Bishop Brendan Leahy discusses the preparation for Synod 2016 (April 8th- 10th) in Limerick Diocese and the key topics that will be addressed.
for more info – www.limerickdiocese.org/ and www.synod2016.com/
What will the Synod adddress?
“Each of the three preparatory phases have been equally important for us and the Synod is now in sight.” – Synod Director Fr. Eamonn Fitzgibbon,
The delegates – 70% of whom are lay people – are representative of the faithful across the diocese, with delegates drawn from all socio economic backgrounds and ethnicities and including all ages, from older citizens to even primary school students.
So far over 1,500 people have attended meetings in the preparatory phase for the Synod, with all 60 parishes engaged in the process, as well as 25 other groups, including primary, secondary and third level education, healthcare workers, members of the travelling community, the migrant community and people with disabilities.
The six themes were selected by vote at a Delegate Day last October and are:
- Community & Sense of Belonging
- Faith Formation
- Pastoral Care of the Family
- New Models of Leadership
- Liturgy & Life
- Young People
The themes were selected after 4,000 plus questionnaires were submitted. The theme which had the most references in the questionnaire responses was Community & Sense of Belonging, with the most topics emerging here from the questionnaire being how to break ‘cliques’, how to build communities, declining numbers in communities, encouraging volunteerism, generating a caring ethos in communities and stimulating more social gatherings.