The authors of the text that the Vatican Editorial will publish this April 30 are the Jesuit priests Juan Antonio Guerrero Alves and Óscar Martín López.
Archive photo of the last day of the Synod in October 2023 (VaticanMedia)
He Pope Francisco has written the preface to a new book, entitled “The Conversation in the Spirit – The Art of Discernment and the Practice of Synodality”, by the Jesuit Fathers Juan Antonio Guerrero Alves and Oscar Martin Lopezwhich will be published by Vatican Publishing House (LEV) on April 30.
Preface of Pope Francis
“Dear brothers, thank you for sharing this book with me before its publication. From what you say in the introduction about his genesis, I see that Óscar managed to get his partner out of the world of economics in which we had him immersed in this house, to return him to more spiritual topics. It is beautiful that a book about conversation in the Spirit was born from the spiritual conversation between its authors.
Although the discussion focuses primarily on conversation in the Spirit, which is the methodology adopted in the synodal path, I very much appreciate that you did not dwell on the method and how it works. I appreciate that you provide the reader with enough historical references to grasp the depth of this method and all that it brings into play to truly transform into a Spirit listening experience.
You point out that the synodal method is a spiritual experience, in which the word and listening aim for the Holy Spirit to be the true protagonist. The development of the book gives us the opportunity to realize that the synodal path that we have undertaken as a Church constitutes a personal, community and ecclesial spiritual experience, and therefore requires the individual work of each one on himself.
The idea of the conversation “flowing through a common channel” deserves further development in the future. In fact, this conception of the conversation allows different points of view to be contributed to enrich this common thread. A greater dose of conversation in urban and ecclesiastical life would do us a lot of good. In dialogue in the Spirit we find a participatory path oriented towards communion and the renewal of the mission, which encourages the participation of all and welcomes in communion and unity the great diversity that we all are.
Conversation in the Spirit, discernment and synodality consist, above all, in listening. The synodal path undertaken by the Church is a path of deep listening. The attitude you suggest, of “open and vulnerable listening”, is fundamental and very necessary, in fact it allows the Spirit to move us and make us change, make us choose and lead us to concrete decisions. If everyone remains locked in the positions they had previously adopted, there will be no real conversation and no real listening to the Spirit. You will not find anything that you can learn or assimilate from others and you will be afraid of any decision that involves change. In fact, only when we truly listen to each other do we emerge enriched and deepen our communion and mission.
I found the chapter on interior arrangements particularly essential. As I have said on more than one occasion, our intention is not to convene a parliament or even to conduct an opinion poll. We want to walk together as sisters and brothers, listening to the Holy Spirit. He is the true protagonist of the Synod. Listening to the Spirit requires a certain internal attitude.
Conversation in the Spirit, discernment and synodality can only take place if we try to empty ourselves to fill ourselves with the Spirit, if our freedom loosens our material, ideological and emotional moorings, allowing the Spirit to guide us more effectively; if we cultivate in ourselves attitudes of humility, hospitality and welcome, and at the same time we prohibit self-sufficiency and self-referentiality. Only in this way can our communion and our mission be strengthened.
The last chapter is dedicated to the specific way of conducting the conversation in the Spirit. You explain the method, the way to do it, the aspects that require special attention. This chapter should not be read as if it were the culmination of the book. Every method is a means to an end, not the end.
The Instrumentum laboris also refers to the need to adapt the method to various situations, so that it is truly useful. The importance of the previous chapters lies precisely in allowing the methodology to be well prepared and applied.
The Instrumentum laboris stressed the need to train conversation in the Spirit. It seems to me that the book you presented provides useful materials for this purpose. I thank you very much for your commitment and I am sure that it will be of excellent help in many ecclesial environments.
May Jesus bless you and Our Lady protect you, and please do not forget to pray for me.
The Vatican, July 21, 2023+
