In October 2024, Bishop Dolan wrote the Diocese of Phoenix a Pastoral Letter entitled “TILMA,” inspired by the acronym Testifica, oh Iglesia, a la Luz del Misterio del Amor (Testify, o Church, to the Light of the Mystery of Love). Looking to Our Lady of Guadalupe, the patroness of the Diocese of Phoenix, the bishop has created a seven-year pastoral plan on evangelization, leading up to December 2031, the 500th anniversary of Our Lady of Guadalupe appearing to St. Juan Diego on Tepeyac Hill in modern day Mexico City. In the Pastoral Plan where he launched the idea of holding a Synod of Young Adults in 2025.
The Synod of Young Adults began on April 12, 2025 with a prayer service and training of young adult Synodal Leaders. These young adult leaders will then facilitated Synodal Listening sessions in parishes and other locations throughout the Diocese of Phoenix from late August to the end of November. The results of the listening sessions have now been gathered and — with the help of artificial intelligence to avoid bias — a preliminary Synod Report has been prepared. On February 14th 2026, representatives from around the Diocese will gather in a Synod Assembly to prayerfully discern the findings of the Synod Report and present the Final Synod Report to Bishop Dolan. The Bishop, along with his major advisory councils and Diocesan leadership, will then determine — from the results of the input from the young adults what action steps will be taken to support evangelization efforts in the Diocese. Action steps that will support the evangelization effort in the diocese.
