BANGKOK (RVA News): The Catholic Church in Hong Kong is making increasing use of “Conversation in the Spirit” in parish, diocesan, and formation settings as it seeks to foster a deeper culture of synodality, according to Vania Cheng, who was speaking at a panel discussion during the three-day Asian Synodal Meeting held at Baan Phu Waan, Bangkok, Thailand.
Cheng, who participated in the Synod on Synodality from 2021 to 2024, is a member of the Hong Kong Diocesan Synodal Team and a lecturer in theology.
She was one of four panellists in a discussion entitled, “Sharing of Local Emerging Initiatives: Best Practices and Challenges”.
The session, the first activity of the second day of the meeting on September 2, was held at the Joseph Nattaya Conference Hall and was moderated by Father Clarence Devadass, executive secretary of the Commission for Synodality.
Cheng described several emerging initiatives in Hong Kong that aim to make synodality part of ordinary Church life, rather than merely a subject for discussion.
One recent example was a meeting of the Legion of Mary, whose spiritual director also serves as a member of the diocesan synodal team. The group has begun using Conversation in the Spirit as a means of planning new initiatives involving parishes and school communities. The fruits of these discussions are carefully documented and subsequently shared with members.
The approach is also being used by various sectors and commissions of the Diocese of Hong Kong, particularly in preparing work plans and identifying objectives.
Cheng said the Holy Spirit Study Centre has similarly used Conversation in the Spirit to evaluate its work and identify new directions, bringing together staff, researchers, and members of its board of governors.
For the past three years, Hong Kong has hosted theological seminars on synodality and its relationship with Sinicisation, welcoming priests, religious, and lay faithful from various regions of China.
Cheng said the Holy Spirit Study Centre has similarly used Conversation in the Spirit to evaluate its work and identify new directions, bringing together staff, researchers, and members of its board of governors.
These seminars have provided participants with opportunities to explore new possibilities for deepening their understanding of the synodal process and to discern ways to participate more fully in it within their own contexts.
Responding to a question from Father Devadass about the relationship between culture and synodality, Cheng said her experience in Hong Kong shows that the process presents both opportunities and challenges.
She pointed to cooperation among men and women, as well as lay people and priests, as a positive element in the local context that supports synodal participation.
At the same time, she cautioned that listening is not as simple as it might appear. She explained that while Chinese culture includes elements of silence and listening, Conversation in the Spirit takes listening to another level.
“We learn by doing,” she observed, emphasising that people need opportunities to experience the process firsthand rather than merely grasping its principles and methodology on an intellectual level.
The approach is also being used by various sectors and commissions of the Diocese of Hong Kong, particularly in preparing work plans and identifying objectives
She also noted that respect for authority is deeply rooted in many Asian societies, resulting in hierarchical structures that can be reflected in Church life.
This can make the introduction of synodality more difficult, particularly in contexts where people are accustomed to clear distinctions between those who exercise authority and those expected to follow.
However, Cheng stressed that listening remains the starting point.
“Everybody can find a place or space to listen to the others,” she said.
When asked about challenges to synodality, she warned against reducing the process to a single method, explaining that as Conversation in the Spirit is increasingly used in parishes and diocesan sectors, there is a risk that people may come to equate synodality simply with learning and practising the method.
She also identified Hong Kong’s emphasis on speed and efficiency as another challenge. A process that requires time for listening, reflection, and discernment can seem difficult in a society where efficiency is highly valued.
Cheng said synodality must also move beyond discernment towards building consensus and sharing responsibility for implementation.
After a decision is reached through discernment, she said, the Church must continue learning how to take responsibility together for putting that decision into practice.
Her reflections highlighted a broader question for synodal communities across Asia: how to move from consultation to genuine participation while respecting the cultural contexts in which local Churches live and serve.
