Listen to Youth, People on the Margins, says Dhaka Archbishop at Synodality Workshop

The Catholic Church in Bangladesh must listen more attentively to young people, families and people on the margins and involve them more fully in its life and mission, said Archbishop Bejoy N. D’Cruze of Dhaka during a national workshop on Synodality.

The three-day workshop, held from September 22 to 24 at the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Bangladesh (CBCB) center in Dhaka, brought together members of diocesan synodal teams from across the country. The workshop aimed to strengthen the Church’s synodal journey through listening, participation, mutual sharing and missionary engagement.

Speaking on Synodality, Archbishop D’Cruze said, “Synod means journeying together. It is not merely an event or a meeting; rather, it is an ongoing process of listening attentively to every member of the Church, engaging in dialogue with one another, and sharing responsibility together.”

He emphasized the need for greater participation of priests, religious and lay faithful in the Church’s mission.

“In the present time, the active participation of everyone is essential to make the mission of the Church more effective,” he said, calling for stronger cooperation and sharing among priests, sisters, brothers and lay faithful.

The Archbishop particularly urged the Church to listen to young people, families and people on the margins and to involve them more fully in the life of the Church.

“Let us not remain limited to simply speaking; rather, let us listen to one another, learn from each other’s experiences, and move forward together toward making decisions under the guidance of the Holy Spirit,” Archbishop D’Cruze said.

He encouraged members of the diocesan synodal teams to bring the spirit of Synodality to their local communities by fostering environments of listening, dialogue, participation and sharing.

Father Srijan, SJ, provided formation on the concept of Synodality, emphasizing that journeying together, mutual listening, participation and sharing are essential for building a synodal Church.

“Synodality is not merely a programme or a matter for meetings; rather, it is a way of living and carrying out the life and mission of the Church,” he said.

Father Srijan also stressed the importance of putting Synodality into practice at the parish level through regular discussions, prayer, listening sessions and consultations.

During the workshop, participants shared experiences from their dioceses and discussed ways to strengthen synodal activities at the local level, including greater participation of the faithful in families, parishes and Christian organizations.

The workshop concluded with participants developing ideas and action plans to continue strengthening the synodal journey in the Catholic Church in Bangladesh.