Moving Forward Together on the Synodal Journey

In September 2021 Pope Francis launched a worldwide listening process in the Church, known as the Synodal Process. This time of reflection and discussion led the Church towards two Synod assemblies in Rome which took place in October 2023 and October 2024. The Archdiocese is deeply grateful to all those people across the Archdiocese of Armagh who participated in what is now seen as the most expansive listening ever to take place in the Church. 

At the conclusion of the October 2024 Synod Session in Rome Pope Francis accepted the final document from the Universal Synod on Synodality and this document is now part of the teaching of the Church and we now enter an implementation phase.  We have talked about what synodality is and we now strive to implement the fruits of our four year journey into the lived reality at grassroots level.  To this end the Catholic Church in Ireland now turns its gaze towards the National Synodal pathway and is currently identifying priorities for a series of Synodal assemblies that will take place from 2026 onwards.  

Perhaps more importantly we here in the Archdiocese of Armagh have began preparations for a diocesan congress on Youth, Family and Faith that will take place from 20th - 23rd March 2026 in the Armagh City Hotel. The theme for this gathering has emerged from listening, conversation and reflection that took part during the Synod on Synodality and through our preparations for the March 2026 Congress we seek to reap the fruits od the past four years and embed synodality in the life of our Church.