At the opening of the Synod of Bishops concluding this October 2024, Pope Francis, in his homily, expressed that “to do synod means to walk together in the same direction,” which requires encounter, listening, and discernment.

Today, rather than reflect on synodality based on these words of Francis, I feel inwardly called to examine my journey with others in the mission entrusted to me as national coordinator of the World Network of Prayer of the Pope in Colombia. Since my first meeting in 2014 with a group of elderly ladies at the Sanctuary of St. Peter Claver in Cartagena—members of the Apostleship of Prayer, with whom we transitioned to the Pope’s World Prayer Network—we have experienced countless encounters in the presence of the Lord. He has allowed us to share our lives, joys, sorrows, and dreams, all through attentive listening, recognizing God’s presence, and discerning how to move forward, embracing the path He is leading us on. Along this journey, which has welcomed new generations, I sought to perceive what God was doing in our lives.

A particularly significant experience took place in January 2023 during a two-day spiritual retreat with the national team of six people. Our purpose was to pray for our mission in light of the Statutes and the document “Guidelines for Understanding the Communities of the Pope’s Prayer Network,” which outline the Network’s foundations and mission. At the time, I thought I had clarity about how to continue with our current structure and the development of our mission. However, as Pope Francis said in his homily, “everything changes when we are capable of authentic encounters with Him and with each other, without formalisms, falsehoods, or make-up.”

After each team member had a personal encounter with the Lord, we shared our spiritual movements with one another through the Spiritual Conversation method. It was through this listening that we discovered we needed to close one chapter and begin another, with a new organizational structure—though we had no idea what that structure might be. The plans I had for advancing the mission suddenly collapsed and completely changed. Initially, like everyone else, I felt an emptiness from the uncertainty of how to proceed. But the certainty that what we had discerned was the fruit of the Spirit’s action filled me with trust and encouraged me to inspire the others to trust as well. We concluded our retreat with the celebration of the Eucharist, thanking God for His guidance thus far, and praying for the grace to keep listening to His voice, confident that He would continue to show us the way, even in the midst of this dispersion.

Soon, we began to see the positive fruits of this choice. The first Community was formed in Cartagena, growing stronger each day and actively engaging in its mission in the Archdiocese. The coordination was moved to Bogota the following month, where new meetings helped expand the Network’s apostolic outreach. After a year of working with those joining the mission, we formed a new National Apostolic Team, comprising members from distant cities such as Bogota, Cartagena, and Manizales—yet the distance posed no obstacle to our mission, which continues through encounter, listening, and communal discernment.

It is a great comfort to know that I do not walk alone in this mission, but that I am joined by others equally called to be collaborators in Christ’s mission. Our current coordinating team for the World Network of Prayer of the Pope in Colombia includes three laypeople, a religious sister from the Congregation of Jesus and Mary, a permanent deacon, and a Jesuit priest.

What has been your most significant experience in which you recognize yourself acting synodically?

Carlos Franco Revelo, S.J.

National Coordinator of the PWPN-Colombia