22/08/2026
Long post Alert !!!!
It is with great joy and sincere gratitude that we express our appreciation to everyone who made the two-day formation workshop on "Synodality and Synodal Pastoral Leadership" a meaningful and enriching experience. The workshop, held from 20 to 21 August 2026 under the theme “For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation and Mission,” has given us an opportunity to deepen our understanding of what it means to be a Church that walks together, listens to one another, discerns together and participates actively in the mission entrusted to us by Christ.
First and foremost, we wish to express our profound gratitude to the team: Fr Marcel Uwineza, SJ, Fr Agbonkhianmeghe E. Orobator SJ, Mrs Ndanu Mang’ala and Mrs Caroline Kavita. We sincerely thank you for accepting to come and share your knowledge, experience and wisdom with us. We are deeply grateful for the hard work, preparation, dedication and effort that you put into these two days.
Your presentations were not merely academic or theoretical. They challenged us to look at the Church from a new perspective and to ask ourselves how we can become better servants and leaders within a Church that listens, accompanies and walks with her people. Through your insightful presentations, discussions, examples and reflections, you helped us to appreciate that synodality is not simply a programme or an event, but a way of being Church.
The formation we have received will be particularly valuable for the Church in Lesotho. Our country needs pastoral leaders who are able to listen before speaking, to discern before deciding, to accompany rather than simply instruct, and to recognise the gifts and contributions of every member of the People of God. What we have learned during these two days can therefore contribute to building stronger communities, encouraging greater participation of the laity, strengthening collaboration between clergy and laity, and helping our pastoral structures to become more welcoming, participatory and missionary.
We are confident that the seeds planted during these two days will not remain within the walls of this seminary. They will accompany us into our parishes, dioceses, communities and future ministries. In this way, the work of the African Synodality Initiative will continue to bear fruit in the Church in Lesotho.
We also wish to express our sincere gratitude to the for your presence among us. Your presence has meant a great deal to us. As seminarians preparing for priestly ministry, we value not only your leadership as our shepherds but also your fatherly presence, encouragement and closeness. Your participation reminded us that our formation and our future ministry are not isolated from the life of the Church, but are part of the common journey of the People of God.
Your presence has encouraged us to understand that the Church we are preparing to serve is a family in which bishops, priests, religious, seminarians and lay faithful are called to walk together in communion and share responsibility for the mission of Christ. We therefore thank you for coming, for listening to us and, above all, for walking with us.
A special word of appreciation goes to our Rector, Fr Albert Koetlisi, for agreeing to this workshop and for making sure that it took place successfully. Father, your openness to formation and your willingness to create opportunities for us to encounter the wider Church are greatly appreciated. By accepting this initiative, you have contributed to our formation not only as future priests but also as future pastoral leaders who will be called to serve communities in a changing world.
We also wish to thank all seminarians who worked hard and participated actively throughout the workshop. Your presence, questions, reflections, group discussions and willingness to learn contributed greatly to the success of these two days workshop. Formation becomes fruitful when people participate wholeheartedly, and we are grateful that our seminarians embraced this opportunity with seriousness and enthusiasm.
Our sincere appreciation also goes to everyone who attended and contributed to the workshop (priests, religiousand the lay faithful). Every participant, in one way or another, helped to create an atmosphere of fraternity, openness, listening and learning. We are grateful for your time, your presence and your contribution.
As we conclude, we are reminded of the words of Pope Francis, who emphasised that synodality is not simply something the Church does, but expresses the very nature of the Church. In his reflection at the beginning of the synodal journey, he reminded the Church that “all the baptized are called to take part in the Church’s life and mission.” He also insisted that “without the Spirit, there is no Synod.”(Pope Francis on Synod: The participation of everyone, guided by the Holy Spirit)
These words give us an important direction for the future. If we truly allow the Holy Spirit to guide us, synodality can transform not only the structures of the Church but also the hearts and relationships of her members. It can help us to become a Church that listens to the voices of the young and the old, the rich and the poor, clergy and laity, those who are active in the Church and even those who feel distant from her.
The fruits of this workshop can therefore extend beyond Christians alone. A Church that learns to listen, accompany, respect human dignity and work together can become a source of hope even to those who do not share our faith. Through a synodal style of pastoral leadership, Christians can become better witnesses of the Gospel in society and instruments of reconciliation, unity and service.
Pope Francis once expressed this vision beautifully when he said that the Church does not need simply “another Church,” but needs to become “a different Church” —a Church renewed by the Holy Spirit, capable of listening and walking with people. (Cf "Address of His Holiness Pope Francis for the opening of the synod") This is perhaps one of the greatest challenges and hopes that we take from these two days.
Therefore, as we leave this workshop, may we not simply say that we attended a formation on synodality. May we be able to say that we have begun to learn how to live synodality. May communion strengthen our unity, participation deepen our responsibility, and mission send us out to serve.
May the lessons received during these two days workshop continue to influence our lives, our formation and our future ministries. May they help us to build a Church in Lesotho where people feel heard, valued, welcomed and encouraged to use their gifts in the service of God's Kingdom.
Once again, to Fr Marcel Uwineza, SJ, Fr Agbonkhianmeghe E. Orobator, SJ, Mrs Ndanu Mang’ala, Mrs Caroline Kavita, the Lesotho Catholic Bishops’ Conference, Fr Koetlisi, all the seminarians, and everyone who attended and contributed, we say from the depths of our hearts:
Thank you for walking with us. Thank you for teaching us. Thank you for listening to us. And thank you for helping us to become a more synodal Church
May God bless you abundantly and may the Holy Spirit continue to guide the Church in Lesotho and throughout Africa as we journey together in "communion, participation and mission"
Thank you so much and kindly receive traveling mercies.
