His remarks came around the 60th anniversary of Sacrosanctum Concilium, the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy that was issued during the Second Vatican Council (1962-65).

"'Go and prepare the Passover for us' (Lk 22:8): these words of Jesus,'" the pope said in his February address, "express the Lord's desire to have us around the table of his Body and Blood."

Significantly, gathering "around the table" is not an image of an auditorium or a lecture hall, it is one of intimate involvement around a banquet table.

No fan at a football (soccer) game wants to view the game from one end of a long, narrow stadium. And although we are not talking about football, but active participation in the Paschal Mystery, the same reaction is true.

In addition to some specific suggestions about formation for ministers, the pope noted that liturgical formation is not a "specialisation for a few experts, but rather an inner disposition of all the People of God".

He also referred to formation paths for the People of God and the concrete opportunity for formation that is offered by "assemblies that gather on the Lord's Day" and feasts during the year.

The beautiful Easter liturgies in which the global Church has recently engaged to celebrate the Paschal Mystery could not have been possible without the latest reform of the liturgy, now more than a century in the making.

Worship, thanks, and memory will never change. But due to the liturgical movement, the People of God have prayed in song and voice, and have celebrated the sacred mysteries, in their own language.

They have more actively and consciously participated in the source and summit of the Christian life than ever before.

Is that enough?

The vision of a distant priest praying almost privately at an altar affixed to a far wall with his back to the people, separated by all manner of architectural splendour and obstructions, is now a distant memory.

But the overhang from those days remains.

There is no doubting the essence of the sacred ritual and majesty that often attended the distant performance.

Nor can one diminish the reverence of the congregations that occupied pews far removed from the sacred action at the altar.

It is no wonder that "attendance at Mass" for many was an occasion of mostly private devotion with a focus on the reception of Holy Communion as the pinnacle of the sacred celebration.

But it is past time to centralise altars better, as the Council Fathers who crafted Sacrosanctum Concilium imagined.

It's time for churches to configure the altar table, the sign of Christ, so that, as Pope Francis asked the Dicastery for Divine Worship, the people truly are "around the table of his Body and Blood … so that we may together eat the Passover and live a Paschal existence, both personal and communal".

As Richard Vosko writes in God's House (Liturgical Press, 2006), "Catholic worship is not like a theatre or lecture hall.

"The liturgy demands active, conscious participation … A sociofugal seating plan (rows facing the front) does not work for our liturgy."

I sometimes imagine a host who invites guests to dinner and then sits at the end of the room. Clearly not the hospitality of the Lord Jesus, nor a basis for social action by the guests!

"We are not simply human beings; we are human interbeings and share in the interrelatedness of all cosmic life," says the American Franciscan theologian Ilia Delio.

While we recognise that in an increasingly secular society, we must more often step outside the brick walls (on the altar of the world, as the French Jesuit Pierre Teilhard de Chardin imagined), let's properly reflect our sacred celebratory unity when we are inside.

The altar, truly at the centre

What happened to the directives about the faithful being gathered around altars that are central?

The most recent General Instruction of the Roman Missal (no. 299) specifies that "the altar should, moreover, be so placed as to be truly the centre toward which the attention of the whole congregation of the faithful naturally turns".

That injunction is reflected in the official rite the Vatican issued in 1977 for the dedication of a church.

"Here may your faithful, gathered around the table of the altar, celebrate the memorial of the Paschal Mystery and be refreshed by the banquet of Christ's Word and his Body," it says in the prayer for dedicating the altar (Dedicationis ecclesiae, no. 62).

This has been the official position of the contemporary Church is since the time that Vatican II was still in session.

"It is proper that the main altar be constructed separately from the wall, so that one may go around it with ease and so that celebration may take place facing the people; it shall occupy a place in the sacred building that is truly central, so that the attention of the whole congregation of the faithful is spontaneously turned to it" (Instruction of the Sacred Congregation of Rites, September 26, 1964, Ch. 5, II, 91).

If we want to move people from spectators to real participants, in an assembly of unity, where they actively celebrate the sacred mysteries they need to have genuine connection as Pope Francis describes.

Proximity, space, light and actions that enhance involvement are all part of that equation.

Entrance procession with the Book of the Gospels, thoughtfully selected participants for the Offertory Procession, the Word proclaimed from a suitably located ambo, lectors who read well supported by good sound amplification, a good homily, trained acolytes, a sonorous choir which leads appropriately selected hymns, among others, all contribute.

The need to gather around the central altar is talked about but reluctance to actually make the move in most places stubbornly persists.

Let's delay no longer!

Need to advance awareness and to educate

But that's not all.

The presider will have to give much more attention to his part, in persona Christi, at the Lord's table and his communication by inclusive language with the co-celebrating congregation.

Artful presiding, as Paul Turner describes it in Ars Celebrandi (Liturgical Press, 2021), includes a real consciousness and the sense of the sacred that are intrinsic components of the celebration. There must be a focus on appealing to people to "grow in the awareness and joy of encountering the Lord (in) celebrating the holy mysteries", he notes.

The awareness and joy that Pope Francis highlights require pastoral education apart from a physical setting that encourages connection.

Ensuring congregations have a clear understanding of Eucharist is essential.

I suspect that the multifaceted elements of the gem which is the Eucharist remain elusive to older congregations who are steeped in old ways.

A proper understanding of the sign of unity and charity, the significance of the assembly of the congregation present as co-celebrants, joining in the thanks to God the Father, listening to the Word and being part of the real memorial of Jesus and the Paschal mystery may still have a way to go.

Because they are then called to go out as missionary disciples: not to suspend the celebration until next week.

How many understand, as Sacrosanctum Concilium says, that

"... in the liturgy full public worship is performed by the Mystical Body of Jesus Christ, that is, by the Head and His members"?

Old misconceptions die hard, especially among Western congregations that have an aged demographic with strong recollections of old ways.

Fundamentally, communicants receive communion from the hosts consecrated at the Eucharist they are celebrating.

But this absolute essential is too often routinely breached in practice. No Eucharistic celebration should be make access to pre-consecrated from the Tabernacle. And where congregation size allows, communion from one loaf is most, even while recognizing the challenges involved in realizing this ideal.

Past reforms and those still needed

Reform of the liturgy has clearly contributed to reform of the Church.

Given we are no longer a Eurocentric Church that, in the West at least, serves a secular and increasingly entitled world, reform must continue by all participants.

The essentials of the Passover Meal that we memorialise are not the subject for reform, but how we celebrate as community is.

It is possible to enhance participation by ardently responding to people who seek engagement and active involvement in worshipping their God.

They do so for a reason.

Given the drift of young people away from regular attendance, a more engaging space, including the truly central location of the altar, will contribute to participation, as it will for all.

For too long have we suffered poor translation of key prayers, including the Eucharistic Prayers.

For example: "Consubstantial with the Father" in the Nicene Creed might sound meaningful for theologians, but it is not part of the language of the people.

Also the failure to move to gender-neutral language in the Lectionary given current parlance is plainly offensive to more than half the congregation.

A review of the Lectionary is, in my opinion, embarrassingly overdue.

How would Pope Francis have stimulated the world with Evangelii gaudium (Joy of the Gospels) to a people with poor knowledge of the scriptures?

How would they have responded to his incitement to embrace Jesus' call to missionary discipleship?

The idea of a synodal Church and the adoption of synodality by the whole People of God would have been unthinkable.

Others will have additional preferences for reform.

It would be instructive to hear what they are because the pope has raised this matter fairly and squarely.

He has called for action. In a synodal Church now is the time to register your suggestions.

• Justin Stanwix is a deacon at St Mary Star of the Sea Parish, Milton in the Catholic Diocese of Wollongong (Australia).
• First published in La-Croix International. Republished with permission.

Writing as a member of the just completed Plenary Council of the Catholic Church in Australia, she spoke of her experience during the moment of "protest" once the motion on women failed to get the required vote.

But her very reasonable question may equally have been the following: "What is it about change and the Church?

It's glib to answer that few like change, so what's news?

Surely, it's not too much to expect that a Church in crisis would be open to considering change, to actually welcome change, albeit gently.

In his patient drive for a synodal Church, Pope Francis speaks of a "different Church" (not a new Church). In doing so, he is picking up the wisdom of Yves Congar OP from all those years ago.

A different Church can only come about only with change.

The motion on the equality between women and men

The papal prescription for that change is synodality. That does not mean a free run, or a lot of hot button demands, or a majority vote as in a parliament, but a genuine listening, active hearing and prayerful consideration to reach a discernment of what is right.

The Holy Spirit is mostly blamed for what is claimed to be the right answer.

Clearly, the Holy Spirit was temporarily rejected during the Plenary Council. One may rail about the unfortunate circumstance of the Australian bishops' rejection of the motion on equality between women and men.

Surely after four years of discussing and preparing the Plenary Council, the bishops were well aware of the equality issue. The terms of the decree had been on the table for months.

Where was the application of a synodal approach? What conversations occurred? What attempt was made to reach a proper accommodation?

Where was the benefit of four years of preparation, appreciation of the significance of the issue, the importance of the second assembly of 277 members, the consciousness of the Catholic faithful (a majority of whom are women)?

We all appreciate that the synodal journey is not a straight downhill run. We know that potholes and delays abound.

But, apparently, not even nationwide shame and disbelief among Catholics, women and men alike, served to offer help to some bishops to work out an acceptable course before voting in the negative.

Sister Patty notes that the subsequent good news of the endorsement of the decree may be drowned out by the initial outrage. Fair call.

But there is a bright side.

Humble pie will be food for the journey, with a dollop of trust and goodwill

Plenary members did re-group. They worked to revise the language of the motion and, ultimately, it was enthusiastically supported. Importantly, that included the support of most of the bishops.

The Holy Spirit is still alive and well!

But much more than that, the journey of this decree on the equality of women and men — including its major blemish — may be seen as an outstanding synodal example that has the capacity to open a national conversation among all the People of God.

That means a less hierarchical conversation with more trust and fortitude.

Unavoidably, we go into that conversation with wounds. We may assert they are self-inflicted and demeaning wounds, but against an outcome that should become a watershed for future deliberations.

The event (not the spin) presents an opportunity for a different way of doing things; of trying a journey on the same track and eschewing the parallel precipice.

Humble pie will be food for this journey with a large dollop of trust and goodwill.

A disposition to genuinely embrace synodal change for a different Church will be the shared goal.

• Justin Stanwix is a deacon at St Mary's Star of the Sea Parish, Milton in the Diocese of Wollongong (Australia).
• First published in La-Croix International. Republished with permission.

Pope Francis dropped the proposal out of the blue, really, last October, although he had been hinting at the notion for years.

We have a date and place, critical themes, an ample handbook and supporting documents to go with the formal announcement. October 2023 in Rome is fixed in the calendar.

The whole Church is to contribute. That is why it has been billed as the largest consultation process in history.

Growing the synodal parish

But can we have a synodal Church if we don't start the process of growing the synodal parish?

There is no rush to perfect the model instantly because we are on a journey — together. But this journey needs many travellers and a commitment to go the distance.

No need for blinding light but conversion is definitely involved.

We are familiar with the idea of a pilgrim people journeying to their God and the Promised Land. We have just journeyed with Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem for the birth of our Savior. We have travelled with the Wise men from the East.

We are now called to embark on, arguably, the most significant journey in the history of the Church — since that enabling birth. The challenges of the Reformation pale into insignificance.

We are Church

As we are the Church, the People of God, we have the highest duty to renew the Sacrament of the Church that Jesus gave us.

The Church is not the brick or stone building we have become comfortable in; it is not over there but right here, where we are.

That means the change Pope Francis contemplates requires us to change.

We know that we can no longer persist in the old paradigm of comfort from inside. The public square requires us, individually and collectively, to take the Lord's message to the people and to act differently.

There is the clearest imperative to start the process. There are three key elements of synodality — Communion, Participation and Mission. If they are to have real bite we need to begin at the local level.

We, as a local parish, are a microcosm of the Church. No better place to start.

Discernment for the Synod meeting will be enlivened by actual experience of existential parish practice.

As we embrace the pope's call to become a Church that acts differently (not a new Church) there is no reason for delay.

The first key element — Communion

How might we start - locally?

If communion means conversations that lead to a conversion to Christ and commitment to active participation in the mission given by Christ, we can do that better. There is nothing new here -- in substance — but there is ample room for radical improvement.

Francis explained that in detail more than eight years ago in Evangelii Gaudium, the apostolic exhortation from 2013.

Improvement is the nature of Christian life. If we add to the mix recognition that we are now living in a secular society where religion has an optional place there is a crying need for missionary discipleship to take on a new dimension.

The second key element - Participation
Equally, the idea of the People of God talking with one another and importantly listening to one another is not new.

But it must now be different, and the listening must be genuinely active - at all levels and on all subjects.

The third key element - Mission

The communion that exists for a common purpose will enable the mission to flow - ever more smoothly.

Missionary discipleship must be the impulse for the whole Church as Francis invites us. The inseparable bond between our faith and the poor must remain axiomatic (EG 48).

On this journey, it is essential that we abandon any vestige of clericalism -on the part of clerics and the baptized faithful. That's easier said than done, given our historical attachment to monarchical structure, class, power and position.

Hopefully, the concept of collaboration in all parish affairs will be recognized and practiced uniformly.

"Father" is no longer expected to approve the replacement of failed light globes, let alone actually undertake the replacement task.

The parish council or leadership group is elected or appointed after consultation. In its operations, it will act collaboratively and consult widely.

Its role will be welcomed.

The engagement between the parish council and the pastor will be a model of collaboration. The mutual role of service will be embraced.

Parish tasks will be shared as widely as possible and not held tightly by a few.

The end of anonymity

Pope Francis says communion describes the very nature and mystery of the Church. That implies parish members will know more than a handful of parishioners' names.

There's no room for anonymous arrival, private prayer and unchallenged departure under the guise of celebrating the Eucharist.

All will arrive at church or place of worship in communion, greet each other warmly and worship in communion.

• Full, active participation will be transformative because of the connection of a people no longer present as individuals but intimately linked in the Paschal Mystery.
• The Word of God will be broken open to participants who increasingly appreciate the detail of the scriptural message of redemption and companionship, a familiarity too long neglected.
• The memorial of the Last Supper and Calvary will offer an impact like never before as we gather in communion at the foot of the cross.
• The Body and Blood of Jesus Christ will be received in communion for the ultimate earthly encounter with the Lord and the fuel of the mission to follow.
• The dismissal that concludes the formal celebration of Eucharist will more clearly signal the beginning of the missionary work of Christ, as parishioners depart in communion to "put out into the deep".

Parish groups will be open, collaborative and reflect the sense of communion that underpins the synodal parish. Territorialism, power, "we have always done it this way", anonymity and control must be abandoned.

Parish activities will reflect the new order - in practice not just in theory.

We are talking about deep change and we know most change is anathema!

There are many potholes, loose rock and byways to encounter on this journey. The change cannot happen overnight. But let's make a start.

Let's grow synodal parishes for a synodal Church.

• Justin Stanwix is a deacon at St Mary's Star of the Sea Parish, Milton in the Diocese of Wollongong (Australia).
• First published in La-Croix International. Republished with permission.