Denver Catholic

7 the day we were opening our synod event. During the Mass too, Archbishop Aquila offered prayers of repentance, seeking forgiveness on behalf of our Church and her lead- ers for the many sins the faithful have committed. The synod event format resembled that of the parish discernment gatherings. The four sessions of the event were centered on the four themes of the mission of the disciple, the mission of the family, the mission of the parish, and the mission of the Archdiocese of Denver. Each of the four sessions began with a brief presenta- tion from a member of the Synod Team that presented the recurring themes for each of the four missions and a question for discernment. Three of the presentations were given by lay members of the team and one was given by a priest. Before each period of discussion, participants were given at least 30 minutes of quiet time in front of the Blessed Sacrament to pray about the question. They then proceeded to gather in small groups composed of approx- imately 10 representatives. Representatives selected scribes and reporters who would submit the answers from their groups virtually, in real-time. Each group was also given an opportunity to share a synthesis of their discus- sion to the whole group. P O S T-S Y N O DA L D I S CE R N M E N T Following the Archdiocesan Discernment Event, the Synod Team gathered on two occasions to pray over all the responses and feedback collected at the event. This resulted in an updated synthesis which was presented to Archbishop Aquila and his mission leadership team. The Synod Team then gathered with Archbishop Aquila and his Mission Leadership Team to pray over the themes and discuss the key messages from the Holy Spirit coming out of the entirety of this synodal process. Better than our own plans or best ideas, we realized that we must listen to and discern God 's voice allowing him to be the 'planner' in our archdiocese, surrendering each step of the way to the Holy Spirit who is the principal agent of all renewal." DENVER CATHOLIC | SEPTEMBER 2022 Memory care that's meaningful. We help those living with Alzheimer's or other forms of memory loss celebrate what still holds joy and comfort. Our safe, personalized care based on clinical best practices, creates moments that matter on a campus rooted in faith. Learn more about The Gardens at St. Elizabeth's Memory Care, or our other services, at CHILivingCommunities.org or 720.909.3816. Hurry! Limited availability.

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