Since the close of the Diocese of Dallas Synod Assembly in December 2024, the work of the synod has been championed by the Synod Implementation Commission. Assembled in late 2024, the commission is composed of 36 members selected for their fervor of faith, current roles in the diocese, perspective on and involvement in diocesan efforts, and deep desire to bring about renewal through service to the bishop.
Four years after releasing a pastoral letter calling for the Diocese of Dallas’ third synod, Bishop Edward J. Burns on Ash Wednesday 2025 has released a new Post-Synodal Pastoral Letter offering insights and updates on the synodal process.
Four years ago, Bishop Edward J. Burns recognized a significant moment in the history of the Diocese of Dallas and initiated a synodal process—an invitation to prayer, discernment, and renewal. This journey aimed to deepen the faithful’s attentiveness to the Holy Spirit and to one another, fostering a renewed dedication to Christ’s mission throughout the local Church.
I am sitting down to write this reflection on the morning after the conclusion of the Diocese of Dallas Synod Assembly, long and exhausting days of work and dialogue for the 284 delegates who gathered for the event.
By Michael GreshamThe Texas Catholic Delegates across the diocese gathered for the Diocese of Dallas Synod assembly Dec. 1-4, describing…
I saw a need for a Diocesan Synod during the historic pandemic, when our pews were empty, our pulpits silent, and our altars were barren. I knew we needed to do something historic to compensate for this pandemic.
“My friends, we have work to do.” Those words are how Bishop Edward J. Burns closed a Mass for nearly 300 faithful who gathered Sept. 14 at the National Shrine Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe for a Mass to be commissioned as delegates for the Diocese of Dallas Synod assembly later this year.
As a member of the synod preparatory commission, one of the exciting things I have seen is the synergy between clergy and laity in our diocese. Of course, we are still a pilgrim people, and the data we received from the listening sessions shows the need for further growth. Nonetheless, it has been beautiful, as a priest, to work shoulder to shoulder with so many dedicated lay people and priests on the commission and elsewhere, all of us wanting to try our best to give ourselves away for the good of the Church.
A pair of decorated cakes added a celebratory spirit, but for those in attendance, a workman-like demeanor fueled discussions Oct. 21 at a Diocese of Dallas synodal listening session at Cristo Rey Dallas College Preparatory School. The gathering marked the final of 30 listening sessions over nearly two-and-a-half years, planned as part of the preparatory phase of the Diocese of Dallas Synod.
More than 300 young adults gathered under the cozy lights of Community Beer Co. to sip beer and share their perspectives on today’s Church. This Oct. 3 synodal listening session, titled “Conversations Unfiltered: The Church and the Future,” was an opportunity for young adults, ages 21 to 35, to discuss their experience as young people within the Dallas diocese. The session was the 28th of 30.
Lay leadership in the Diocese of Dallas is a critical component of our future success.