A Letter about Listening Sessions at St Brigid’s...
Dear Fellow Parishioner,
Would you like to have a say in the direction that our diocese will take
in the next ten years? Well, you can because the bishop has called a Synod.
What is a synod? That was one of the many questions we had when Father
Ralph asked us to coordinate the Synod activities in St. Brigid Parish.
Here is some of what we found out:
What is a Synod?
• A Synod is a meeting of people who make up the diocese – priest,
deacons, religious, and lay – who are asked to contribute their wisdom,
holiness, and experiences in addressing matters of importance to the diocese.
Why is the diocese holding a Synod?
• One of the central purposes of a synod is to involve the faithful
in assisting the bishop in shepherding his flock. The faithful are asked
to help the bishop in setting policies, creating programs, and resolving
problems that affect the people of the diocese.
When will the Synod take place?
• Synod is a process. The process has already started and will end
in 2007 on the 50th anniversary of the founding of our diocese.
•This first year is set aside to find out what the people of the
diocese are thinking. A series of meeting will be held in each parish
to give the faithful an opportunity to voice their concerns and their
hopes.
•In subsequent years, the hopes and concerns gathered from parishioners
around the diocese will be refined and put into concrete proposals to
direct the future of the church on Long Island.
•The process will culminate in a gathering at which delegates representing
the people of the diocese will vote on the proposals.
What am I invited to do?
•We need our parishioners’ voices to be heard. So we are asking
you to come to one of the meetings where you can express your hopes and
concerns about our diocese.
•These meetings are called “listening sessions” because
they are designed simply to gather information from the faithful.
•You will only be asked for your opinion. You will not be asked to
donate your time or your money.
What will happen at the meetings?
• Trained facilitators will be there, not to talk at you but to help
you decide which of your hopes and concerns you want to become part of
the St. Brigid record.
•The process will involve individual reflection, small group discussions,
and listening to those parishioners who wish to speak before the whole
group.
•Each individual will be invited to write principal concerns and
primary hopes.
When Father Ralph asked us to help coordinate this process we were skeptical
that the results would warrant the effort. We were, to be frank, skeptical
that anyone in “authority” would listen to us. But the more
we learned about the Synod process, the more our skepticism was allayed.
The whole point of this process – and the reason the bishop called
the Synod – is to give us an opportunity to be heard. The laity are
being given an unprecedented opportunity to guide diocesan policy. Now
more than ever, we can’t afford to miss this opportunity.
We hope to see you at one of the meetings.
Andy & Eileen Simons
Synod Coordinators for St. Brigid
If you would like more information about the Synod process,
check the diocesan web site at www.drvc.org/synod.