The Diocese of Great Falls-Billings completed our Diocesan Synod in May of 2022 with Bishop Warfel’s document, “God’s People: The Domestic Family of Eastern Montana. Over 300 people from around the diocese took part giving input through initial Parish Council discernment, Vicariate listening sessions, and eventually as delegates of the two sessions of the Diocesan Synod. The various documents of the Diocesan Synod can be found here https://diocesegfb.org/2021-diocesan-synod-on-the-domestic-church/
In 2021 Pope Francis called for a of The Universal Synod of Pope Francis for a Synodal Church. His Holiness asked all diocese and bishop’s conferences throughout the world to participate. Our diocese held a listening session from our own Synod participants and submitted a document to the USCCB in June of 2022. Our region of the country (region XII) submitted a regional document on July 26, 2022. Thomas Dotterweich, our Director of Lifelong Faith Formation was on the regional team who submitted the synthesis to the USCCB. Finally, the United States Synthesis document was submitted to the Vatican this fall. Those documents can be found here https://diocesegfb.org/universal-synod-on-synodality/
We are now entering the “Continental Stage” where delegates from the Untied States and Canada where delegates will attend online sessions in January of 2023 to submit a final synthesis to the Vatican in March before the Universal Synod of Bishops takes place in October 2023. Bishop Warfel has asked Fr. Rodrigo Mingollo, Pastor of St. Mark in Belt and a member of the Coordinating Committee of our own Synod. Thomas Dotterweich, our Director of Lifelong Faith Formation, a member of the coordinating committee for our diocesan synod, and member of the Region XII team to the USCCB. Cindy Eultgen, a Spiritual Director and former member of the National Advisory Council to the USCCB. Valerie Johnson, the Director of Youth Ministry and Religious Education at St. Patrick in Billings and Darren Eultgen as Chancellor of the Diocese.