Synod preparations get under way
HONG KONG (SE): The Diocesan Synod Preparatory Committee (PC) held its first meeting on October 25 to lay the foundations for the year 2000 consultation.
Cardinal John Baptist Wu told the 10 members of the committee that while "we must do all that we can ˇeto make the synod workˇfit is, after all, God who leads. " He urged the members to seek the light of the Holy Spirit when going about their work. Also attending the meeting was Bishop Joseph Zen.
Mary Seung, Executive Secretary of the PC said on October 26 that the committee had a long discussion and had agreed to two preliminary tasks on.
Firstly, the PC would gather together as quickly as possible the 200 Catholics - laity, clergy and Religious - who are to participate in the synod meeting itself in order to ensure that they are involved from the earliest stages of the preparations.
While the members of the PC were all appointed by the cardinal, the 200 synod delegates will be chosen by the Council of Priests, deaneries, various diocesan commissions and bureaux, parishes and Religious communities. Ten members will be appointed by the cardinal.
The synod is "not an open forum" Seung explained, "but part of the governing of the church and therefore is the responsibility of the bishop of the diocese." The bishop, however, is eager to get a feel for how the People of God see the church and the future," Seung said.
Because of the length of time it will take for the parishes, Religious communities and diocesan bureaux to choose their representatives for the Synod, Seung said it was likely the meeting would only take place in mid-2000.
Secondly, Seung said the PC agreed that it was important to involve the 200 participants as early as possible in the choosing of the synod topics. However, she said the PC felt it was important to set a "framework" from which the participants could select topics. While wishing to give the delegates the maximum amount of freedom to chose topics for discussion at the synod, the PC felt a base was needed from which to work in order to save time and help the delegates focus. If a delegate proposed a topic not in the PC's draft selection, the topic would be included, Seung said, adding that the PC had no desire to restrict discussions. The draft topics chosen by the 200 participants would be open to public consultation, "so everyone will be given the opportunity to have a say," Seung said.
Another topic discussed at last Monday's meeting was how to fully include non-Chinese speaking members of the local Catholic community in the synod. Seung said that while the synod topics would be printed both in English and Chinese and the talks would have simultaneous translation, the group discussions would be more difficult to organise.
The PC's next meeting will be in three weeks time.