Alumni and Friends Making an Impact

Mason Hennessy, a sophomore communication and religious studies and theology major, scored a press pass and a one-week pilgrimage to the Synod on Synodality in the Holy See in October. He came back to campus with more than a few warm memories; he came back on fire. 

Hennessy was one of 11 UD students and three faculty and staff members from Campus Ministry and the Department of Religious Studies who were able to make the trip, thanks to donors to the Campus Ministry Fund for Excellence during One Day, One Dayton.

The students were from two areas, a group of seniors and graduate students in an ecclesiology class, and then Hennessy’s group — sophomore and junior campus leaders in faith.

“Campus Ministry wanted students who can go and learn this message of synodality in Rome — to experience it — and then bring it back to campus,” said Hennessy, explaining part of the honor, and responsibility, of attending as a sophomore. He defined synodality as walking with, and spoke about how important the experience was.

“I want people to realize that this is the way to bring more people into the church.” — Mason Hennessy.

“I want people to realize that this (the process of synodality) is the way to bring more people into the church,” said Hennessy. “We need to embrace everyone, because they’re children of God.” Hennessy explained that, through deep listening, the church learns how each one of us needs to be loved.

Kelly Adamson, director of faith formation and spiritual accompaniment at UD, was one of the staff members on the trip, and said the trip was transformational for students.  

“Taking our students to the synod was an effort to give them this lived experience of the church listening broadly ... so they would become protagonists in a more central church,” said Adamson. She explained how the deep listening practice of synodality leads to people feeling cared for and invited to the table — so we can all walk forward together.

And forward isn’t always a comfortable direction, because people have different ideas of the final destination. However, Hennessy pointed out that the deep listening process is a two-way street.

“The Catholic Church is a listening church, and it wants to listen to you and your experience, but you also have to remember that the church has had 2,000 years of peoples’ experiences and praying about issues up until this point,” said Hennessy. “You also have to completely listen to the church.”

To help others benefit from his experience, Hennessy is continuing to carry out the lessons he learned in the Holy See. Adamson said they are using the lessons learned at the Synod on Synodality to share the experience through campus organizations and activities, and Hennessy is working with University of Dayton Magazine to write a story for the larger UD community of alumni and friends in an upcoming issue.

It’s part of an effort to make sure that every faith-filled experience adds to the University’s Catholic, Marianist foundation.

“One of the reasons I was so passionate about engaging our students in this immersion in Rome was that I know, for their longevity in a life of faith — for their longevity in the church — they need to develop deep listening skills for one another, but also for themselves. Part of the synod is learning to hold the tensions of life and faith, and I want our students to have that.”

Tension can be uncomfortable. But add it to a violin’s strings, and you refine its pitch. Friction? The right amount creates fire. Walking with people like Adamson and Hennessy keep it lit.