Being a Missionary of Synodality

Aug 09, 2024

Vatican News: Tell us how the meeting, ‘Parish Priests for the Synod’ and Pope Francis’ mandate to be ‘Missionaries of Synodality’ impacted your ministry? Fr Mwiila: The meeting in Rome on Parish Priests for the Synod remains memorable in my priestly life and as a Christian. It became an eye-opener in my missionary disposition as a Parish Priest. It ignited in me the faith response that demands the courage in me to enter the cloud of mystery, encountering a God who comes as a future. Our deliberations in the Synod of Parish Priests reawakened in me a God who is a surprising future. During the Synod meeting, I realised, and I still do, that the stories told by the Parish Priests became the stories of God because we had gathered in the name of God.

The other impact the Synod meeting left on me is the acceptance that, as Parish Priests, we live among people and journey daily with them. We are the closest to their reality of the Church in the world. We are part of the joys and the sorrows of our parishioners. The joys and sorrows of the parishioners become ours, and our own joys and sorrows become their joys and sorrows. As a Parish Priest, I can truly animate the birth of a synodal Church as I remain open to the dictates of the Holy Spirit.

What are some of the Synodal sessions that you have conducted in Zambia since your return from Rome?
Since my return to Zambia after the meeting in Rome, I have had several formation engagements, and there are still a number lined up in the country. I have since animated diocesan gatherings not just in my diocese but in other dioceses as well. I have spoken with priests, parish communities, lay groups, and seminarians. I have had formation meetings with religious women and men, as well as with members of parliament. People have opened their doors and hearts and want to know and be part of the Synod.

I have participated in a national TV discussion and been on Zambia’s national Radio Stations 1 and 2 for interviews and a phonein programme. It was amazing to answer phone calls from people — some who are not even Catholics!

I have also done some local FM Radio stations such as Byta FM — a private radio station. Not too long ago, I was on Jesuit Chikuni FM Radio. All these have helped animate the synodal process in the country and the Church.

What exactly do you say to the people, priests, or groups you meet about the Synod on Synodality? How do you make it concrete for them?
The message I share concerns the Face of the Synodal Church in the world and the respective communities: We are all disciples and missionaries. This helps reawaken communities to their Sacramental lives. I also share about the call to weave ties and build communities.

In Zambia, we already have a strong history of Small Christian Communities (SCCs), so I share the message of making the SCCs become communities of change in the light of Synodality. The message promotes active participation in the Church, listening to one another and making sure no one is left behind, promoting a self-sustaining Church lived in communion and the use of leadership as a service rather than the power of domination. My message also facilitates the discovery and use of charisms, vocations and ministries in the communities and among members. Finally, through the Synodal message, I encourage Pope Francis’ concept of the Church or parish life, defined as a Hotel of Saints and a Hospital of Sinners. It is a call to inclusivity and a participatory Church that brings everyone on board. No one feels judged or excluded.

You have pioneered Small Christian Communities for children in the Diocese of Monze. What led you to do this, and what has been the response from the children and parishioners?
Among the Synodal messages is a call to foster connections and build communities for change. Over the past 50 years in Zambia and the AMECEA Region, the Church has endeavoured to promote the image of the Church as Family, a concept emphasised at the 1994 African Synod. However, the reality on the ground can be challenging, with gaps still existing, such as those between parents, youth, and children. These gaps are often cultural, as many African societies have clearly defined roles for parents, adults, and children.

As we celebrate the Golden Jubilee of Small Christian Communities (SCCs) in the AMECEA region, this celebration should be informed by the Synod on Synodality. In our parishes, SCCs for children bear the names of priests, religious men and women, and lay leaders who have served in the local diocese. This helps children understand and appreciate the history of their faith, aligning with Pope Francis's emphasis on the importance of stories and preserving memory.

Children are naturally receptive to their environment and what they are taught. They are empathetic, responsive to goodness, and open to the message and mission of Christ. In our Zambian parishes, the apostolate to children has often centred around Holy Childhood and similar associations. While these are wonderful, we realised that more could be done with the children. Through SCCs tailored to their interests and level, they have become an integral part of the synodal Church on mission. They exhibit leadership, generosity, and a willingness to share with other children from the resources they gather and save. For example, they visit and donate to children in the local hospital’s paediatric ward every three months. This activity is manageable for them and is always done with adult supervision, ensuring a positive experience for both the visiting and the sick children.

When SCCs for children were first introduced, there was understandable scepticism. However, they have now been fully embraced by many parishioners, as the children have demonstrated their commitment. Parents are pleased to see their children involved in meaningful activities beyond traditional roles like liturgical dancing or serving as altar boys. The children are now an essential part of parish life, actively participating in a broader mission while still engaging in familiar roles.

Can children really understand Synodality? Yes. Children understand Synodality, and this is exemplified by how they work together and accompany one another in their daily lives.

You recently had sessions with major seminarians of the Diocese of Monze. If Synodality is to take root, what kind of future priests should Zambia be training?
On the formation of future priests in Zambia, and speaking as one who has taught in our Theological major seminary before, there is need to take a leaf from the wisdom of Pope Francis’ teaching on Synodality. Our future priests need to be brought on board and up to speed with what is happening in the wider Church. I believe our seminaries may already be moving in this direction. However, we also need to glean from the wisdom of Pope Saint John Paul Il. The priestly formation would do well to tackle the crisis of priestly identity in the modern world. We need to form priests who will be necessary for the Synodal Church of today and tomorrow. Perhaps the challenge is to look at what we teach in the seminaries or even in religious houses of formation.

On the one hand, an appropriate seminary formation that responds to Synodality will probably need to be conducted in conjunction with the universal Church. But we must keep asking the question: Does the formation foster the values of a Synodal Church as envisaged by the Holy Father?
I further believe that the Church can no longer ignore the power of the media, especially social media, in its mission of evangelisation. In today’s digital age, media is no longer a luxury but a tool for the Gospel. Hence, those in formation must familiarise themselves with a digital Synodal church. The students or seminarians must be helped to know that mission is not just one of the activities of the Church; it is its essence. The goal of the mission is the transformation of the world. The future of priesthood and religious life in Zambia should not be the new aristocracy or a ruling class but rather a family of service.--Vatican News