A message from Margaret Clark, president of the National Board of Catholic Women (NBCW)…

I have been privileged this last year to have been involved in many discussions on the Synod.

From a listening course, an NBCW conference in Durham, attendance at national forums and latterly attendance at an international forum with women from all over the world, their words being expertly translated into English, I have learned that many lay people believe they have “done the synod” – but the synodal process has only just begun.

At the NBCW Durham Conference, Julian Paparella, from Rome, gave the metaphor of the Road to Emmaus to outline the principles of the synod.

We must listen, interpret, choose, encounter, dialogue and find commonality between people everywhere, particularly those on the margins.

The synod is about journeying together and about being changed by the other. To this end, the Continental stage of the Synod takes the process even further.

Entitled “Enlarge the Space of your Tent”, the document focuses on greater inclusion and selected bishops from all over the world will meet in Prague from February 5 to 9.

A few lay people have been invited, and our National Board of Catholic Women (NBCW) England and Wales delegate is Amy Cameron. 

The document that will be discussed is on our website, nbcw.co.uk. If you have any questions about it, you can send them to catholicwomenmdl@gmail.com to be forwarded to our representatives and the synodal team.