GRACE IN THE JOURNEY : WITNESSES OF SYNODAL CONVERSION

 I have heard people say, “Daw buhi naman ang Simbahan sa Capiz.” Hearing this fills me with hope and gratitude. In my continued engagement with both the laity and the clergy of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Capiz, I have witnessed a meaningful transformation. The laity have become more enthusiastic and confident, sensing that renewal is truly taking place. While challenges remain, they have grown more resilient and have learned to face difficulties with maturity and collaboration rather than hesitation.

FROM INACTION TO ACTION

There was one parish that initially seemed disengaged. During our consultation meetings, their participation appeared minimal and indifferent. I reached out through social media and phone calls, yet I could not connect with the designated focal person to address pending concerns.

To my surprise, however, during the recent vicarial orientation, many of them were present. Half-jokingly, I remarked, “For sure, may ara na gid kamo i-submit nga report, if ever.” True enough, the orientation became a turning point. What once seemed like passivity evolved into initiative. After the seminar, they immediately began planning and have since started explaining the Archdiocesan Vision-Mission and  the Basic Ecclesial Communities (BEC) in the various chapels of their parish. What appeared to be indifference was perhaps simply a need for encouragement, clarity, and accompaniment.

“UPOD MAN GALI KAMI”

In our consultation meeting with the Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDLs) at the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology in Roxas City, we encountered another powerful moment of awakening. The PDLs expressed deep joy in knowing that the Church is willing to listen to them. The meeting provided them with a voice — an opportunity to communicate their desire for confession and Holy Mass and the need to support their family while in confinement.

More profoundly, they shared a heartfelt longing: that after serving their sentence, they might return to a society and a Church ready to welcome them, to believe in their capacity for renewal, and to give them another chance at life. In their simple yet moving words, one could sense their realization — “Upod man kami gali.” We, too, belong.

SYNODALITY : A GATEWAY TO DEEPER RELATIONSHIP WITH NEIGHBORS IN THE FAITH

Since the beginning of our synodal journey in 2021, we have witnessed a gradual yet meaningful strengthening of relationships with our neighbors in the faith. What began as consultation and dialogue has evolved into mutual respect, collaboration, and genuine friendship.

Pastors and leaders from other Christian communities have participated in diocesan activities, and we, in turn, have encountered them during consultation meetings and shared gatherings. These moments of dialogue allowed us to recognize a common desire: to live in peace, to serve our communities faithfully, and to honor one another’s beliefs. It is not a rivalry of religions, but a respectful coexistence rooted in shared human dignity and a collective longing for harmony.

Through these encounters, friendships have formed between our clergy and pastors of other faith traditions. Walls that once seemed high have slowly become bridges of understanding.

A particularly meaningful experience occurred during an outreach activity we organized, where a group of religious sisters were involved. They invited one of their donors to sponsor food for the beneficiaries. Unaware that he belonged to a different faith tradition, I welcomed his participation without hesitation. After attentively listening to the talks during the activity, he later contacted me to express his appreciation. He even conveyed that, should there be future initiatives of the Diocesan Synodal Pastoral Planning Team, the company he represents would be willing to provide meals for participants. And, yes, we did have caldo and boiled eggs during our Diocesan Pastoral Assembly.

This simple yet profound gesture revealed the quiet power of synodality. When we listen, welcome, and walk together, trust is built. When we open our doors without prejudice, unexpected partnerships emerge.

THE HOLY SPIRIT WORKED IN OUR MIDST

Although synodality has long been present in the life of the Catholic Church, for many it seemed merely a term — a concept spoken of, but not always fully lived. As a lay synodal coordinator and Chairperson of the Archdiocesan Commission on the Laity, I have humbly tried to embody synodality in concrete ways, especially by ensuring that related commissions and key persons are actively involved in diocesan initiatives. Collaboration, after all, lies at the heart of synodality.

There was, however, one couple who consistently declined participation despite repeated invitations, explanations, and even earnest persuasion. After numerous conversations — some of which left me misunderstood and even hurt — I chose to step back. Rather than force the matter, I entrusted the situation to God and continued the work entrusted to me.

In time, during a joint commission meeting, we found ourselves gathered again. The call to unity was strongly emphasized: the need to cooperate, to support one another, and to move forward as one body with a shared mission.

Then, in another meeting where we were both present, something unexpected happened. The female leader came forward and openly shared that she felt deeply moved — struck, as she described it — by the Holy Spirit. She and her husband had come to discern the very message I had long been sharing with them. It was Pentecost Sunday. In that sacred moment, one could truly sense the grace of the Spirit at work — granting wisdom, clarity, and openness of heart.

For my part, I was simply grateful. It was not persuasion that changed hearts. It was not insistence. It was the quiet yet powerful action of the Holy Spirit moving in His own time and way.

Indeed, for genuine understanding to take root, humility is essential. Synodality requires metanoia — a conversion of heart. And when hearts are open, the Holy Spirit does the rest.

“SANG UNA SI PADRE LANG, YANDA KITA TANAN”

During our Vicarial Orientation Meetings, we intentionally provide space for an open forum where participants may raise questions, clarify doubts, and express concerns. More often than not, the discussions center on the organizational structure of the Basic Ecclesial Communities (BEC). These conversations naturally involve both clergy and lay leaders, reflecting the collaborative spirit we seek to foster.

On one occasion, the dialogue became particularly intense. Perspectives differed, and the exchange grew heated. As moderator, I intervened and addressed one of the priests, suggesting that, in order to settle the matter and ensure uniformity, perhaps the clergy could simply provide the official organizational structure for everyone to follow.

His response surprised me. He firmly said, “No. Synodality ini, ang layko dapat involved.”

I was momentarily taken aback. Yet almost immediately, I felt a deep sense of affirmation. In that simple but decisive reply, I sensed the true spirit of synodality at work. It broke away from the traditional mindset that whatever the priest decides must automatically be accepted without question or participation from the laity. Instead, it affirmed shared responsibility — that the mission and structure of the Church are not the concern of the clergy alone, but of the whole People of God.

Later, I came to realize that my intervention as moderator had also resonated with those present. Rather than causing division, the exchange became an invitation to deeper collaboration. The clergy themselves worked toward resolving the matter, not in isolation, but in dialogue.

In that moment, synodality was no longer theory. It was lived experience — a concrete expression of shared discernment, mutual respect, and co-responsibility in the life of the Church.

THE SLEEPING GIANT IS AWAKENED

It has often been said that the “sleeping giant” of the Catholic Church is the laity. In Capiz, that giant is slowly awakening. The People of God are emerging from a long season of passivity and are rediscovering their identity and mission within the Church.

This renewal is evident in the growing vitality of various lay organizations, ministries, apostolates, and societies. Through the synodal consultation meetings, the laity have not only voiced their insights and concerns; they have also begun to expect concrete action. They long for formation programs, spiritual activities, and missionary initiatives that will deepen their faith and strengthen their service to the Church.

Admittedly, some lay-led initiatives encounter obstacles, particularly when met with indifference or lack of support from certain parish or mission priests. Yet these challenges have not extinguished the zeal of the majority. Many continue steadfastly on the path of mission, driven by conviction rather than convenience.

More significantly, there is now a growing awareness of the indispensable role of the laity in the life of the Church. The outdated notion that the Church belongs only to the rich, the learned, or the privileged — while others remain mere spectators — is gradually being set aside. In its place emerges a renewed understanding: the Church is a communion where laity, clergy, and religious share responsibility for its mission.

Indeed, the vitality of the Church rests not on one sector alone, but on the harmonious collaboration of all. And as the laity awaken to their baptismal calling, the Church in Capiz moves forward with renewed strength and hope.

SOCIAL MEDIA AS A MEDIUM FOR CONNECTIVITY

The social media when is a platform to witness that the Church is not merely a structure of stone and cement, but a living Body of Christ. Through simple posts and updates, to show that what the faithful do each day is a concrete expression of the Gospel — Scripture lived out in action.

In our communities, there are always people in need. At the same time, there are generous individuals and groups willing to help, if only they are made aware. Social media has become a bridge between these two realities — connecting compassion with opportunity.

In one instance, the founder of a non-governmental organization — who happens to be a relative — came across updates about diocesan initiatives. Moved by what she saw, she reached out to inquire how they might help. What followed was a quiet but meaningful blessing: one of the schools in the remote barangays of Dao (Malonoy Elementary School) received school supplies for both pupils and teachers and slippers for the children.

Such moments affirm that digital platforms, when used responsibly and purposefully, can become instruments of mission. They allow the Church’s works of mercy to be seen, not for applause, but to inspire collaboration. In this way, social media becomes more than a tool for communication — it becomes a channel of communion, generosity, and shared responsibility in building a living Church.

Indeed, these experiences affirm that the Church in Capiz is alive — not merely in structures or programs, but in renewed participation, awakened responsibility, and inclusive compassion. When leadership is rooted in faith, guided by prudence, and steadfast in service to God, the journey of the Church continues with hope, resilience, and purpose.

HALLY B. ANDRADA                                                                                                             

Lay Synodal Coordinator

Archdiocese of Capiz

02.19.2026

3:48 pm