Knoxville Woman Appointed by Pope Francis to Advise Global Synod

In an impressive stride for local representation on the global stage, Pope Francis has appointed Knoxville’s own Tricia Bruce as a consultant for the General Secretariat of the Synod. This esteemed role empowers her to contribute to and help shape the future of the Catholic Church.

Embracing the Global Synodal Process

Tricia Bruce, a distinguished sociologist of religion and director at the Springtide Research Institute, is the only American among the six consultors appointed by Pope Francis in February. Her appointment signifies not just Knoxville’s representation but that of the entire country.

Bruce’s responsibilities involve managing the synodal process and providing critical advice. Recently, her duties included reviewing and providing feedback on the Instrumentum Laboris, a document designed to set the landscape for the October 2024 session.

“There’s a sense of surprise and excitement but also just, I’m so happy that there’s a place for sociology, for social science in this conversation,” Bruce expressed.

Understanding the Synod

A synod, according to the Synod on Synodality’s website, is “a gathering of the faithful in order to listen to what the Holy Spirit is saying to the Church and asking her to be and to do.” This particular synod, initiated in 2021, uniquely calls for input from Catholics worldwide, promoting communion, participation, and mission.

Unlike previous synods that primarily gathered input from ordained leaders, the Synod on Synodality encouraged consultations at the parish and diocese levels, striving to be wholly inclusive. This new approach marks a concerted effort to encompass diverse voices.

The first session of the XVI Ordinary General Assembly met in October 2023, with Bruce set to support the second session in October 2024. Her involvement is expected to continue into 2025, examining and documenting next steps for the Church.

Bruce’s Role and Impact

Bruce’s role as a consultor transcends personal stakes. She emphasized that her appointment is not about her personal perspective, but leveraging insights from her work as a sociologist.

“I feel both honored, but also this sense of responsibility to step aside from it as me,” she said. “I don’t position myself as an activist. I don’t have an agenda … I’m not perfect, but I legitimately am just trying to share what I learn and what I hear.”

This approach of asking hard questions without the expectation of immediate answers is vital, given the current polarized landscape within the global and American Catholic Church. Bruce aims to cut through partisanship to foster more honest, human conversations.

“What I want to do is cut into that space and that noise to show just humanness a little bit and surface what’s beneath that in terms of the lived experience of the church and Catholics that are in it…”

“When you actually ask and dig in, sometimes it’s a lot more complicated,” she added.

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