The “Synod on Synodality,” which began in 2021 and concluded on October 27, 2024, has been a controversial process of renewal in the Roman Catholic Church.  Since the very first days of his papacy, Pope Francis has called the Church to grow in humility and learn to develop the art of accompaniment with all walks of life, especially the poor, the marginalized, and even the fragile elements of an ecosystem in danger of destruction.  His desire, and the real objective of synodality, is to challenge the Christian community to “listen” deeply and to walk together with friend and foe, reverencing a diversity that will help the Church to grow in unity.

            While the Synod tackled big questions pertinent to the governance and functioning of the Church, part of the dilemma for many Catholics continues to be that the process involved a great deal of talk with very little tangible action or few earth-shaking changes.  Witnesses of Synodality, edited by the Jesuit priest and scholar Jos Moons, S.J., is an effort to demonstrate the more practical side of synodality.  Thus, the ten contributions, in addition to Moons’ own, provide examples of good practices and real-life experiences of women and men who are able to discuss Christian life and mission from a synodal perspective.

            The book’s first five essays examine the wisdom from religious orders that have a sense of synodality built into their constitutions or their founder’s vision.  The religious orders represented are as follows:  Benedictines, Dominicans, Franciscans, Ursulines, and Jesuits.  The authors chosen to reflect on the contribution to synodality made by religious life each provide a kernel of wisdom to better understand how to walk together as the People of God.  Of particular interest is Chapter Six, which provides the interesting story of the monks of Tibhirine and their encounter with armed violence in Algeria from 1993 to 1996 as an experience of lived synodality.  This tale, and other testimonies in this volume, allow the reader to better understand that synodality is essentially a way to participate in Christ’s Paschal Mystery as a united people.

            Chapters Seven and Eight represent reflection on engaging the synodal process in the active parish of Holy Trinity in Georgetown and in the Diocese of San Diego.  The experiences gleaned from these two chapters seemed particularly important to this reviewer.  For example, Brian Flanagan discusses at length how pastoral leadership at Holy Trinity trusted the guidance of the lay faithful in the synodal process, which served to transform the workings of the parish pastoral council.  John Hurley’s depiction of the synodal process in San Diego, in Chapter Eight, demonstrates the major impact synodality can have when embraced and supported by the local bishop.

            Finally, the three remaining chapters examine the synodal processes that took place in Australia, in Africa, and in Latin America.  In each of these widespread attempts at executing synodality as a process of discernment and growth, great testimony is given to the Holy Spirit’s guidance and power to transform hearts.  As Richard Lennan writes regarding his experience of the preparatory phase in Australia: “If the measure of authentic listening is the willingness to move in response to what is heard, then openhearted attention to the Spirit, far from being a retreat from the messy reality of everyday life can be an instrument for reform of the church” (107).  If the Church is going to be transformed in every age, then listening to the Spirit is an art we must all perfect.

            Witnesses of Synodality is an important book that reads quite quickly.  The various ecclesial experiences of the authors selected for this volume reveal that we should not fear synodality as a way of living our Christian discipleship together.  Instead, at its very roots, the synodal process is simply about continuing to receive the Second Vatican Council’s teaching that the Church is defined as the People of God, united as one, as pilgrims on the way.