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Period of preparation

Spiritual, catechetical and formational preparation

Throughout the preparatory year care has been taken to not only hear the recurring themes and messages, but also to be sensitive to the quiet voices that raised issues of hope and concern.
The preparatory year was intended to reach every part of our Diocese and the methods of prayer, catechesis and consultation were deliberately varied in order to be accessible to as many people as possible.

"the secret of the success of the Synod, as of every other ecclesial event and initiative, is in fact prayer", the diocesan Bishop invites all of the faithful, clerics, religious and laity, and especially monasteries of contemplative life, to a "common ongoing intention: the Synod and its results"

The year of Spiritual preparation used the pilgrimage of the Icon of Our Lady of Paisley as an initial means to invite the prayerful participation of every parish. The physical journey of the icon was accompanied by a spiritual journey with a specially written Novena, prayer guide and copies of the icon for families to use in their homes. Schools were encouraged to pray with their pupils when the icon was visiting their associated parishes. The Religious orders of the Diocese also played a unique role in maintaining a calendar of prayer throughout the preparatory year. In addition to the pilgrimage of the icon, the spiritual preparation involved the development of a unique prayer book and designated days/evenings of prayer, reflection and participation in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. It is hoped that this carefully planned programme of Spiritual preparation meant that all members of the Diocesan family, no matter what their circumstances, were able to make an invaluable contribution to Our Synod journey.