SILANG, CAVITE — Around 300 delegates from the clergy, the laity and consecrated persons assembled at The Sisters of Mary Girlstown gymnasium on Feb. 6 to attend the second wave of the Conference on the Synod on Synodality Final Document.

The supposedly three-part event was reduced to two parts, according to the bishop of Imus, Most Rev. Reynaldo G. Evangelista, to give way to a gathering in March that will focus on formulating the diocese's protocol policies to transform churches into safe spaces while protecting safeguard minors and vulnerable people from abuse.

After the holy hour and lauds led by Rev. Fr. Antonio Laureta, the first session began with the talk of Rev. Fr. James Andes, vice chancellor of the diocese, episcopal vicar of the District of St. Matthew and parish priest of Our Lady of Fatima, Anabu 1, Imus City.

Fr. Andes described the theological, ecclesiological, and pastoral perspectives of Pope Francis as the foundations of the Synod. He presented that the hallmark of the Holy Father's papacy is the theology of mercy and that his pastoral perspective is the preferential option for the poor.

Towards the end of his talk, Fr. Andes highlighted Pope Francis' eschatological perspective, which is joy and hope.

In the afternoon, Rev. Fr. Knoriel Alvarez, director of the diocesan social action arm Caritas Imus and parish priest of Our Lady of Fatima, Salitran, Dasmariñas City, provided a glimpse of the Synod's final document.

Fr. Alvarez spoke about the first three parts of the document.  He centered his talk on the synodal process, thus giving a "spiritual taste" of what it means to be the People of God.

Anna Christia Nuestro, lay coordinator, and Chris Julius Conjurado, lay pastoral worker, both from the Diocesan Lay Formation Office, facilitated the table group discussions and delivered the syntheses in between the talks. Those present during the two-day conference were reminded to cascade the topics to their parishes and to their basic ecclesial communities (BEC).

To conclude the conference, Bishop Evangelista thanked the Sisters of Mary for the venue, as well as the conference speakers, organizers and participants.

"Our diocese has a population of 4.5 million, and our journey is clear. We have a clear direction. God will not fail us," the bishop said in his final remarks. (Maria Cristina V. Santos, SOCCOM-Diocese of Imus; photo credits to the SOCCOM Diocesan Core Team)