The Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference (GCBC), at the close of its Annual Plenary Assembly held in Damongo, has called on the Catholic faithful across the country to renew their commitment to walking together as a united family of God by embracing the “synodal path”—a journey of listening, discernment, and shared responsibility within the Church.
In a communique issued at the end of the gathering, the Bishops underscored that synodality is not merely an administrative process but a profound spirituality rooted in the earliest Christian communities. They described a synodal Church as “a community of faith that journeys together, listening attentively to the Holy Spirit and to one another in a spirit of prayerful discernment, mutual respect, and shared responsibility for the mission of Christ.”
Drawing from Scripture, the communique highlighted how the first followers of Christ “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers” (Acts 2:42), and made key decisions through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, as seen in the Council of Jerusalem (Acts 15). This, the Bishops noted, remains the model for the Church today.
Applying these principles to Ghana’s diverse social and cultural landscape, the Bishops urged the creation of spaces where clergy and laity, young and old, and people from various ethnic and social backgrounds can engage in genuine, faith-filled dialogue. Such engagement, they emphasized, allows every member of the Church to offer their “unique gifts, insights, and charisms” for the building up of the Body of Christ, echoing the spirit of St. Paul’s teachings in Ephesians 4 and Romans 12.
While commending the ongoing synodal initiatives already underway in dioceses and parishes, the GCBC challenged Catholic communities to strengthen the work of parish and diocesan pastoral councils. These councils, they stressed, must be vibrant, inclusive, consultative, and truly representative of the People of God if the Church is to fulfill its mission in today’s world.
The communiqué concluded with a call for deeper communal discernment and a renewed sense of shared mission,and encouraging all Catholics in Ghana to walk together faithfully on the synodal path.
Source: Padfm.com.gh/Kumatey Gorden/0243531604
