The past decade crossing into this new century and the Third Millennium of Christ has been a time of unparalleled development in the history of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. The 19th and first decades of the 20th Century witnessed the growth of this local Church as immigrants from largely Catholic European countries arrived to seek new opportunities in a land of promise. The Archdiocese reacted in many ways to address at that time the sudden influx of new arrivals. The most obvious response was the establishment of many parishes and the construction of many churches and schools, landmarks to the devotion of those who sacrificed to build up the Household of God in this new land.
Later years in the 20th Century, particularly the last decades through which we all lived, saw a new growth of the Church. Some new parishes were established. New high schools and a few other buildings were erected. But more than growth through new construction, in the establishment of parishes or the erection of new buildings, we witnessed a growth similar to the process of maturing. This growth required clergy, religious and laity to take a new look at the Church we know and love so deeply and to recognize that there has been and continues to be much change.
Our Archdiocese has grown and developed through prayer, reflection, study and planning to address the diverse needs in a period of transition. This meant leaving behind the former way of thinking and doing in parish life, to encourage, welcome and heed the recommendations of the people in the pews as well as to discern why so many people are no longer in the pews. This time of growth has prompted us to approach new methods of evangelization, to invite back the young and the aging and those in between who have wandered. We have been challenged to consider the best means of reaching out to the new immigrants who come to this land, no longer from the Old World, but many from the Third World: those from Latin America, the Far East, Africa and elsewhere. Many of these newcomers look to the Church for guidance, acceptance and stability. This change has challenged many parishes, schools and institutions to break down old barriers, root out debilitating prejudices and reach out in fraternal love to people of different ethnic backgrounds, cultures and languages. Such growth in our parishes, schools and institutions, such evident change, while at times painful and difficult, brings blessings to the life of the individual parish, school and institution, as well as to the Archdiocese as a whole.
As Archbishop of Philadelphia, it has been for me a privilege both humbling and enriching to preside over a local Church growing in diversity and vibrancy. It is because of my responsibility as Shepherd of the Church in Philadelphia that I called for and valued the various pastoral planning initiatives which have guided the Archdiocese in the past decade. It is this same responsibility that prompted me to convoke an Archdiocesan Synod to shape the direction for the Church as we advance into the 21st Century and the Third Millennium, one wrought with many challenges yet so full of hope and promise.
All of the work associated with our nine-year Renewal leading to the Jubilee Year 2000, the collaboration, consultation and planning, though challenging, has also been enriching. Through dialogue and mutual understanding developed in parish councils, parish self-studies and more recently on a cluster-level, many have come to appreciate that the Church, although lived and expressed beautifully within each parish, is more than just the individual parish. People have a more profound understanding of the Church as the Body of Christ, a communion of persons united in the life of the Blessed Trinity.
This concept of communion, communio in Latin means "everyone together working towards a common goal." This theological concept is rooted in the very inner life of the Blessed Trinity. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit are three Persons in one God who live eternally and equally in a dynamic bond of eternal love.
Jesus Himself, in the gospel passage which was proclaimed moments ago, gave to us an awesome promise: "Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him." These words not only reflect the intimate union of the Persons of the Blessed Trinity with one another. This teaching also reveals the intimacy with which the Trinity lives within the baptized who love and keep the word of Christ. Moved by the words of Christ and instructed by the Holy Spirit, we embark upon our Archdiocesan Synod united in prayer and strong in our common purpose of building up the local Church.
Saint Paul the Apostle embraced the reality of communio as illustrated in today's letter to the Philippians. So many of the characteristics of lived communio are outlined in this passage: "If there is any encouragement in Christ, any solace in love, any participation in the Spirit, any compassion and mercy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, with the same love, united in heart, thinking one thing." The gifts so generously bestowed on us by Christ are given so that we may build up the Church as a living temple. All that we have received we are meant to share. In the spirit of communio, in the spirit of working together toward the common goal of spreading the Gospel and strengthening the witness of the Church, we all have something to offer. Yet, as Saint Paul teaches in the same passage,"we do nothing out of selfishness or vainglory." We are not motivated by selfish goals. Our concern is for the Church and for each and every person who is part of the Church.
Our Tenth Archdiocesan Synod will indeed reflect that spirit of working together united by the common purpose of strengthening the witness of the Church in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. We, the entire Church, have listened to the faithful of the Archdiocese during the consultation phases. We, the entire Church, have considered those outstanding areas which impact the immediate future. We, the entire Church, have formulated recommendations and possible action steps. Now all of these will be reviewed and prioritized so as to advise me as Shepherd-Servant of the Church in Philadelphia in outlining a vision for the future. The end to which our Synod will proceed is making Christ more clearly present, more visible, more audible, more tangible in our individual lives and in our lives with others, in our joys and in our afflictions, in our present day and in the years to come.
There already has been much work. Nine years of Renewal preparing for the Jubilee Year 2000, Parish Pastoral Planning and Cluster Pastoral Planning laid the groundwork for this historic event. Almost two years of further consultation, study and prayer have brought us to the threshold of this inspired and sacred moment. Our efforts will not be in vain. I am confident that with the intensive labors of all of you involved in the preparation of this Synod and in unity with the whole Church, this Tenth Synod will enable the Archdiocese of Philadelphia to fulfill the call of Pope John Paul II to become "a holier priesthood, a holier episcopate, a holier Church."
I wish to echo at the time the words of Blessed John XXIII who, on the eve of the Second Vatican Council wrote in his
journal the following words: "After . . . years of preparation, certainly laborious but also joyful and serene, we are now
on the slopes of the sacred mountain. May the Lord give us strength to bring everything to a successful conclusion!"
(Pope John XXIII, Journal of a Soul).