Bishop Tomáš Holub has issued a pastoral letter on the occasion of the St. Wenceslas diocesan pilgrimage in Rome. His words are addressed to all believers in our diocese. He encourages us, despite our differences, to learn to walk together.
Brothers and sisters of our diocese in Pilsen,
I greet you all warmly from Rome. From this place, which reminds us that despite all our differences, we belong to one community, we have one Lord, and one faith.
Together with pilgrims from our diocese, representatives of the Czech Republic, and diplomats, we will gather at St. Peter's Basilica for the celebration of Saint Wenceslas to pray for our country – for its faith and its hope. And we will also pray for peace throughout the world.
Today's worship service is also very important for our entire diocese for one reason. At the end of the service, I will hand over the text of the synodal document, which I have approved, to representatives from each vicariate, and in doing so, we will ceremonially conclude our diocesan synod here in Rome.
The conclusion of the synod does not mark the end of our journey. On the contrary, it opens a new chapter for all of us in our diocese. We are now called to work together to find ways to integrate what we have learned and embraced during the synod into our daily lives. This means bringing these insights into our parishes, our communities, our relationships, and our everyday experiences. Because a synod that remains only a document would be a wasted opportunity.
And I am convinced that it is no coincidence that we are hearing the words of the Apostle Paul today:
Complete my joy by being of the same mind, that you will be bound together by one love, that you will be united and of one mind.
That sounds wonderful, but it's not easy at all. Being united doesn't mean that we will all be the same. It doesn't mean that we will all have the same opinions about everything. And it doesn't mean that our questions, doubts, or objections will disappear. The church is not and should not be a community of people who think exactly the same thing. The church is a community of people who, despite many differences, have decided to follow the same Lord together.
And that is precisely what I want to invite you to today: unity, not based on the idea that we are all the same, but on the understanding that we will walk together with Christ and as Christ. I understand that not everyone agrees with every decision made by the synod. Some may find certain decisions too bold, while others might consider them too cautious. And some may feel that we should have decided something completely different.
That is perfectly acceptable. As Christians, I believe that the Church is not our private endeavor, governed by our own ideas. We believe and confess that the Church belongs to the Lord, and that the Holy Spirit works within it even when we don't immediately understand everything. That He guides us and shows us the path we are called to follow together with Christ in the reality of today's world. Therefore, I trust in the tradition of the Mother Church, believing that it is through the process of shared discernment and the decisions adopted by a majority greater than two-thirds that we can recognize the guidance of the Holy Spirit. That is why I have embraced all three final documents of the synod as my own. This does not mean that all questions have been resolved, nor that we no longer need to be receptive to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
However, I want to emphasize something else: we have established a common direction, and now it is necessary to take some important steps on our shared journey. And it is precisely here that the Gospel for today offers us a very powerful image. Jesus tells the story of two sons (cf. Mt 21:28-32).
The father sends both of them to work in the vineyard. The first one says, "Yes, sir," but he doesn't go. The second one says, "I don't want to," but then he goes.
And I would very much like for us, after our synod, to adopt the mindset of the second son. Perhaps we have questions. Perhaps we have doubts. Perhaps some things were done differently. Perhaps we simply don't feel like doing something. But even so, we will say: "This is my Father's vineyard. So I will go." And we will address our questions along the way, in dialogue with others, and with trust in being led by the Holy Spirit. That, to me, is true synodality. And that is what I ask of you, sisters and brothers.
However, there's also the attitude of the eldest son. He might say "yes," perhaps even smile at his father and nod enthusiastically. He might even utter the right words. But then he doesn't go out to work in the vineyard. And I see this as one of the greatest dangers for our shared journey.
For the synod to be implemented, the biggest problem may not be overt disagreement. Much more dangerous can be the silent one: “Yes, yes…” and then nothing. No step, no change, no willingness to do anything, no work on the vineyard.
Therefore, brothers and sisters, I implore you:
Let us restore our trust in God, who guides His Church. Let us also restore our trust in one another. Instead of first looking for what is wrong or missing in the decisions of the synod, let us ask ourselves, while listening to each other:
What does the Holy Spirit tell us? What does God want to do with our diocese? What is He calling us to? Who should we address? To whom do we have hope?
And also: What should we stop doing because it no longer helps us be a Church that lives the Gospel in a way that people today can understand?
These are the questions that stand before us now. And the answer to them will not be given by the bishop alone, nor by people from the diocese, nor by any individual, no matter how gifted. We will continue to seek the answers inspired by God together, as God's people on the path. Our transformation, therefore, will not only involve our thinking and our relationships; it must also be reflected in the way our parishes and our diocese are organized and in how we carry responsibility within them.
We don't know what our diocese will look like in ten years. But we do know who is walking with us on this journey through time: the Resurrected Jesus Christ. And we stand by His side, on the side of victory. This isn't because we are strong or that we have everything under control. But because ultimately, the victory belongs to Him, and we belong to Him.
Let's move forward together. Not everyone at the same pace, and not everyone with the same speed, but all in the same direction.
Let us pray to Jesus Christ, the Risen One, for courage and mutual trust.
Please grant us humility so that we can learn to listen and acknowledge our mistakes.
Please be patient when things don’t go as quickly as we would like.
Let us ask for unity from him above all else – not a unity that ignores differences, but a unity that can embrace and accommodate our differences.
Saint Wenceslaus, patron of the Czech lands, guide us, protect us, and encourage us on our shared journey.
I ask for this from you, and on behalf of all of us here in Rome.
+ Bishop Thomas
