Decree

of the Convocation
of the Tenth Synod for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia

    As Christians throughout the world prepare to celebrate the Two Thousandth Anniversary of the Birth of Jesus Christ this Christmas, we of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia are also preparing to bring to a conclusion our nine years of spiritual and pastoral renewal inaugurated in 1991.  This renewal effort was the archdiocese's response to the call of Pope John Paul II for all Catholics to prepare in a special way for the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000 and for the Third Millennium of Christianity which follows.

    Our spiritual renewal was intended to reinvigorate the essential contexts of the faith, namely, the spiritual life of the individual Catholic, the life of the family, and the life of the local parish, "the family of families."  Our pastoral renewal was intimately connected with the spiritual and consisted of a two-fold effort.  The process of parish self-study sought to evaluate the life of each parish in the areas of worship, family and community life, evangelization, Catholic teaching, Christian service, leadership, and stewardship.  The process of cluster pastoral planning, now in its implementation phase, sought to revitalize the Church throughout the communities of the archdiocese.

    Renewal is not just another program or initiative that comes to an end after a prescribed period of time.  Renewal must be ongoing, as together we strive for our entire lives to "renew the face of the earth" through the power of the Holy Spirit.  With this in mind, I have judged it opportune to convoke the Tenth Synod for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, sixty-six years since the celebration of the last archdiocesan synod convoked by my predecessor, Dennis Cardinal Dougherty, in 1934.

    An archdiocesan synod is an "assembly of selected priests and other members of the Christian faithful of a particular Church who offer assistance to the diocesan bishop for the good of the whole diocesan community" (Code of Canon Law, can. 460).  It is an ancient and proven instrument for fostering renewal in the life of the local church.  The final object of an archdiocesan synod is to foster communion and mission.  The synod achieves this end by contributing in shaping the pastoral activities of the archdiocese through an evaluation of existing pastoral programs and a subsequent proposal of new pastoral plans.  As such, the synod is a natural progression for the archdiocese, building upon all the pastoral planning we have accomplished thus far.

    In order that the synodal assembly members be properly informed when offering their advice and during their deliberations, the faithful of the archdiocese will be consulted about their pastoral needs and desires, and about the questions to be discussed during the actual celebration of the synod.  The desired result of the synod is that the entire Body of Christ in this archdiocese may be better equipped and motivated to cooperate with the Holy Spirit in the task of the New Evangelization at the dawn of the Third Millennium.

    Accordingly, in virtue of the prescripts of canons 460 through 468 of the Code of Canon Law, and of the Apostolic See's "Instruction on Diocesan Synods" (March 19, 1997), in order to provide more effectively for the communion and mission of the Church entrusted to my care, and having consulted the Council of Priests in accord with canon 461, §1, I hereby decree the convocation of the Tenth Synod of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, which is to be celebrated during the Year of Our Lord 2002, with a Year of Preparation to begin on January 8, 2001, after the closing of the Great Jubilee.

    May the Blessed Virgin Mary, under her title of the Immaculate Conception, the principal patroness of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, intercede for us with her Son, that the Tenth Archdiocesan Synod be a grace-filled experience of renewed faith, hope, and love for all the faithful of this local Church.  May our secondary patrons, Saints Peter and Paul, inspire us to strengthen the bonds of communion and mission which unite us as disciples of Our Lord.  May the example of Saint John Neumann and Saint Katharine Drexel of Philadelphia increase our love for the Most Holy Eucharist, the sacrament which will feed our hungry hearts for the important journey that lies ahead.

    This decree becomes effective immediately, and is to be communicated to the faithful of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia in an appropriate manner.  All things to the contrary notwithstanding.

    Given at the Curia of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, on the eighth day of December, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, in the Year of Our Lord 2000, the Great Jubilee.

Anthony Cardinal Bevilacqua       

Archbishop  of Philadelphia           

    SEAL

Rev. Msgr. Alexander J. Palmieri
Chancellor