| Cardinal Tobin: Engage in respectful dialogue with those with different perspectives |
| My dear sisters and brothers in Christ, The multi-year synodal process that we are engaged in as members of the Universal Church commits us to a threefold witness of encounter, attentive listening, and discernment of God’s will for us. Encounter happens when we open ourselves to the grace of God and let others (God and our neighbors) enter into our lives. Rather than barricading ourselves behind closed doors, and refusing to allow anyone to witness our vulnerability, we take the risk of seeing others as they are, and allowing them to come to know us as we truly are. Every time we meditate on God’s Word in the Scriptures, we invite the experience of genuine encounter. Every time we receive Jesus in the Eucharist, we accept Him into our all-too-human hearts, and we accept the responsibility for sharing Him with others. Every time we serve our brothers and sisters in Jesus’ name, we encounter them not as strangers but as fellow travelers on our common journey to a better life, now and in the world to come. Click here to continue reading Cardinal Tobin’s letter to the faithful. (Available in English and Spanish) |