SAN DIEGO — The diocese’s consultation of the Catholic community continues.
It’s inviting all faithful to express their views regarding the life of the local Church through an electronic survey that will be available starting Sept. 6.
“The results obtained from the survey will help to strengthen our path forward to better minister at all levels of our Church,” Cardinal Robert McElroy said in a video message inviting participation in the survey.
On Sept. 6, the survey will be sent electronically via Flocknote to everyone who is registered at parishes, ministries or diocesan offices through that platform.
Individuals may also use a QR Code to link to the survey if they are not registered through Flocknote. The diocese provided the QR Code to parishes and ministries, inviting them to share it with their community. Many will make them available after Mass during September.
Everyone who takes the survey will be completely anonymous. The survey — which will be in English, Spanish and Vietnamese — will be available for 30 days.
The survey is the second and final part of the listening phase of the consultation, known formally as the Synod on Synodality, being conducted by the Catholic Church worldwide. The first part involved listening to about 11,000 individuals at 1,100 small-group sessions at parishes and schools earlier this year, and at ally organizations, which reached out to those living on the margins of society.
The diocese, supported by polling consultants from local universities, developed the survey questions from the themes that emerged in those sessions.
It’s conducting the survey to provide an opportunity for many more people to express their views, including those who were not able to participate in the group sessions. The diocese particularly wants to hear from those not going to Mass regularly or who have stopped practicing their faith.
Synod commissions in San Diego and the Imperial Valley will use the findings from the listening phase to develop recommendations that respond to the overarching concerns of the faithful. Cardinal McElroy has said since the synod began that he would implement them as quickly as feasible, in consultation with pastors and lay leadership.
The goal of the synod is to encourage greater participation of community members in the life of the Church at all levels as it works toward renewal.
The survey may be accessed through the web pages sdcatholic.org/syn (English) and sdcatholic.org/sinodo (Spanish), which include information about the consultation.
