Laura Haraldson — facilitator of the Archdiocesan Synod implementation — talked about what’s happening with Synod implementation efforts with “Practicing Catholic” radio show host Patrick Conley during a recent interview.
A three-year Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis Synod process culminated with a Synod Assembly in June 2022 in St. Paul and Archbishop Bernard Hebda’s pastoral letter in November 2022, “You Will Be My Witnesses: Gathered and Sent From the Upper Room.”
Haraldson, a member of St. John the Evangelist in Little Canada, views her role as a “combination of communication, of project management and … walking with all of the faithful in the archdiocese, all with the final goal of seeing Archbishop Hebda’s pastoral letter through to fruition.”
The pastoral letter outlined a process of 12 parishioners chosen by pastors to form Synod Evangelization Teams, tasked with helping carry out three main priorities: First, forming parishes that are in the service of evangelization; second, forming missionary disciples who know Jesus’ love and respond to his call; and third, forming youth and young adults for a Church that is always young.
Haraldson said the Synod Evangelization Teams help serve their parish communities because “the more people who can be enlightened and on fire with the Holy Spirit and with that pastor’s vision to bring that forth, the more authentically that seed spreads and grows. … it’s a really important thing to be working in community on this sort of an implementation.”
In terms of next steps for the Archdiocesan Synod implementation, Haraldson said small group leadership formation is taking place this fall. The formation is a seven-week series and is open to all members of the faithful community in the archdiocese who feel “that tug or that call,” Haraldson said. She added that Synod Evangelization Team members are also in the process of discerning to whom in their parish communities they might extend these small group leadership formation invitations.
As implementation continues, Haraldson said she thinks that “one of the absolute critical pieces to the entirety of Synod implementation is to continue to go back to prayer, to always take that time to be with the Lord, whether it be in adoration or through the sacraments. So that’s the special emphasis and focus that we’re asking of all of our Synod Evangelization Team members and ultimately all of our small group leaders and really ultimately all of the faithful in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis.”
“What’s so beautiful about what the Synod is really encouraging, is to really tap into the innate gifts that each of us uniquely has that’s individual to us,” Haraldson said.
To hear the full interview, listen to this episode of “Practicing Catholic,” which debuts at 9 p.m. June 30 on Relevant Radio 1330 AM and repeats at 1 p.m. July 1 and 2 p.m. July 2.
Produced by Relevant Radio and the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, the latest show also includes an interview with Father Michael Becker, recently appointed vicar of charisms for the Archdiocesan Synod implementation, and Colin Miller, founder of the Center for Catholic Social Thought in St. Paul and director of pastoral care and outreach at Assumption in St. Paul.
Listen to interviews after they have aired at PracticingCatholicShow.com or choose a streaming platform at anchor.fm/practicing-catholic-show.
