On September 15th, the campus heard its first Bean Lecturer of the Fall Semester speak. Dr. Jaisy Joseph of Villanova University presented, “Pope Leo XIV and the Future of Synodality in the Global Church.” In the lecture, Dr. Joseph broke down what Synodality was, what it looks like, and what its place in the Catholic Church will be going forward. She did so in light of Villanova’s Augustinian charisms of Community and Friendship, and how they may be guiding their alumnus, Leo XIV. The lecture was well received, with Alaina Morris ‘27 saying she walked out thinking, “Oh, that explains a lot.” Dr. Joseph’s talk began by assessing what she referred to as “the largest communal dialogue in Church history”: the Synod on Synodality. This dialogue about dialogues stretched from 2021 – 2024 and laid out principles on which Church dialogues should rest. Dr. Joseph identified the five key points as being: 1. Being unafraid of new questions. 2. Openness to “Surprises of the Spirit.” 3. Not being afraid of differences and conflict within the Church. 4. A commitment to communion and listening. 5. Openness to dialogue that may lead to new outcomes. According to Joseph, these points show the Synod to be the Church’s efforts to fulfill the work started by the second Vatican council, or to use her words, “more fully receiving Vatican II.” Part of that means tackling the opposition and conflict that has resulted from the council since the 1960s. Further, leaning into the conflict and not away from it. Pope Francis embraced the resulting dialogue saying, “Opposition opens a path, a way forward. I have to say that I love opposition.” That opposition takes a respectful and spiritual form in the Synod, as Dr. Joseph explained in her breakdown of how a Church Synod functions. First, all those present come prepared to speak on a topic. Then, each presenter will alternate turns talking while all of the others listen, with each talk being followed by silence and prayer. To Dr. Joseph, and if her argument is to be believed to Pope Leo XIV, the listening is the most important aspect. This would be in line with the Pope’s Augustinian lineage. Pope Leo XIV has said, “before we speak, we first must listen.” Dr. Joseph took this to be a reference to the Augustinian tenant demanding that one listens without judgment, and to truly try to understand. In this way, Dr. Joseph identifies Synodality as a spiritual act centered around listening, born of and open to love. It was on this note of continuing Synodality under Leo XIV opening Church to love that Dr. Joseph ended her lecture, reminding the audience that, “Christ has no arms but ours to serve the world.” The students in the audience, whose number and engagement were considered impressive by multiple professors present, proceeded to fill the remaining time with a wide variety of questions. Topics ranging from the place of technology in the future of the Church to clarifying the biggest misconceptions about Synodality. In all her answers Dr. Joseph kept returning to the point that Synodality is centered on the concept that the equal dignity of humans means they deserve equal voices. According to her, Synodality should not be misconstrued as a democratic practice, rather thought of as a spiritual one, encouraging those who make decisions to first listen.