Spiritual conversation method

Aug 02, 2024

For the upcoming Regional Pastoral Assembly (RPA), participants have prepared themselves remotely before they arrive and may have started their discernment process weeks before arriving at the RPA. There are three rounds to the “Conversation in the Spirit” (CS) process used during the RPA. They are as follows:

Group sharing and discussion is only on one question provided.

All prepare themselves in silence and prayer [After ten minutes, all come together. An animator and note-taker have been assigned for each group.]

The First Round: Taking the Floor
Everyone comes with their sharing prepared and written. They take turns equally for about two minutes to share their experiences, feelings, or what happened during their discernment period based on the question given. After one has shared, the group may briefly pause to absorb what was said.

During this round, participants have no discussions or interactions except to ask for clarification about a word or phrase, if necessary.

All participants simply listen deeply to each person.

SILENCE: After everyone has shared, the animator may propose a time of silence to absorb what was shared. The time of silence is also helpful for one to be aware of what is happening within oneself, the other person, and the group.

The Second Round: Making Room for the Other
In the second round, participants share what emerges within them during the silence. No one is obliged to speak, and participants can share spontaneously, without any particular order.

This is not a time for discussing or refuting what someone else says, nor for bringing up what participants forgot to mention in the first round. Rather, it is an opportunity to respond to questions like:

-- What struck me about what others said?
-- How was I affected by what I heard?
-- Is there a common thread in what was shared? Is there something missing that I had expected would be said?
-- Was I especially touched by a particular sharing or input?
-- Have I received any particular insight or revelation? What is it?
-- Where did I experience a sense of harmony with others as we shared with one another?

Therefore, one speaks (exclusively) reflecting on what has been shared by others. This second round enables the group to realise what unites them. It is here that signs of the action of the Holy Spirit in the group begin to manifest themselves, and the conversation becomes an experience of shared discernment.

SILENCE: Another time of silence is observed for participants to note how they were moved during the second round, particularly what key points seem to be emerging in the group.

The Third Round: Building together (from an “I” to a “We”)
Participants share what emerged from the preceding time of silence. This is a time of “WE” and coming to a consensus.

They ask themselves, “What do WE feel is important to say to ourselves and the whole Church as a ‘contribution’ with respect to the topic?”

This time, no more going around. The animator helps participants bring out the key points that have emerged, seeking consensus on what to choose as fruits of the meeting (“synthesis”) while also being alert to “marginal and prophetic voices.”

This is a process, and participants are here not to solve problems. There will always be unresolved issues. The point is not to produce more documents and data but to offer a response based on how the Holy Spirit is leading us.

[The facilitator collects the materials and hands them to the secretariat. The note-taker types the group findings on the Google form provided]