Igreja/Portugal: Equipa Sinodal aponta importância de respostas comuns para Europa em «fragmentação»

The synodal team of the Portuguese Episcopal Conference says Catholic communities must act as an antidote to the fragmentation and polarization currently affecting Europe. In a summary note released following a European symposium in Wels, Austria, the team argued that synodality offers a necessary, though demanding, way to rebuild communion.

The symposium, titled Shaping Synodality in Europe: From Vision to Roadmap, served as preparation for the continental meeting of the Lisbon Synod. The Portuguese team noted that while synodality moves through small relational changes and diverse rhythms, communion does not require uniformity.

The team identified several challenges facing Europe, including loneliness, nationalism, and a lack of trust in institutions. They called on parishes to welcome diversity without allowing it to cause division. The note also stated that a truly synodal Church does not simply consult people but rejects the logic of seeking power or making demands.