European Synodality Conference ends: Baptism, listening and leadership on the roadmap

By Gudrun Sailer – Wels, Austria The European conference on synodality—a spiritual and theological forum—brought together Churches from all corners of the continent, and interpreted social developments in the light of the Gospel. Pastoral theologian Klara-Antonia Csiszar, Vice-Rector of the Catholic Private University Linz and head of its Department of Synodality, said the European Church Forum also connected experiences from local Churches and explored new forms of synodal cooperation. The three-day event, “Shaping Synodality in Europe,” brought together 187 participants from 31 countries stretching from Portugal and Iceland to Ukraine at Schloss Puchberg, an educational centre near Wels—a city near Linz. In 21 table groups, participants worked with the “Conversations in the Spirit” method used during the Synod on Synodality, placing particular emphasis on listening, personal experience and spiritual discernment. Each of the three days began and ended with liturgies and prayers.