ATLANTA—Dioceses across the U.S. are holding additional listening sessions, following a request from the Vatican’s Secretariat for the Synod of Bishops, in preparation for the second session of the global Synod on Synodality this fall. 

The Archdiocese of Atlanta will host five sessions between Feb. 25 and March 18. 

In a January letter, Bishop Daniel E. Flores of the Diocese of Brownsville, Texas, who chairs the U.S. bishops’ committee on doctrine and coordinates the U.S. bishops’ synod process, said his team requests that each diocese hold two or three listening sessions regarding the guiding questions posed by the synod secretariat. 

The two guiding questions, phrased by Bishop Flores and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ synod team, are: “Where have I seen or experienced successes—and distresses—within the Church’s structure(s)/organization/leadership/life that encourage or hinder the mission?” and “How can the structures and organization of the Church help all the baptized to respond to the call to proclaim the Gospel and to live as a community of love and mercy in Christ?”  

The diocesan responses to the questions will be summarized and submitted to the USCCB by April 8, which will help inform the USCCB summary due to the synod secretariat in May. The USCCB plans to have “additional listening sessions at the national level with a focus on participation, social justice, and vocations.” 

Archbishop Gregory J. Hartmayer, in announcing the Atlanta sessions, asked for continued prayers for the synod process, “that the Holy Spirit guide our hearts, conversations and discernments.” 

The archbishop said it will be a wonderful opportunity to hear from a variety of voices from students to seniors, those who are divorced and remarried, those who have left the church and from diverse cultures. 

“We look forward to gathering prayerfully in diversity and unity as we journey together in this next phase,” he said. 

The five Regional Listening Sessions will each be attended by one of the bishops of Atlanta. The dates and locations are: 

• Domingo, 25 de febrero, a las 5 p.m. (Español), San Miguel, Gainesville.
• Tuesday, Feb. 27, at 7 p.m., St. Philip Benizi Church, Jonesboro.
• Wednesday, March 6, at 7 p.m., Chancery of the Archdiocese in Smyrna.
• Thursday, March 7, at 7 p.m. (Focus on college students and young adults) at St. Thomas More Church, Decatur. 
• Monday, March 18, at 7 p.m. Virtual session. 

  Participants are asked to spend 20 minutes in prayer preparing for their session, preferably in front of the Blessed Sacrament. During that prayer, it’s suggested to read Romans 12: 1-8 and answer the two main discussion questions. 

To register for a session, visit archatl.com/events/2024-synod-regional-listening-sessions.