Conversations in the Spirit

By Pat Boyle, CSJ

In a world marked by polarization and intolerance of difference, our charism of unifying love relates very significantly to the Church’s call to synodality, to walking together. Being a synodal Church, Pope Leo has stated, “means recognizing that truth is not possessed, but sought together, allowing ourselves to be guided by a restless heart in love with Love…” (Homily, October 26, 2025). By listening, discerning, and walking together, synodality offers a path toward deeper communion, participation, and mission; synodality serves as a healing balm for both the Church and world. Being synodal resonates with us and it challenges us to a love of neighbor without distinction, a unifying love.

While the term synodality may sound new, the practice is first heard of in the Acts of the Apostles and, more recently, deeply rooted in the Church’s life since Vatican II.  Synodality has grown and evolved in the teachings of every Pope since the end of Vatican II. Religious communities have, for some time, taken the call to engage in communal listening and discernment seriously, and in conversations in the Spirit. Today’s efforts build on that legacy, stressing a renewed commitment and fresh opportunity to walk together, listen deeply, and respond faithfully to the Spirit in our time.

In the late spring, the Clough School of Theology and Ministry at Boston College will launch a collaborative program with the Office of Pastoral Planning and Multicultural Ministry to form lay leaders from parishes, grounding them in the Final Document of the Synod and its implications for the Church.  This five-year collaboration, titled: So I Send You: Together in Christian Leadership and a Synodal Church will guide leaders to develop a synodal vision within their local communities. As Associate Director of Pastoral Planning, I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with the Clough School of Theology and Ministry at BC on this project. This partnership allows my conviction about the importance of synodality, together with our charism of unioning love, to influence the way the people of God live and walk together.

The official logo of the synod…

This pilot project is aimed at training and preparing lay and ordained leaders in a collaborative, listening-based, and participatory style of leadership aligned with the vision of Pope Francis and continued by Pope Leo for a synodal Church. In January 2026, Boston College received a grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. to support this five-year initiative. So I Send You is part of Lilly Endowment’s Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative.

Through this collaboration, the Clough School and the Archdiocese aim to create a formation pathway to practice synodality at the parish level. Rooted in our shared baptismal call, the program will offer multilingual workshops, that will include theological formation, renewal days, evaluation summits, and practical leadership development to serve the local community and parishes across the Archdiocese of Boston. Grounded in prayer and scripture, participants will speak, listen, and reflect together, honoring differences with curiosity and openness — often beginning by simply inviting the other to “tell me more.”