Frequently Asked Questions

“Synod” simply means “meeting.” While meetings happen regularly in dioceses, a diocesan synod is a special kind of meeting called by the diocesan bishop that brings together a large group of people from varied backgrounds to discuss the pastoral ministry of a diocese. Its purpose is to propose standards to the diocesan bishop for setting the direction of the pastoral ministry in the diocese for years to come.

When a diocesan bishop feels there is a particular pastoral need or particular circumstances suggest to him that it is necessary to do so, the diocesan bishop may call a diocesan synod.

Since a synod is a very large event, there is a preparatory phase before the actual synod meeting itself. During this preparatory period, a preparatory commission will gather the topics and issues that will be discussed during the synod meeting itself. During this period, the preparatory commission will seek feedback from the community. While focus is placed particularly on members of the Catholic community, the commission also reaches out to non-Catholic communities that can provide helpful insight for preparing topics and issues for discussion at the synod meeting. All of this will then be proposed to the bishop as the agenda for the synod. He may also want to place his own topics and issues on the agenda for discussion.

The synod meeting itself takes place after the preparatory process is complete. At the synod meeting, the topics and issues gathered by the preparatory commission are presented for discussion. These topics and issues are based on the information gathered from the community, but they are ultimately set by the diocesan bishop. During the synod meeting, the synod body discusses and votes on resolutions based on the topics and ideas that were presented. The meeting itself normally takes multiple days.

No. A diocesan synod does not have the authority to address any issues related to Church doctrine. It is a consultative body that meets to discuss pastoral proposals (spiritual and catechetical formation, evangelization, etc.) to implement in a diocese so that the gospel can be proclaimed and lived by all of the faithful of the diocese.

The diocesan bishop, his administration and his delegates run the meeting itself. There are also clergy members and lay members of the faithful who can be part of the meeting. The chosen members can provide a consultative (meaning non-binding) vote on a topic for the diocesan bishop’s consideration.

No, authority remains with the diocesan bishop at the synod to formally establish any binding rules or laws in a diocese. The synod body only provides discussion and a consultative vote to the diocesan bishop for his consideration.

The answer to this question is still be determined by Bishop Burns with the guidance of the Implementation Commission and the clergy of the diocese. More information will come out in Bishop Burns pastoral letters planned this year and in his strategic plan that is set to be published in December, 2025.

Yes! You can participate in this stage of the synod process is to get involved with the implementation of synod resolutions as they are rolled out at the diocesan, parish, and school levels. Connect with your pastor and parish leadership team to learn more of how you can help. More information will come as decisions are made regarding the implementation process. Most importantly, please continue to pray for the synod!

In a sense, all of us are. We are all responsible for completing the mission Christ gave us to build of the Kingdom of God, and the implementation of synod decisions is how our diocese is moving forward with embracing and growing that mission. The implementation of some decision will be driven primarily by parishes, priests, and parish staff, or by the Diocesan Pastoral Center, and some will directly call on the involvement of laity. We have a responsibility to work together as we work to fulfill the vision that Bishop Burns is laying out before us.

The plans for implementing some ideas from the synod are already underway. Some things can be implemented easily and others will take strategic research and planning requiring multiple years of effort. You can expect to see outcomes rolling out at various times between now and December 2031, the official conclusion to our synod process.

Parishioners can stay informed about the progress of the synod’s implementation through a variety of coordinated communication efforts led by the Diocese of Dallas Communications Office. Bishop Burns is releasing a series of pastoral letters leading up to the unveiling of his post-synodal plan in December 2025. These pastoral letters are published at dallascatholic.org/synod, in The Texas Catholic and Revista Católica Dallas, and shared with the faithful via Flocknote. In addition, regular synod updates can be found on dallascatholic.org/synod, in The Texas Catholic and Revista Católica Dallas, across diocesan social media platforms, and through digital resources distributed to parishes and schools. Additionally, Bishop Burns continues to communicate directly with the faithful via Flocknote. To receive his messages, parishioners are encouraged to sign up at dallascatholic.org.

Let’s return to Bishop Burns’s words in his Post-Synodal Pastoral Letter for the Diocese of Dallas released on Ash Wednesday 2025:

“It is the work of the Church for us to bring ourselves and one another closer to Christ at every opportunity. For this reason, our Diocesan Synod was always intended to be a plan forward for renewing our apostolic mission. We know that renewal always begins from within. In fact, the spiritual renewal that the Lord has called us to as a growing Diocese and as His children is really just beginning. This part of our process towards renewal will require our full participation, openness of heart, and humility of spirit to listen to how the Lord may be asking us to change ourselves in the service of His Kingdom. The growth and strengthening of our Diocese can only happen through the growth and strengthening of ourselves. Together, we have entered this sacred time of renewal. The Lord will continue to unfold blessings upon this Diocese as we continue to seek Him in all things and unite ourselves more closely to Him.”