For the first time in a century, Bishop Kevin Rhoades convened a synod for the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend. The synod focused on improving catechesis, vocations, and evangelization within the local Catholic community. The synod sessions for South Bend were held from October 31 to November 1, with a concluding Mass celebrated at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart.
Originating from the Greek synhodos, meaning “walking together,” a synod in the Catholic Church is an advisory meeting of clergy, religious, and laypeople. Through prayer, reflection, and conversation, a synod gathers to address pastoral concerns and provide assistance to the bishop or pope who convened it.
According to the official website, the Fort Wayne-South Bend synod is “an opportunity for every Catholic in our diocese to listen to the Holy Spirit, reflect on the mission of Christ, and discern how we are called to live that mission today.” In accordance with the synod theme, “Spreading the Fire of God’s Love,” Bp. Rhoades identified five primary focuses for the synod: evangelization, catechesis, spiritual and liturgical life, vocations, and outreach.
Bp. Rhoades officially convoked this historic synod on September 14 of last year, calling upon parishes within the diocese to participate in preparatory prayer, reflection, and dialogue. Special consultative meetings with those outside regular parish structures, such as college students, took place in the winter and spring of this year before synodal delegates were chosen and trained.
Although some synodal participants, such as the bishop and vicar general, are canonically mandated to participate, other delegates are directly appointed by the bishop in an effort to provide diverse perspectives on the issues at hand. One such delegate is Notre Dame professor Jennifer Newsome Martin, Director of the de Nicola Center for Ethics and Culture.
Last year, Martin opened her mailbox to find a letter from the bishop. Enclosed was an invitation to serve as the synodal delegate for the University of Notre Dame, alongside delegates from Saint Mary’s College, Holy Cross College, and the University of Saint Francis.
“Synodal delegates … do not function like political representatives,” Martin explained in an interview with the Rover, “but, through prayerful reflection, offer their own experiences and thoughts on the matters under consideration, having been formed and shaped by the communities from which they have come.”
Along with the other chosen synodal delegates, Martin participated in shared meals and liturgies, including Mass and the Liturgy of the Hours, as well as rounds of conversation addressing the five central synodal themes.
For each session, the 158 synodal delegates were divided into small groups of seven to eight members. Martin noted that “each session is fairly similar structurally, with one round of three minutes each for communicating concrete recommendations, experiences, insights, and approaches to each topic under consideration, then five minutes of silent reflection and prayer, then a second round of identifying something another person said that particularly resonated.”
Table moderators shared the synopses of each session with the group at the conclusion of each session. Members of the synod secretariat will then prepare full reports from the sessions. Notre Dame theology faculty member Stacey Noem is leading the Fort Wayne-South Bend secretariat. Asked to perform this role in the fall of 2024, Noem began working on the synod in the early summer of 2025, and she served as moderator for the weekend discussions.
“I was struck this weekend by the theological depth and richness of the synod framing, the sense of camaraderie across difference, and the kindness both in how people spoke and listened attentively to one another,” Martin told the Rover.
She continued, “The other thing that made an impression on me was how many delegates communicated a desire for the wide recovery of ancient spiritual practices which would cultivate a stronger sense of interiority and encounter with the mystery of the reality of Jesus Christ in the liturgy. … I came away from the first meeting of the synod with a deep sense of gratitude for all the rich gifts of our diocese, as well as a sense of responsibility for and investment in both the local and the universal Church.”
Ryan Norden, a senior at Notre Dame, was also invited to participate in the synod. Originally from Avilla, a small town near Fort Wayne, Norden participated in the special consultation for college students and served as a delegate.
“Synods can receive bad media, have negative connotations, or be misconstrued by those inside and outside,” Norden said in an interview with the Rover. “This synod, in my experience, can only be viewed positively. It successfully gathered diverse voices from across the diocese to explicitly discuss how we can all be better disciples of Christ and steward our influence in helpful ways.”
Norden continued, “[The synod] promoted parish dialogue for many of our parishes. Hundreds voluntarily gathered with the goal of renewing their Church. … I think that this event could be beneficial for many dioceses to take up, and Fort Wayne-South Bend is a model for what successful synodality looks like.”
The second meeting of the 2026 Fort Wayne-South Bend synod will be held in Fort Wayne from November 20-21, followed by a concluding Mass celebrated at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. In this session, delegates will vote on recommendations penned by Bp. Rhoades. He will then take the responses of the delegates into consideration while writing his final synthesis document and plan following the synod.
Updates and information regarding the synod can be found on the official website.
Madeline Page is a junior studying biology. She is a firm believer that Christmas festivities should not begin until after Thanksgiving, and will unapologetically side-eye anyone playing Christmas music until that time. Send your favorite Advent and Christmas songs (for listening to after Thanksgiving) to mpage4@nd.edu.