‘Synodality Tent’: a place to reflect on the presence of Latin America in the Church

Elisabeth Román is president of the National Catholic Council for Hispanic Ministry. / Credit: Courtesy of the National Catholic Council for Hispanic Ministry

Vatican City, Oct 15, 2024 / 11:22 am (CNA).

“The Synodality Tent” is the title of an initiative promoted by the Amerindia Network and the Latin American Observatory on Synodality, whose objective is to reflect on the presence of Latin America in the Catholic Church as well as to continue promoting the synodal process.

This place for encounter and dialogue, which also aims to offer an experience of faith, opened in Rome in the context of the second session of the Synod on Synodality.

Until Oct. 23, faithful visiting the Eternal City and members of the synod are invited to visit this “tent” where cultural events, panels, discussions, art exhibitions, and presentations of new books, among other activities, will take place.

According to the observatory, different themes will be addressed from a synodal viewpoint, such as the Hispanic world, people of African descent, popular movements, politics, or the laity.

At the site’s opening, Elisabeth Román, president of the National Catholic Council for Hispanic Ministry, reflected on the Hispanic Church in the United States, which constitutes approximately 40% of the Catholic population in the country.

She also noted the decline in the number of young Latino Catholics born in the United States, the relative lack of Latino representation in Catholic leadership, and pointed out the need for their integration into parish life.

According to ADN Celam (news sgency of the Latin American and Caribbean Bishops’ Council), Román also said there are currently approximately 3,200 Latino priests in the United States, accounting for 9% of the country’s clergy.

Upcoming events

With the support of the General Secretariat of the Synod on Synodality, two opportunities for dialogue are also planned. Cardinal Michael Czerny, prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, and Sister Gloria Liliana Franco, president of the Latin American and Caribbean Confederation of Religious Men and Women (CLAR by its Spanish acronym), will present the topic “From the Pan-Amazonian Synod to the Synod on Synodality.”

In addition, there will also be an occasion for dialogue to “discern in the Spirit and in daily life” in which Mauricio López, director of the Amazon University Program, and Sister Daniela Cannavina, secretary general of CLAR, will participate.

The events can be followed in person at the Collegio Internazionale Sant’ Alberto dei Camelitani (on Sforza Pallavicini Street), or through the social media of Amerindia and the Latin American Observatory of Synodality. The complete program can be viewed here.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.