Duluth Diocese launches ‘Let’s Listen’ initiative

The Diocese of Duluth has announced a new initiative called “Let’s Listen” to better understand the spiritual needs of the people of northeastern Minnesota and discern the next step in the church’s mission.

Let’s Listen will primarily consist of small group listening sessions throughout the diocese. Online and mail-in survey options will offer other avenues for people to participate.

“The Holy Spirit always calls us to discern our next step as missionaries of Christ,” said Duluth Bishop Daniel Felton, “and this process will allow us to reflect on how the Spirit is speaking to us through the voices of our brothers and sisters.”

Let’s Listen coincides with and cooperates with Synod 2021-2023: For a Synodal Church, an initiative of Pope Francis, but Bishop Felton emphasized the local importance of the process.

“The church in our diocese has been through difficult times in recent years, and this listening is needed,” Bishop Felton said. “What the Spirit reveals through Let’s Listen will be as important and useful to Floodwood as it is to Rome. What we learn will help us discern the next step as our diocese mobilizes to the mission God has given us.”

The sessions are open to Catholics and non-Catholics alike residing in the Diocese of Duluth.

“Each session follows a model inspired by the account of the disciples walking the Road to Emmaus, described in the Gospel of Luke,” said Andrew Jarocki, Diocese of Duluth Contact Person for the Synodal Process. “As the disciples first shared their hurts with Jesus before realizing their hopes, so too does this process encourage the people of the diocese to share both what is in need of healing and what offers them hope in their personal lives, in the church, and in the communities where they live.”

The process begins with an official Kick Off Week of events throughout the diocese Feb. 20-27 and concludes in April 2022. To learn more about how to get involved in Let’s Listen, visit www.dioceseduluth.org/letslisten or call (218) 623-5038.

The Diocese of Duluth serves the 10 counties of northeastern Minnesota with more than 44,000 Catholics and 71 parishes.