Pope Leo XIV: There\u2019s no template for synodality across all countries There is no single model for what synodality should look like in all countries and cultures, Pope Leo XIV said in a discussion with synod leaders from around the globe, held at the Vatican on Friday. \u201cWe have to be very clear, we\u2019re not looking for a uniform model. And synodality will not come with a template where everybody and every country will say this is how you do it,\u201d the pope said in the Paul VI Hall Oct. 24. \u201cIt is, rather, a conversion to a spirit of being Church, and being missionary, and building up, in that sense, the family of God.\u201d Leo spoke about synodality in unscripted remarks in English, Spanish, and Italian during the opening session of a meeting for the jubilee of synodal teams and participatory bodies, taking place in Rome Oct. 24-26, part of the Church\u2019s wider 2025 Jubilee of Hope. Around 2,000 people are attending the synod-focused jubilee, which includes a two-day meeting \u201caimed at translating the orientations of the [Synod on Synodality\u2019s] Final Document into pastoral and structural choices consistent with the synodal nature of the Church,\u201d according to the Vatican\u2019s synod office. The pope joined part of the program on Friday evening to listen to representatives from different regions give reports on the implementation of synodality in their parts of the world, and to answer their questions about the synodal process. Synodality, Leo said, \u201cis to help the Church fulfill its primary role in the world, which is to be missionary, to announce the Gospel.\u201d He added that synodality \u201cis not a campaign. It\u2019s a way of being and a way of being Church. It\u2019s a way of promoting an attitude, which begins with learning to listen to one another.\u201d The pope recalled the value of listening, \u201cbeginning with listening to the Word of God, listening to one another, listening to the wisdom we find in men and in women, in members of the Church, and those who are searching who might not yet be members of the Church.\u201d He also addressed resistance to the synodal process, such as worry by some that it is an attempt to weaken the authority of the bishop. \u201cI would like to invite all of you \u2026 to reflect upon what synodality is about and to invite the priests particularly, even more than the bishops, to somehow open their hearts and take part in these processes,\u201d Leo said. \u201cOften the resistance comes out of fear and lack of knowledge.\u201d He emphasized the need to prioritize formation and preparation at every educational level. \u201cSometimes ready answers are given without the proper, necessary preparation to arrive at the conclusion that maybe some of us have already drawn, but others are not ready for or capable to understand,\u201d he said. \u201cWe have to understand that we do not all run at the same speed. And sometimes we have to be patient with one another,\u201d Leo said. \u201cAnd rather than a few people running ahead and leaving a lot behind, which could cause even a break in an ecclesial experience, we need to look for ways, very concrete ways at times, of understanding what\u2019s happening in each place, where the resistances are or where they come from, and what we can do to encourage more and more the experience of communion in this Church which is synodal.\u201d Asked if groupings of churches, such as regional bishops\u2019 conferences, will continue to grow in the life of the Church, Leo said, \u201cthe brief answer is yes, I do expect that, and I hope that the different groupings of churches can continue to grow as expressions of communion in the Church using the gifts we are all receiving through this exercise if you will, this life, this expression of synodality.\u201d The pontiff also weighed in on the topic of women and their participation in the Church, though he set aside the most controversial questions, which he said are being examined in a separate study group. \u201cSo leaving aside the most difficult themes,\u201d he said, \u201cthere are cultural obstacles, there are opportunities, but there are cultural obstacles. And this has to be recognized, because women could play a key role in the Church, but in some cultures women are considered second-class citizens and in some realities they do not enjoy the same rights as men.\u201d \u201cIn these cases, there is a challenge for the Church, for all of us, because we need to understand how we can promote the respect for the rights of everyone, men and women,\u201d he encouraged. The Church can promote a culture in which there is co-participation of every member of society, each according to their vocation, Leo continued. \u201cWe have to understand how the Church can be a strength to transform cultures according to the values of the Gospel.\u201d This article was originally published by CNA. Receive the most important news from EWTN Vatican via WhatsApp. It has become increasingly difficult to see Catholic news on social media. 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