Catholic Education and Pope Francis’ Dream for a Synodal Church

Dear Colleagues,

Pope Francis is convinced that a synodal style of governance is precisely what the Holy Spirit is asking the Catholic Church to adopt at this time in its history. He has initiated a worldwide process whereby synodality will become the mode of being of the Church (its modus vivendi et operandi) and demonstrable in all its contexts and endeavours.[1] Theologians recognise that this impetus is not merely a passing preoccupation of a particular papacy but a new phase in the reception of the teaching of the Second Vatican Council, by which the Church realises its nature as a global faith community. 

Synodality reveals itself in how the Church goes about its daily business and affairs, “expressing her nature as the People of God journeying together and gathering in assembly, summoned by the Lord Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit to proclaim the Gospel”[2]. If it is genuinely operative, synodality will manifest itself not only in the manner by which, for example, the Roman curia operates, parishes and dioceses are administered but also in the way Church finances are accounted for. It will also impact upon Catholic education, particularly so, given how central this is to the life of the Church. It will influence, therefore, how Catholic schools and colleges operate, how religious education and catechetics are taught, ministers formed, sacraments prepared for, and so on. Synodality, when fully embraced, will impact not only upon what is taught in Catholic education institutions but also upon the pedagogies employed in the teaching of it and the distinctive modes and styles of governance Catholic educational institutes adopt.

So far in the discussions of synodality, these matters have received little attention. The aim of this Special Issue is to address this deficit by exploring the implications of synodality for Catholic education in all its facets and manifestations. By Catholic education, of course, we mean what occurs in the familiar settings of Catholic primary, post-primary, and higher education institutions. However, education and formation that takes place in less formal educational contexts in dioceses and other Catholic-led institutions and communities is also in need of consideration.

It has been suggested that the synodal pathway is having little or no impact on Catholic higher education institutions, whether because of apathy among those in charge, faculty who prefer to distance themselves from ecclesial concerns, or other more pressing demands on the time and energies of students and staff.[3] Is this a widespread reality, and if so, what are its causes and what can or should be done about it? What challenges and opportunities does a synodal style in the Church raise for Catholic educators and the schools and colleges in which they work? Can a synodal style turn out to be a ‘unique selling point’ for Catholic education in secular culture or will it prove to be an impossible burden? We invite you to submit papers on these or any of the following topics:

• Readings of magisterial teaching on Catholic education, including Gravissimum educationis, and recent instructions from the Holy See’s Dicastery for Culture and Education, in the light of Pope Francis’ vision for a synodal Church.
• Learning and teaching skills for ecclesial discernment and decision making.
• Forming Catholics for a synodal church.
• Publicly-funded Catholic educational institutions: a particular challenge for synodal styles of governance?
• Participative styles of management and leadership in Catholic education institutions in light of synodality.
• The power, authority, and governance of Catholic education being reconsidered in the light of synodality.
• Comparisons between synodal and secular styles of management and leadership in Catholic schools and colleges.
• Curriculum and pedagogy in the areas of catechetics and formation programmes in a synodal Church.
• The impact of synodality on the mission and identity in Catholic educational institutions.
• The interface between synodality, integral human development, and the common good.
• Synodality and ecological education.
• Synodality: a new impetus for formation in servant leadership.

Original research articles and reviews are welcome in this Special Issue. The above list of topics should be understood as indicative only; other related topics will also be considered. In particular, the editors encourage the submission of papers that have been co-authored by emerging and early-career researchers working in collaboration with scholars already established in their respective fields of expertise.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

[1] Preparatory Document for the Synod of Bishops 2021–2023.

[2] See the Vademecum for the Assembly of Bishops in Synod 2023, 1.2. https://www.synod.va/en/documents/vademecum.html accessed Sept 4 2021.

[3] https://www.commonwealmagazine.org/catholic-colleges-synod.

Prof. Dr. Eamonn Conway
Prof. Dr. Renée Köhler-Ryan
Guest Editors

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• synod
• synodality
• Catholic education
• pedagogy
• Church
• Pope Francis
• teaching
• religious education
• faith formation
• governance
• Catholic schools
• Catholic higher education
• leadership
• discernment
• decision making
• bishops
• teachers
• parish
• Gravissimum educationis
• Vatican