p01-17_covers 24/06/2021 17:25 Page 15
Synod recommendation votes All 19 Recommendations received overwhelming support. It would have been possible that all or some of the Recommendations were seen as not the right way forward. But this didn’t happen. In one way this was a real affirmation of the whole Synod process. We had listened and so what was voted on was the result of over 3 years of listening and discerning. The way the votes landed affirmed that the Synod process had been a true experience of synodality. Among the recommendations which were considered a priority by the synod members are young people, evangelisation, how we hand on our faith, inclusivity, synodality - especially the role of women, lay ministry and love of neighbour.
Key: n High Priority n Good idea n Unimportant n Bad idea 1) 1. Evangelisation We, the people of the Archdiocese, recommend that the pastoral plan heed the call of the Church to be courageous in guiding all Catholics to deepen their relationship with Jesus, and to engage in our mission to help make Jesus known and loved in our world.
Number of people who chose this as one of their three most important: 91 2) 2. Lay Ministry We, the people of the Archdiocese, recommend that the pastoral plan must include honouring the many vocations of all the baptised, women and men alike. This will also include a strong commitment to lay ministry including training employed ministers, supporting volunteer ministers, and coordinating their work alongside the clergy.
Number of people who chose this as one of their three most important: 104 3) 3. Ministry We, the people of the Archdiocese, recommend that the pastoral plan include a strong commitment to ordained ministry including a programme of support and formation for priests, deacons, and seminarians, and coordination of their work alongside lay ministries.
Number of people who chose this as one of their three most important: 54 4) 4a. A More Inclusive Church We, the people of the Archdiocese, recommend that the pastoral plan include action on the part of both parish and archdiocese to announce the welcome we offer to everyone.
Number of people who chose this as one of their three most important: 54
Catholic Pictorial
15
