Nelson Perez, the Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, took to Twitter to share the exciting news that a student from St. Joseph has been chosen to participate in the upcoming Synod.

Perez expressed his enthusiasm for the 16th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops for the North American region, which is set to convene in Rome in October.

“I was filled with great joy to learn that Julia Osęka, a student from @SaintJoseph, was selected as a representative of young adults to participate in the next phase of the Synod on Synodality in Rome,” Perez said on Twitter. “The Church of Philadelphia is blessed to count one of its faithful among those from around the world who will gather at the Vatican.”

The Synod will include two conferences. The first one is scheduled to take place in Rome from Oct. 4-29, 2023. The second conference is scheduled for October of 2024, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) said. Leading up to those meetings, dioceses across the world have been soliciting opinions from parishioners.

Delegates will prepare for the Rome meeting by familiarizing themselves with the document called “Instrumentum Laboris.” This document serves as a foundation for their discussions and reflections during the Synod. It provides a blueprint for a focused and insightful exchange of ideas. It covers an array of topics, including sections on: “Considering the challenges of the family,” “The Discernment of the Family Vocation,” and “The Mission of the Family Today.” Each part has numerous chapters, enabling a comprehensive exploration of the subject matter, the Vatican said.

"I encourage the local churches to use the 'Instrumentum Laboris,' in conjunction with their parish and diocesan syntheses, as well as with the U.S. National Synthesis, the Document for the Continental Stage, and the North American Final Document, in order to deepen the discernment of what they have heard and what they can do in their local contexts," Bishop Daniel E. Flores said, according to the USCCB. "These documents are an unprecedented dialogue between the Holy See and the People of God and serve as living instruments of the synodal path travelled together up to this point. We ask Catholics in their local Churches to pray for the Synod delegates, and for the ongoing work of the Synod.”

For the first time, the list of delegates from Canada and the United States for this year’s gathering includes non-bishops. A total of 10 non-bishop representatives were selected — four from Canada and six from the United States. These delegates have been preparing for the Synod, engaging in various activities to gain the necessary experience, the USCCB said.

The Synod is a gathering where cardinals, bishops, priests and other members of the Church will engage in discussions on various topics related to the Church. During these deliberations, participants will be invited to propose ideas that will be presented to the pope in a document. The pope ultimately will decide whether to accept, modify or reject these propositions. The finalization of this document is expected after the conclusion of the last session in October of next year, according to Fox News.