Church in PNG and Solomon Islands Encouraged to Deepen Synodal Journey with New Vatican Guidelines

Vatican City - July 2025

The Church in Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands is being invited to embrace the next phase of the global Synod on Synodality with renewed commitment and creativity, following the release of a new Vatican document titled "Pathways for the Implementation Phase of the Synod."

Sister Nathalie Becquart, XMCJ, Undersecretary of the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops, spoke to Vatican News about the significance of the implementation phase and how local Churches—including those in Oceania—are called to live out synodality in concrete ways.

A Call to Put Synodality into Practice

“The Synod is not finished,” Sr. Becquart emphasized. “We are now entering a crucial phase where the fruits of the Synod must be received and implemented at the local level.” She highlighted that this is not just about reading the Final Document but about "putting it into practice with creativity, in the diversity of each Church’s context."

The implementation phase, spanning from now until October 2028, will culminate in an Ecclesial Assembly in Rome to assess how synodality has taken root globally. Local Churches are encouraged to hold diocesan, national, and continental assemblies to share their experiences and foster a stronger exchange of gifts between communities.

Synodality: A Way of Being Church

Sr. Becquart described synodality as “the way God is calling the Church to be today.” Rooted in the vision of the Second Vatican Council, synodality promotes communion, participation, and mission. It calls for every baptized person—laity, religious, and clergy alike—to take co-responsibility for the mission of the Church.

She stressed that synodality is not a new program but a spiritual renewal of how the Church journeys together, especially listening to the voices of the poor, the marginalized, and the excluded.

The Role of Local Churches and the Faithful

The Pathways document calls on dioceses and bishops’ conferences—including the Catholic Bishops Conference of Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands (CBCPNGSI)—to form or strengthen synodal teams to help guide this process. Bishops, religious, lay leaders, youth, Catholic educators, and organizations such as Caritas and religious congregations all have vital roles to play.

Catholic schools, universities, seminaries, and youth ministries are particularly urged to integrate synodal principles into their educational and formation programs. Religious communities are also recognized as key contributors to the synodal conversion through prayer, discernment, and mission.

A Global and Local Movement

Across the world, dioceses are already implementing synodality through synodal assemblies, pastoral letters, and dedicated teams. Some have appointed vicars for synodality or directors for synodal implementation. Others are developing local vademecums, or handbooks, to adapt the Synod’s fruits to their contexts.

In French-speaking Africa, a School of Synodality has been launched. In the Philippines, synodality is now included in Catholic school curricula. Creative initiatives like concerts, hymns, and spiritual retreats focused on synodality are also gaining momentum.

Implications for the Church in PNG and Solomon Islands

The Church in PNG and Solomon Islands is well-placed to contribute to this global synodal journey. With a strong communal culture, vibrant local liturgies, and a youthful demographic, the region can offer unique insights into how synodality can be lived at the grassroots level.

Already, through the Social Communications Commission, diocesan synods, youth formation programs, and active religious congregations, signs of synodal life are emerging. Now, the Pathways document encourages further steps: forming diocesan synodal teams, hosting synodal assemblies, promoting listening circles, and ensuring that the marginalized are included in Church processes.

A Journey Together

Sr. Becquart concluded with a hopeful message: “The Holy Spirit is already working. Many Churches have not waited for this document—they have started. But we hope that with the Pathways, many more will continue. The Church in PNG and Solomon Islands is not alone. We journey together, inspired by the Spirit, and committed to mission.”

To access resources, updates, and examples of synodal implementation from around the world, including Oceania, visit the official Vatican Synod website.

To access the document, please click the link provided here;

https://www.synod.va/en/the-synodal-process/phase-3-the-implementation/resources.html