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Synod Session CommuniqueSession One: September 20-21, 2002
How can the Catholic Church reach out to youth and young adults, to people of different ethnic backgrounds and to those who have fallen away from the Church? How do the roles of the laity, religious and clergy differ? How can the Church increase vocations? These are just a few of the vital issues being addressed in the Tenth Archdiocesan Synod, which met in the first of three sessions September 20-21, 2002 at Drexelbrook Conference Center in Drexel Hill, Delaware County. Anthony Cardinal Bevilacqua, Archbishop of Philadelphia, called for the Synod in December 2000 and was present throughout the working sessions. "This is going to be a major resource for building up the living Church of the future," Cardinal Bevilacqua said. "This becomes the document you look to, our beacon. Somehow or another, at least for quite a while afterward, it’s going to be, ‘What did the Synod say?’" A Synod contributes in shaping the pastoral activities of the Archdiocese through an evaluation of existing resources and proposes new ways of invigorating the faith. This Synod, the first in 68 years in the Archdiocese, is historic in more ways than one. In diocesan Synods prior to the Second Vatican Council, only the clergy participated. In the Tenth Archdiocesan Synod, more than half of the 250 members are lay persons (135). The membership also includes priests, deacons and members of religious orders. The Synod planning started with a broad consultation process. First, Cardinal Bevilacqua extended an open invitation to everyone in the five county Archdiocese area to offer their thoughts about what should be discussed. Based upon the responses, a General Preparatory Commission recommended topics to the Cardinal. After Cardinal Bevilacqua selected the topics, open meetings took place throughout the five counties of the Archdiocese during spring 2002. Those who participated in the consultations generally expressed a genuine desire for a rich spiritual life and growth in holiness. The consultations also suggested that there is a practical awareness that the mean age of active priests and religious is increasing while the number of active priests and religious is decreasing. Since the Second Vatican Council, many of the laity have become more aware of their personal and collective responsibility to share in the mission of the Church. They also want to be part of vibrant liturgies and find support for their spiritual growth. During the first Synod Session, the members discussed and voted on proposals dealing with the following topics: 1) Spirituality, Call to Holiness and Sacraments and 2) Roles of Service in the Church and in the World: Role of Laity, Role of Religious and Role of Clergy. The Synod members also engaged in dialogue on the topic of Marriage and the Family and will vote on proposals for this topic at the October 18-19 Synod Session. Other topics for that Session are: 4) Youth and Young Adults, 5) Catholic Education of Youth and 6) Adult Faith Formation. The third session, on November 15-16, 2002 includes the last three topics: 7) Moral and Social Issues - A Pastoral Response, 8) Liturgy and 9) Evangelization. During the first Session, it was evident the lay members were excited by the opportunity to make a difference in their Church. "It’s an honor to be here," said 21-year-old Matthew Goldberg, a member of Saint Andrew Parish, Drexel Hill. "The last two days show the general feeling in the people of the Archdiocese that there do have to be changes made and a striving to be a dynamic Church and a Church which responds to the needs of its people. It’s fulfilling as a young person to see that in so many people. It gives you a hope for the future of the Church." As a senior majoring in computer science at Villanova University in Villanova and sixth grade confirmation teacher at St. Andrew’s, Goldberg brought the voice of a young Catholic adult to the planning table. Among their concerns: the need to feel more welcome in the Church and in Church activities. Everyone is invited to the Closing Mass of the Synod on Sunday, December 8, 2002 at the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul in Philadelphia. After Cardinal Bevilacqua receives the formal recommendations from the Synod members, he will consider them for acceptance, modification or non-acceptance. During the first Synod Session, member Rosemary Parmigiani, 55, an assistant principal who belongs to St. Ann Parish, Bristol said, "I think what we saw here was the beauty of the Church. We are many colors, many peoples, many professions and many ages. Yet, together, we will mold the Church for the future. That’s a very awe-filled and humbling experience. We are making history."
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The Archdiocese of
Philadelphia serves over 1.4 million Catholics in the five counties of
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