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FOCUS ON THE PARISH

Synod Prayer Almighty God

You have called us to be your Church here in Trinidad and Tobago

Be with us in the power of Your Spirit as we move forward together, striving to continue the work begun at our Synod.

Send forth your light and your truth - let these be our guide.

Protect us from all that may lead us astray. Keep us united in constant prayer with Mary, our mother, so that together we may make Your Church alive and present in our land.

We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen2

PREPARING FOR SYNOD 2009

Visit the website of the Archdiocese of Port of Spain.

rcpos.org then click on the Synod Banner.

Celebrating the journey, Assessing where we are, Charting the Way Forward.

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PURPOSE OF THIS MEETING Review the Synod Journey.

Review, discuss and adopt critical elements of the mission statement.

Discuss the working document and give concrete recommendations for implementation of the three pastoral priorities at a parish level.

These recommendations will be formulated into Vicariate resolutions for Synod 2009.

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Synod 2003Restructuring the Archdiocese:

Opened new secretariats, commissions and councils to address

the pastoral priorities expressed.

Synod 2005Restructuring Councils

commissions and secretariats: Outline of specific expectation of

the church for each department at an archdiocesan level

Parish Assembly 20061. What are the most urgent pastoral

challenges facing your parish vis-à-vis your wider community?

2. Implement resolutions from Synod 2003 & 2005 applicable to the parish regarding:

Catholic Education, Catechetics and Family Life submitting a report to the vicariate—Achievements, challenges, Way forward

Vicariate Assembly 20061. Collation of all of the parish assemblies2. Discussion on implications for the ministry area at a vicariate level3. Submit report on Achievements, Challenges and Way forward.

Parish & Vicariate Assemblies 2007Same as 2006 but focusing on: Social

Justice, Catholic Communications, Youth, Evangelization and Stewardship

Mission of the Church Consultation 2008

Forge consensus around the mission of the church and

thus the Pastoral priorities of the Archdiocese of POS.

Synod 2008(1) Consensus around the mission of the church in Trinidad and Tobago today,

(2) we will also have consensus around the pastoral priorities of the archdiocese at archdiocesan level, vicariate level and

parish level. (3) We will have a “Ministry template” for the catholic parish with priorities for each

ministry focus area. .

Journey to Synod Process 2008Tuesday, December 04, 2007JOURNEY TO SYNOD 2009

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THE JOURNEY …

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FROM 2003 TO 2009

Synod 2005 Resolution 43: Mandated the new focus on the Parish.

We are shifting focus from the Archdiocese (2003) to Council, Commissions and Secretariat (2005) to the individual Parishes 2009.

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RATIONALE

Synod 2003 led to the formation of councils, commissions, secretariats in the Archdiocese of Port of Spain.

At Synod 2005 these bodies reported on their achievements, challenges and way forward.

The eight areas the parish focused on over the last three years came out of these consultations and generated a series of strategies that are contributing to the implementation of the proposed mission statement for the Archdiocese.

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Archdiocese mission statement resulted from:

Synod 2003 (to be alive and present);

Synod 2005 (to be alive and present);

8 Vicariate assemblies;

GIS consultation – 6 pastoral actions;

Heads of departments (three-fold

mission of Christ);

Surveys of the laity and the priests.

Mayaro Conversation – 3 emerging

themes/pastoral priorities Conversations with Vicars, Priests and Vicariate Representatives (September to October 2008)

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PROPOSED MISSION STATEMENT PROPOSED MISSION STATEMENT (2.1)(2.1) To be the People of God in

Trinidad and Tobago, alive and present in Christ, through: The New Evangelization; a revitalized Catholic Culture and identity and a deep moral renewal of our Society.

People of God The Second Vatican Council chose

the expression specifically because of its biblical roots. The term refers to the whole church - Pope, bishops, priest, religious and laity. It is the whole People of God that is called to holiness, mission and salvation.

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In Christ As the People of God we strive to be a

Christ like people. We are all called to put on the mind of Christ. "For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." (Gal 3:27-28). St. Paul’s concept of being in Christ unites all believers in one family: so in Christ we who are many form one body and each member belongs to all (Rom 12:5). In Christ we are a new creation (2 Cor 5:17).

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New Evangelization John Paul II called for a new evangelization; new

in ardor, methods and expression. His presentation outlines several features. Amongst them:

The New Evangelization is Christ centered.

The New Evangelization is the responsibility of the entire People of God.

The New Evangelization begins at home in the family and the parish is not just for the foreign missions.

The New Evangelization is directed to individuals and to whole cultures.

The New Evangelization is not limited to the presentation of the basic Gospel message (kerygma) but is a comprehensive process of Christianization.

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New Evangelization Our challenge as Catholics is to see evangelization in a

Catholic way. The door to door of the Jehovah Witnesses or the street corner preaching of the Spiritual Baptist is what we associate with the word. To announce the Good News (evangelize) is the mandate of Jesus to all disciples (Mk 16:15). This mandate is addressed to us today.

The New Evangelization begins by inviting those in the church to deepen their encounter with Christ. From this beginning it spreads to Catholics who no longer go to church and to all people.

We are called to be persons who make a clear option for Christ, have coherence between faith and life, live the values of the Kingdom, promote the civilization of Love and are willing to be a signs of contradiction.

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Revitalized Catholic Culture and Identity What makes us Catholic? Catholic culture or identity is not a

"thing" Catholics have, but a historical attitude that Catholics have displayed, an "outgrowth" of their convictions, beliefs, and practices.

The Catholic world is sacramental. This sacramentality in worldview and culture are expressed and experienced most deeply in the Eucharist and the other sacraments. This worldview does not see death as the end but as a beginning of life lived fully in Christ. Because of the corporate nature of being in Christ, solidarity is lived on different levels: (1) with the saints and with Mary who are models and intercessors for us who are still on our pilgrim way. (2) Amongst human beings especially those most in need (3) with the creation: "that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God" (Rom 8:21).

This worldview is also humanistic, the Second Vatican Council says: “Nothing that is genuinely human fails to find an echo in their hearts” (Gaudium et Spes 1). Because of this sacramental and humanistic worldview, Catholics have inclusive communities that celebrate with art, music, festivity and creativity. 15

A Deep Moral Renewal of Society All peoples and cultures have lived by a moral code. The

moral imperative is deeply part of the human condition. We are witnessing a collapse of morality in Trinidad and Tobago today: corruption, domestic abuse, children at risk, lack of civility, integrity and respect for life are all moral indicators that demonstrate the collapse.

For the Christian, moral renewal is to be in Christ. Christ's vision for the world is harmony symbolized in the Eucharist. As Church we are at the service of Christ’s vision - the Kingdom of God.

Moral renewal demands a new imagination: one that takes the human condition seriously in all of its dimensions. Promoting human flourishing "I have come that they may have life and have it to the full" (Jn 10:10). This is not a matter of duty but a response to the desire of Jesus that we have life in abundance.

The New Evangelization and revitalized Catholic culture and identity will contribute to the moral renewal of the church. As a renewed Church we have the challenge to present to the society authentic ways of being human, of forming community and living in solidarity - the civilization of Love.

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Process for deciding on the Mission Statement The three themes came out of the

Mayaro Conversation with the Priests/Parish Administrators and Parish Co-ordinators.

All Vicariate delegates have an opportunity to review and recommend.

All of the comments will be distilled by the synod team and given to the Archbishop to amend and adopt the final version.

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FORMULATION OF MISSION FORMULATION OF MISSION STATEMENTSTATEMENT To be the People of God in Trinidad

and Tobago, alive and present in Christ, through: The New Evangelization; a revitalized Catholic Culture and identity and a deep moral renewal of our Society.

(Synod 2003 and 2005) To be Alive and Present

(Mayaro Conversation and Discussion). The New Evangelization,

Revitalized Catholic Culture and Identity,

A Deep Moral Renewal.

Versions of the Proposed Mission Statements To be alive and present through a new

evangelization, a regenerated and regenerative moral framework, leading to a revitalizing Catholic culture and identity. (1.0)

To be the People of God in Trinidad and Tobago, alive and present in Christ, through: The New Evangelization; a revitalized Catholic Culture and identity and a deep moral renewal of our Society. (2.1)

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Archbishop’s columnCatholic News

July 6, 2008 - Regenerating the moral life.

July 13, 2008 - Discipleship and Evangelization.

July 20, 2008 – Catholic Culture and Identity.

July 27, 2008 - Mission of the Church.

August 3, 2008 - A Template for Parish

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PROPOSED MISSION STATEMENTPROPOSED MISSION STATEMENT To be the People of God in

Trinidad and Tobago, alive and present in Christ, through: The New Evangelization; a revitalized Catholic Culture and identity and a deep moral renewal of our Society.

Discuss with the person next to you and if you have any feedback/recommendations please submit in writing today…(10 minutes).

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INTRODUCING THE WORKING DOCUMENT All the Parish assembly reports

submitted to the vicariates were reflected upon and compiled into Vicariate assembly reports. These reports were carefully studied and structured according to the three pastoral priorities of the mission statement.

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THREE PASTORAL PRIORITES OF THE MISSION STATEMENT

1. The New Evangelization,

2. Revitalized Catholic Culture and Identity,

3. A Deep Moral Renewal.

Role of a Pastoral Priority To act as a lens focusing the

pastoral activity of the Church.

To act as a coordinating hub holding the Church together in unity around its pastoral mission.

To act as a point of evaluation to assess the impact of the pastoral ministry of the Church.

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Eight Areas of Pastoral Responsibilites Vicariate assemblies 2006 and 2007

focused on the following pastoral responsibilities:

Catechesis (C),

Catholic education (CE),

Family life (FL),

Social justice (SJ),

Catholic communications (CC),

Youth (Y),

Evangelization (E)

Stewardship (S).

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Three Fold mission of the Church/ Eight Areas of Pastoral Responsibilities.Gathering for ministry (Priest)

Family life (FL),

Social justice (SJ),

Youth (Y),

Teaching (Prophet)

Evangelization (E)

Catechesis (C),

Catholic education (CE),

Catholic communications (CC),

Governance (King)

Stewardship (S).

The Three Fold mission of the Church/ The Three Pastoral Priorities

The New Evangelization (Prophet/Teaching)

Revitalized Catholic culture and identity (King/ Governance)

A Deep Moral Renewal (Priest/Gathering)

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WORK OF THE VICARIATE

Break into three groups based your handout.

Short presentation on the pastoral priority in the group.

Discuss the pastoral priority and give concrete recommendations for its implementation at a parish level.

Write concrete recommendations and hand them into the synod team.

Small working team within your Vicariate takes all your recommendations to formulate vicariate resolutions.

Vicariate hands in resolutions to Synod committee within two weeks of this meeting.

Moving Forward

What challenges do you foresee in preparing for Synod 2009 in your parish?

What resources do you need to move the process forward?

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Archdiocese of Port of Spain 2009

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