The Synod on Synodality, which starts at the beginning of this month, is something unique in the history of the Church. It is a synod about a process; in fact you could say, it is listening about listening. In a sense, Pope Francis, whose idea this very much is, has achieved his end simply by the Synod happening at all. In its essential meaning, a synod is “a path with”, so it is an engagement with others; the International Theological Commission suggests that it might be understood by the similar concept of Concilium, or Council, which Catholics are familiar with.