Over the next days, the delegates will be invited to journey together using a 3-step method called, ‘Spiritual Conversation’. During the opening session, Fr. Giacomo Costa SJ, Consultor of the General Secretariat of the Synod, illustrated the method to the almost 200 delegates who have arrived in Addis Ababa, which is aimed at helping the delegates to move together, transitioning from an “I” to a “WE”, “from the confusion to harmony as at Pentecost, in an atmosphere of co-responsibility which values everyone’s contribution”. The method also helps to create communion and consensus when focusing on the theme, an issue or a challenge.
In the framework of the synodal continental assembly, the spiritual conversation will consist in a first step, “Taking the floor” which is a time when each participant of the group speaks for a short time about their experience of the Synodal process; with no discussion or intervention, followed by some time of silence to consume the sharing.
The second step, “Making room for others” consists in a time when each member of the group speaks for a short time on what most resonated from what the other; with no discussion or intervention and followed by a time of silence to internalize the sharing.
The third step, “Building together” is a time of interaction to identify the fruit of the conversation, recognizing convergences, common questions, disagreements, and prophetic voices.
