A Study of Synodality Implementation in the Catholic Church: Examining Current Realities in the Archdiocese of Bangkok

Abstract

The study was conducted to: 1) examine the current state of Synodal implementation in the Archdiocese of Bangkok, 2) analyze factors affecting its practice, and 3) propose practical recommendations for enhancement. This investigation utilized a mixed-methods research design, gathering data from a sample of 615 participants, including clergy, religious, and the lay faithful. The findings indicated that implementation across all three dimensions of Synodality was generally at a high level. Specifically, the dimension of Communion recorded the highest mean score (4.24), with respondents reporting exceptionally high pride in their Catholic identity (4.86). Key empirical challenges to Synodal practice were identified: 1. Declining faith and devotion among youth (38.46%). 2. Inappropriate conduct of clergy and religious (18.03%) and 3. Barriers to participation were largely due to external factors (77.54%), primarily time constraints (33.54%). This study primarily advocates for: developing youth pastoral approaches responsive to the contemporary context, enhancing the formation processes for clergy and religious, promoting interfaith dialogue, and improving communication systems and technology utilization. Future research should conduct an in-depth study into the factors contributing to the decline of faith among Catholic youth.