As it nears its end, there are opportunities, in addition to your normal daily prayers, to intercede for the Synod.

1. Final Monthly Votive Mass of the Holy Spirit for the Synod, a week from today on
Tuesday, May 17, 5:45 pm, at St. Peters Church in Mendota, MN
followed by a holy hour with Lectio Divina.

---

2. Novena to the Holy Spirit – all Synod members, as well as all laypeople, are invited to pray a Novena to the Holy Spirit
Friday, May 27 to Saturday, June 4.
The text of the Novena can be found at Holy Spirit Novena

---

3. Adoration at the Synod Assembly - During the Synod Deliberations, Archbishop Hebda has asked that the Prayer Team prays in adoration at the Blessed James Miller Chapel at Cretin-Derham Hall. Because of the number of slots, and the number of prayer team members also having roles in the Synod Assembly, we will invite others to join us. The slots are an hour-long – except for the last shift each day which will run about 1:15.
Saturday, June 4, 8:30 am – 4:45 pm
Sunday, June 5, 12:30-4:45 pm
Please feel free to sign up for more than one slot.  To register for slots, please go to: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040549A4A729A31-adoration.
Please sign up by Friday, May 13. After that date, we will look for additional adorers to make sure that Jesus is always accompanied by 2 people.

---

4.​​​​​​​ Pentecost Vigil Mass, followed by Prayer Session – The high point of the Synod will be the Pentecost Vigil Mass on Saturday, June 4, at 7 pm, at the Cathedral of St. Paul, followed by a Prayer session. Please come and invite everyone you know to attend. Let’s fill the Cathedral as the power of the Holy Spirit comes upon us.

​​​​​​​Thank you for your continued prayers for the Synod.

Wishing you God’s blessings of peace, joy, hope, and love,
Fr. Joseph

Imagine the impact of 186 parishes across the Archdiocese journeying together!

Archdiocesan SYNOD websiteS:  ENGLISH SPANISH

---

THE CHURCH ENGAGES - Year 3 (2021 - 2022)
The Road to the Pastoral Plan

November 2022 - Archbishop Hebda's Pastoral Letter
Archbishop Hebda will take into consideration the recommend Pastoral Priorities and will write a Pastoral Letter to be published and sent out to parishes on the Feast of Christ the King.

The Pastoral Letter will lead to a Pastoral Plan
to move our Archdiocese into the future!

June 3 - 5, 2022 - Archdiocesan Synod Assembly
Pastors will appoint two members and an alternate from each parish from the team that attended the Parish Synod Leadership Team Consultation to attend the Archdiocesan Synod Assembly with other delegates from each of the parishes around the Archdiocese. Archbishop Hebda will also appoint more than 100 other members to participate in the Synod Assembly in keeping with canon law requirements. Approximately 500 delegates will gather to learn, pray, and discuss the Synod topics in a weekend event at Cretin-Durham Hall High School in St. Paul. Collectively the Synod Members will recommend pastoral priorities to Archbishop Hebda.

March 5, 2022 - Parish Synod Leadership Team Consultation
Each pastor was asked to designate 5 - 10 parish leaders to discuss topics in the three Synod Focus Areas at the Parish Synod Leadership Team Consultation. SJA held this meeting on Saturday, March 5, with 11 appointed members present, to view the Archdiocese video, discuss draft Synod propositions, provide feedback electronically to Archbishop Hebda, and brainstorm ideas for implementation in our own parish for some of these ideas.

---

THE CHURCH PREPARES - Year 2 (2020 - 2021)
FALL PRAYER AND STUDY
In Fall 2021 parishes met to hold Parish Consultations with Small Groups. Pastors invited all parishioners to participate in these small groups. SJA held six weeks of small groups and had more than 50 people participate each week.

The Archdiocese offered a "Praying with Scripture" video five-part series with talks and tools to grow in holiness. It is led by Archbishop Hebda, Bishop Cozzens, and Catholics from across the Archdiocese. The five themes are:

1.  Prayer is a personal relationship with God
2.  How to listen to God in our hearts
3.  Conversation with God: acknowledge, relate, receive, respond
4.  Discernment of spirits: consolation and desolation
5.  Overcoming obstacles

Find the videos and other resources on the SYNOD website
ArchSPM.org/SynodPromo or ArchSPM.org/ministerio-latino/sinodo/

---

THE CHURCH LISTENS - Year 1 (2019 - 2020)
The Archdiocese was able to complete the prayer and listening events attended by over 8,000 faithful, providing over 35,000 comments on what is working well in our Archdiocese and challenges and opportunities as we move forward together. Based on this feedback, along with other consultations and discernment, Archbishop Hebda determined these broad Focus Areas that will shape the 2021 Deanery and Parish Consultation process.

1. Forming parishes that are in the service of evangelization;
2. Forming missionary disciples who know Jesus’s love and respond to his call: and
3. Forming youth and young adults in and for a Church that is always young.

PART 2: HEALING AND HOPE RETREAT October 18 - November 15, 2020
This virtual five-part retreat grounds each person’s fundamental identity as a beloved child of God. Yet each has experienced wounds that bind. This retreat explores how to unbind these knots through the intercession of Our Lady, Undoer of Knots, and open these wounds to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Encountering Jesus’ love and mercy brings healing and hope.

Session Titles, Talks, and Speakers

1. “Our Fundamental Identity as a Child of God and the Body of Christ” presented by Fr. Jon Vander Ploeg & Nataleigh Waters-Lang
2. “Identifying our Personal Wounds: Places of Darkness; Openings for Resilience & Grace" presented by Sarah McCauley & Paul Ruff
3. “The Wounds of the Body of Christ and Our Bindings/Tourniquets: The Knots We Allow to be Tied” presenters: Paula Kaempffer & Fr. Bambenek
4. “Turning Over Our Bindings to Mary, Undoer of Knots, and Opening Our Wounds to Jesus" presented by Viviana Sotro & Fr. Steven Hoffman
5. “A New Narrative in Jesus” presented by Dan Stokman & Fr. Joseph Bambenek

PART 3: WINTER/SPRING PRAYER AND STUDY
Faith and Culture Series  |  Four virtual sessions
Inspired by the thousands of participants at the Prayer and Listening Events, this series connects their stories to the story of the Church. Each virtual event includes a talk, testimonials, and a live panel discussion.

• Sources of Catholic teaching (Scripture, tradition, and magisterium)
• Church’s teaching on sexual morality and family
• Church’s understanding on the dignity of women
• The priesthood (both baptized and ordained)

---

CONNECT WITH SYNOD INFORMATION

1. Archdiocesan website:  ENGLISH SPANISH
2. Email the Archdiocese: Synod@ArchSPM.org
3. Download the Archdiocesan Synod app: MyParishApp.com/download/. Access videos, discussion questions, and daily Prayer Companion reflections. Download myParish App and within the app, search for “Archdiocesan Synod.”
4. Sign up for weekly emails: eva.us/archspm-fall2020. Emails contain links to weekly videos, plus downloadable discussion questions and Prayer Companion.
5. Call the SJA Parish office: 952-445-1319