CARPENTERSVILLE—The prayer Adsumus Sancte Spiritus, “We stand before you, Holy Spirit, as we gather together in your name …” started “For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation and Mission” meeting at St. Monica Parish here May 21 at 9:30 a.m. 

 

Bishop David Malloy told the Hispanic laity gathered he was grateful for their presence because “it is something important what we are doing here.” 

 

“We have most deaneries congregated, they have answered the questions, we are joyful,” said Msgr. Arquimedes Vallejo, Vicar for Hispanic Ministry and pastor of St. Joseph Parish, Elgin. “Pope Francis will receive the ideas, dreams, and ideals of our Church,” he added.

 

Hispanic parish representatives were invited to present answers prepared ahead of time by the parish teams. At the conclusion of the meeting, the sheets used to answer the questions were collected and will be used to help prepare the final report that will be sent to the USCCB and then onto Rome.

 

During the presentation of the meeting, Kevin Fuss, Diocesan Director of Research and Planning and Synod chairperson said, “when you hear Synod, just [be] thinking of [the] meeting of church people.” He explained, “a few months ago, Pope Francis asked each of the dioceses of the whole world to participate in a synod … to have input in the  same four questions.”

 

The questions related to community, participation and mission. A fourth point was an option for additional comments. 

 

Father William Vallejo, parochial administrator of St. Monica, Carpentersville, hosted the event. Also participating were Father Luis Guanipa, parochial vicar, St. Monica Parish, Father Paul White, pastor of Church of Holy Apostles Parish, McHenry; Father Jhakson García, parochial vicar of Holy Angels Parish, Aurora; Father Lisandro Cristancho, parochial vicar at St. Mary Parish, Elgin; and Father Andres Salina, parochial vicar at St. Joseph Parish, Harvard.

 

At the end of the event, Father Vallejo invited the groups from different deaneries to take a photo with Bishop Malloy.

 

If you have not done so already, you can find out more and add your input to the Synod by visiting https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Synod20212023