The Synod on Synodality held in Rome in October 2023, gathered Catholics from all over the world to listen, pray, and reflect on a new way of being church. Dominican priest Timothy Radcliffe, the official retreat master and spiritual advisor for this assembly, was appointed by Pope Francis to deliver a series of retreat talks and meditations to the delegates during the assembly of the Synod on Synodality. In Listening Together, Radcliffe's talks not only set the spirit for this historic gathering, but now, in written form, will open up the possibility for individuals or groups to read and continue to reflect on this synodal journey we all share.
Listening Together serves as a powerful reminder of the themes of enduring relevance included in Radcliffe's retreat talks and synod meditations. In entertaining and engaging prose, Radcliffe's reflections encourage readers to think about conflicting hopes, different visions of the Church as home, the need for unity, friendship, and above all, the importance of listening, discernment, and mission as a means for this synodal journey to continue to succeed. In these pages, Radcliffe offers a "spirituality of listening" that can take us forward together on a journey of discovery and communion.