love for our Lord and his Church was a beautiful thing to behold. Thanks also to the diocesan staff, who diligently planned and facilitated the Synod. Thanks to the many faithful who joined us at Mass and in prayer as the Synod was underway. And finally, thanks to Almighty God for his grace and blessing on this great endeavor of faith. We pray for his continued blessing on the Diocese of Fargo, and look forward to our ongoing journey of faith together.