Manifesting. Kingdom. the FIRST SYNOD. To The clergy, religious and laity. Archdiocese of Washington

Transcription

1 Manifesting the Kingdom A Pastoral Letter on the FIRST SYNOD of the Archdiocese of Washington To The clergy, religious and laity of the Archdiocese of Washington by His Eminence Donald Cardinal Wuerl Archbishop of Washington

2 Grace and peace to you in Christ.

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4 Contents Introduction 2 PART ONE 3 To Be The Best Church We Can Be CONTENTS PART TWO 6 The Synod Process PART THREE 10 The Context of Our Archdiocesan Synod PART FOUR 12 The Holy Spirit: The Principal Agent of Evangelization PART FIVE 15 Thematic Summary of the Synod PART SIX 19 The Fruits of the Synod CONCLUSION 20 A New Pentecost

5 INTRODUCTION Introduction Manifesting the kingdom of God this is the mission and blessing given to us by our Lord Jesus Christ. The Gospels tell us that Jesus went around all Galilee proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom (Matthew 4:23). This kingdom is spiritual and not a political realm, and its final fulfillment will be realized in eternity. Yet Christ s kingdom is rooted in this temporal world. The kingdom entered human history through Jesus Christ, the Word Incarnate. No mere poetic metaphor, this kingdom is a living reality it is the presence of God. Before all things, the Second Vatican Council teaches, the kingdom is clearly visible in the very Person of Christ (Lumen gentium, 5). Entering this kingdom means being one with the Lord. His royal throne is the wood of the Cross and the law of his realm is love and truth. When Jesus was put to death, the kingdom did not end, for he rose again on the third day. When the Risen Lord ascended to heaven, the kingdom was not removed from us, it continues on to this very day. It falls to us now to manifest, to make present, by our fraternal love, the beginnings of the kingdom here and now. Jesus laid the foundation for the enduring presence of his kingdom in the Church the Body of Christ. As I explained in the pastoral letter The Church, Our Spiritual Home (2012), The Catholic Church is the enduring, visible yet spiritual, structured yet Spiritled, human yet divine presence of Christ in the world today (9). While not the fullness of the kingdom, the Church is the beginning, the outward sign and instrument of that kingdom coming to be among us, of communion with God and of unity among all people (Lumen gentium, 1). In the Church, the Lord shows the kingdom to us as something visible, a community called together by him, of which he is the Good Shepherd, the true and lasting head. MANIFESTING THE KINGDOM The book of the Acts of the Apostles tells us that before Jesus returned to his Father in glory, he charged his disciples, You will be my witnesses (Acts 1:8). That same mission echoes in our ears and hearts today. It was made clear at the Synod of Bishops for the New Evangelization for the Transmission of the Christian Faith which met in Rome in October 2012 and at which I was honored to serve as relator general that the continuation of the mission of Christ the Redeemer, which began with the Great Commissioning following his death and Resurrection, is what we are called to today. We are challenged not only to participate in the life of the Church, but actually to manifest the coming of God s kingdom in our world, and so grow in spiritual stature (The Church, Our Spiritual Home, 9). The call is to bring all things to Christ and make this temporal order a truly blessed expression of God s love, truth and justice. For two millennia, it has been the work of the whole Church, all of the People of God, every member of the Body of Christ, to show forth to the world the presence of our Savior and Lord, one of us who is also the Son of God. We are called to be, in our very lives, an epiphany of the Lord to those we encounter, a bright shining light so that others might be led to him like the Great Star of Bethlehem led the wise men to Jesus on that glorious Christmas day. The kingdom of God offers humanity a different way of seeing life and the world around us. We bring a fuller vision of life than that offered by the secular society that lives as if God did not exist. In the Sermon on the Mount presented in Matthew s Gospel, we hear of a new way of life a life of beatitude and how it involves the merciful, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, those who mourn, the peacemakers, the poor in spirit (Matthew 5:3-16). Reflecting upon this Good News gives us a whole new way of looking at life. It offers us hope, stirring within us expectations of a fuller life and a better world. In Jesus, we learn the secret of true joy, which does not consist in having a lot of things no amount of worldly goods can ever satisfy the longings of the human heart but in knowing we are loved by the Lord who chose to become one of us, sharing in our human lives so that we might share in his divine life. 2

6 PART ONE To Be The Best Church We Can Be PART ONE The Purpose of this Letter In the course of our lives, we regularly have the opportunity to go to birthday parties, anniversary celebrations, graduations. When marking a major milestone, it is often accompanied by pulling out old scrapbooks and photo albums, engaging in fond remembrances, as well as some introspection. We are celebrating such a milestone in years of our family of faith manifesting the kingdom of God since the Archdiocese of Washington was established in Looking back at our heritage, we also look to the future, and it is appropriate during this time to engage in a self-assessment, to ask ourselves if we are the best Church we can be. There are and have been challenges to our living fully our Catholic faith, as I discuss below and in greater detail in The Church, Our Spiritual Home and the 2010 pastoral letter on the New Evangelization, Disciples of the Lord: Sharing the Vision. Nevertheless, we must ask if we are radiating the love and truth of Christ as we should be in spite of these difficulties, and, if not, how might the Church of Washington improve to shine more brightly. Given the historic moment of our archdiocesan jubilee, having taken notice of the signs of the times, I thought it appropriate that we should undertake this ecclesial self-examination and plan for the future in the form of an archdiocesan synod. In such a formal gathering, among other things, there would be widespread opportunity for people all across our local Church to participate and share their ideas about what we are doing well and how we might improve. That decision was met with broad agreement and enthusiasm. Building on my prior pastoral letters, in this present document I would like to offer some reflections on our Archdiocesan Synod in the context of the recent teachings of the Church, particularly the call to the New Evangelization and life in the Spirit. At 75 years, we are a young Church in many ways, but we are also a Church of achievement, accomplishment and experience. We praise God for these blessings. However, we know that we could do better. We dare not be complacent. In the New Testament, we can read many letters from Saint Paul to various churches where the seeds of the Gospel had been sown. The missionary Apostle gave thanks to God that the Church had taken root and sprouted, but many of these letters also dealt with difficulties and problems that had arisen. In chapter two of the Book of Revelation, the Lord himself addresses seven churches, giving praise for the good in them, but also advising them to do better and in some cases rebuking them. He concludes each assessment of the respective churches with the words, Whoever has ears ought to hear what the Spirit says to the churches. Once I visited a school one cold and wet winter morning and asked the assembled students, Why would we be here on such a miserable day? One fourth-grader stood with great pride and answered, I come to this school so that I can get a life. His schoolmates nodded and applauded. What this youngster said about his Catholic school should be true of all the ministries of the Church. They exist to give others a life through an encounter with the One who is the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6). Are we doing that in our archdiocese? How well are we manifesting the kingdom of God in our community? 3

7 PART ONE Do we reflect Christ s light in the world? Are we the best Church we can be? Our Archdiocesan Synod has been a time to fully take stock, with honesty and humility, of the condition of our spiritual home, particularly in the key areas of worship, education, community, service, and stewardship and administration. In this prayerful process, input from the faithful was gathered with the goal of providing concrete direction so that we can better prepare ourselves to carry forward the work of the Church into the future. The spiritual and pastoral priorities of our local Church have been examined to establish stable reference points for ecclesial life and practice, particularly so that the New Evangelization might permeate every aspect of the life of our Church. In addition, existing policies have been reviewed and, where necessary, updated. A History of Manifesting the Kingdom in our Local Church contradiction in the world (Luke 2:34). In the Gospel of John, the Evangelist says that Jesus is Light, but much of the world prefers the darkness (John 3:19). Jesus himself warned that if we love him, the world will oppose us (Matthew 10:16-21, John 15:18-21). The early Church often met resistance and persecution. To be sure, the Church in our own area was born out of hostility to the Catholic faith. Our Catholic forebears left England, which had been the scene of religious strife for a century before, and came here precisely to be able to live their faith without restraint. When the first Catholic settlers arrived here on board two small ships, the Ark and the Dove, and planted the cross on Saint Clement s Island on the Solemnity of the Annunciation, March 25, 1634, they founded colonial Maryland as the birthplace of religious freedom in this land. But in a few short years, when strains of the English Civil War reached these shores, that freedom was lost. The mission our Lord entrusts to us is not an easy one. It never has been easy. When Jesus was but a newborn infant, Simeon said he would be a sign of When the first Catholic settlers arrived here on board two small ships, the Ark and the Dove, and planted the cross on Saint Clement s Island on the Solemnity of the Annunciation, March 25, 1634, they founded colonial Maryland as the birthplace of religious freedom in this land. Father Andrew White, who was instrumental in establishing the settlement at Saint Mary s, was seized in 1645 and banished back to England. The 1667 Brick Chapel in Saint Mary s was subsequently closed and later dismantled. Then penal laws such as the 1704 Act to Prevent the Growth of Popery were passed forbidding Catholics from publicly practicing their faith, holding public office and voting. Catholic schools were banned and, as with the persecuted early Church in Rome, Mass had to be celebrated in secret in people s homes. Despite these obstacles, the Catholic Church grew. The first Christians faced oppression and began as a small band with no great resources, yet animated by the fire of the Spirit, they touched the hearts of others and managed to transform the world. The early Church here likewise helped to transform this corner of the globe. Within a few years of arriving, Father White s missionary efforts bore fruit with the baptisms of many native peoples. In subsequent years, the Catholic population grew and grew. At the time of our nation s founding, the contributions of the Catholic laity who are called to build up the temporal order were indispensible to building a free, equal, just and prosperous country. Consecrated religious essentially initiated the educational and health care systems in 4

8 this area that we know today. The kingdom broke through in spite of limitations. It was with great joy when, five years ago, I had the privilege of pushing open the doors of the reconstructed Brick Chapel in historic Saint Mary s City. The unlocking, while a symbolic or ceremonial event, carried with it great significance because it was a reminder that we are a free people and among the rights we celebrate are freedom of conscience and freedom of worship. All of us, as spiritual descendants of those intrepid women and men who came to this land in 1634, can rejoice and take pride in their vision and courage. Without a doubt, the history that followed shows that a Catholic presence is woven as a thread into the very fabric of our society. Today, the Archdiocese of Washington is home to over 620,000 Catholics, 139 parishes and 96 Catholic schools located in Washington, D.C., and the five Maryland counties of Calvert, Charles, Montgomery, Prince George s and Saint Mary s. Assisting these members of our Catholic family, as well as our brothers and sisters in the wider community, are many agencies and various offices of the archdiocese, and our affiliated entities. Our family of faith does a great deal of good for a lot of people today. Many of the contributions made by this local Church are highlighted in the booklet Catholic Impact 2014, which supplements the earlier 2012 edition and is being released by the archdiocese concurrently with the publication of this pastoral letter. Throughout its history, the Church of Washington has made a remarkable impact in our community, bringing to others the vision of a more fully and authentic human life, hope for a better world, and a way of life which seeks to establish a culture of solidarity and communion. For example, another recently published archdiocesan report, Catholic Education in the Archdiocese of Washington, , illustrates how our Catholic schools are a living institutional witness to Christ and his saving message. In addition, archdiocesan initiatives such as Find the Perfect Gift, The Light Is ON for You, and Living Catholic have touched people in new ways. Meanwhile, ever greater numbers of people are entering the Church and our Saint John Paul II Seminary has been expanded to accommodate more and more men who have discerned the call to follow Christ as priests. PART ONE 5

9 PART TWO PART TWO The Synod Process Synods Generally Occasionally someone will ask me, usually in the context of some social, cultural or political issue that has arisen, something to the effect of, Why doesn t the Church do more? Why isn t the Church more involved? Why aren t priests and bishops speaking up more? These questions reveal a view of the Church that places the task of the renewal of the temporal order on the shoulders of the clergy. Yet the Second Vatican Council calls us to a more diversified responsibility. The clergy do have a role. They are to proclaim the Gospel imperative. But the work of transforming the world by the application of that message falls to the laity when we deal with the temporal order. It is the charge of the laity to complete the evangelization and sanctification of the world. As we turn our attention to our archdiocesan Church, we need also to look at how well we are organized so that, whatever the duties of each member, we can together achieve our goal of making visible and effective in our world the kingdom of God. The bishop serves as shepherd of a portion of God s flock and, as such, he has a solemn obligation to care for the multitude of souls who make up that flock. The icon of the bishop s ministry and authority is Christ the Good Shepherd. The Second Vatican Council s Dogmatic Constitution on the Church reminds us that the work of the Good Shepherd is found in the divinely instituted ecclesiastical ministry that is exercised in different degrees by those who even from ancient times have been called bishops, priests and deacons (cf. Lumen gentium, 28). From the earliest days, Catholic teaching and the constant practice of the Church have recognized that there are two degrees of ministerial participation in the priesthood of Christ: the episcopacy and the presbyterate. The diaconate, the Catechism of the Catholic Church affirms, is intended to help and serve them (1554). Saint Paul points out that the Holy Spirit is the source of the division of labor in the Church. Thus we have all of those baptized in the Holy Spirit, those called to consecrated life and the clergy, those who received one of the sacraments of Orders. Saint John Paul II in Pastores gregis reminds us how it falls to the bishop to provide leadership for his flock: Bishops have the sacred right and the duty before the Lord to make laws for their subjects, to pass judgment on them, and to moderate everything pertaining to the ordering of worship and the apostolate (43). The bishop, however, does not act in isolation. Especially with the challenges of today, there is a new urgency which calls for assistance, cooperation and commitment on the part of the whole People of God. The structural form of this assistance to the bishop in his ministry of governance can present itself in different ways, including the diocesan curia, pastoral council, finance council, priest council, commissions, ad hoc committees, diocesan staff and other assemblies. The archdiocese continues to utilize these bodies. However, given the profound challenges of the modern day as discussed above, together with recent developments in the Church Universal, including our call to a New Evangelization, as well as the historic moment of our 75th anniversary jubilee, so that we can be the best Church we can be, it was deemed appropriate to review our past accomplishments and plan for the future of the life of our local Church with the more formal gathering known as a synod. Under canon law, an archdiocesan synod is formally defined as a group of selected priests and other members of the Christian faithful of a particular church who offer assistance to the diocesan bishop for the good of the whole diocesan community (Canon 460). The Vatican document governing such formal canonical assemblies states that their purpose is to assist the Bishop in the exercise of the office proper to him, namely, that of governing 6

10 PART TWO MANIFESTING THE KINGDOM the Christian community (Instruction on Diocesan Synods, I:1 (1997)). This instruction goes on to explain, Communion and mission, both indispensable aspects of the Church s pastoral activities, constitute the good of the diocesan community mentioned in Canon 460 as the final object of the Synod (Id., I:3). Given that the archbishop, as a successor of the apostles, has the pastoral care of the local Church entrusted to him, and manifested in the offices of sanctifying, teaching and governing, the synod is convoked by the archbishop, who also has the obligation to preside over the synod and has the sole legislative authority (Canons 462 and 466). Ex officio members of an archdiocesan synod include the auxiliary bishops, episcopal vicars, judicial vicar, members of the priest council, deans and representatives of religious communities located in the archdiocese, as well as a substantial number of lay faithful who discuss any proposed questions and, with a consultative vote, may submit advice, recommendations, and proposed draft legislation for final decision by the archbishop (Canons ). The fact that the role of synod participants is consultative does not mean that it is of little importance. In virtue of their experience and their counsel, those who participate in the Synod also collaborate actively in drawing up those declarations and decrees, which are properly called synodal, and by which the episcopal government of the diocese is inspired for the future (Instruction on Diocesan Synods, I:2). Moreover, the Synod not only manifests and actualizes ecclesial communion in a diocese, it also builds up and fosters that same unity, especially in its declarations and decrees (Id., I:3). This First Archdiocesan Synod of the Church of Washington has given the lay faithful especially a greater opportunity to participate in the work of our local Church as we review its mission in manifesting the kingdom of God. The participants in the Synod, I am pleased to note, reflected in a significant way the composition of our local Church and its ethnic and cultural richness. History of the Archdiocesan Synod Process In October 2011, I raised the possibility of an archdiocesan synod with the Administrative Board of the Archdiocese of Washington. Based on the favorable response the proposal received, the idea was presented to both the Priest Council and the Archdiocesan Pastoral Council. Again, there was an enthusiastically positive response. 7

11 PART TWO MANIFESTING THE KINGDOM It was also during this time in October 2011 that Pope Benedict XVI announced that the Church Universal would celebrate a Year of Faith, which would be a summons to an authentic and renewed conversion to the Lord, the one Savior of the world (Porta fidei, 6). The Year would begin on the following October 11, 2012, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council, as well as the General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops that would meet to collaborate on the theme of The New Evangelization for the Transmission of the Christian Faith. This prophetic time of grace, and the many fruits that it bore, would come to inform and inspire the process in our local Church. Upon reviewing the comments and suggestions that were offered in the previous consultative meetings, a proposed structure, timeline and recommended committee structure and nominating process for both a pastoral and canonical preparatory commission were presented to the Priest Council, where these proposals received a favorable response. Accordingly, I brought the topic of an Archdiocesan Synod to each of the deaneries in the context of our annual winter meetings during January and February 2012 and there, too, the response was universally positive and supportive. Following this initial stage, the process moved to the next step during Lent of 2012 with the identification of those who would be the members of the Synod, those who were ex officio members by Church law and laypeople from across the archdiocese. Pastors were asked to nominate those lay faithful who might be willing to participate in this important endeavor. Pastors, working through their deans, nominated several hundred members of the lay faithful from whom could be selected participants to serve on the Archdiocesan Synod. As a result of this wholehearted response, in July 2012, the nominees were invited to an initial discussion. At this introductory session, these several hundred laywomen and laymen were given information on the Synod and the pastoral and canonical preparatory commissions that would be appointed for the Synod. So it was that on August 15, 2012, the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, I was able to announce publicly my intention to convoke a Synod for the Archdiocese of Washington. I explained that this gathering of our faith community would coincide with the 75th Anniversary of the Archdiocese in 2014 and that it would serve as an opportunity to hear from the faithful on the life of the Church. The frame of reference for the reflections and discussions within the synod would include, but not be limited to, worship, 8

12 education, community, service, and stewardship and administration. with the final session of the Synod being convoked on the Solemnity of Pentecost, June 8, Thereafter began the process of substantively laying the groundwork for the Synod with teaching and listening sessions, which would offer a wide range of people the opportunity to provide feedback and input about the life of our Church. On September 8, 2012, the Nativity of Mary, members of the two preparatory commissions and I gathered at The Catholic University of America for a day of prayer and to review and improve catechetical materials that had been developed for these sessions. In this meeting, I spoke about my vision, hopes and expectations for the Synod, asking how we could be the best Church we can be. The faithful throughout the archdiocese were then invited to participate in listening sessions, which were conducted through May 19, 2013, in each of the parishes and in regional locations across the archdiocese. Those who were unable personally to be present for a parish listening session were still able to participate online on the archdiocesan website. Participants in these listening sessions sought to determine those areas where it appears that all of us are more or less successfully accomplishing the goals of our archdiocesan Church s mission and those areas that need greater attention. They also identified opportunities for renewing our faith and helping to stir into flame the embers of the Holy Spirit that animates the Church. It was a time for the faithful to say we can still grow. As good as we are, we can, with the help of Our Lord, be a better People of God. People who participated in the listening sessions say they found them productive, enjoyable and energizing. Participants also talked about how to be a more welcoming community to newcomers, communicate better the needs of parishes and the archdiocese as a whole so that everyone can contribute gifts of time, talent and treasure, as well as find more opportunities for prayer and devotions. Following the listening sessions, work began on establishing goals for newly identified priorities. There was a sense of the Holy Spirit moving through our local Church. It was with great joy that on Pentecost 2013, I initiated that phase of the Archdiocesan Synod that would prepare the fruits of the Synod, namely, the recommendations for action and proposed revisions and additions to archdiocesan directives and policies, At the Eucharistic celebration to open formally this process, we invoked the Holy Spirit, understanding that it is only through the gift of the Spirit that we are enabled to carry out our mission. The Synod participants then each made a formal profession of faith and were commissioned. They numbered approximately 200 from each part of the archdiocese, including over 125 lay women and men and religious sisters and brothers, in addition to the clergy including members of Priest Council, and the deans. At that time, a General Preparatory Commission, a Canonical Preparatory Commission, and a Pastoral Preparatory Commission, with appropriate subcommittees, were appointed. Over the following months, as the work of the Synod began in earnest, participants turned their attention to prioritizing areas of ministry and began the task of evaluating what was heard in the listening sessions, bringing their own experiences to bear. This was no easy task the fruit of the listening sessions included more than 15,000 recommendations. The bulk of this work was undertaken by the Pastoral Preparatory Commission and its Subcommittees on Worship, Education, Community, Service, and Stewardship and Administration, which reviewed and synthesized the recommendations, making note of common priorities, unique opportunities for growth in particular regions of the archdiocese, and areas of strength that should be sustained and supported in the years to come. In their capable hands, the various themes and listening session recommendations were discussed, commented on, and winnowed down, with an eye toward reaching consensus and formulating the statutes and recommendations of the Synod itself. As contemplated in the Vatican Instruction on Diocesan Synods, the process encouraged the free exchange of ideas. The Canonical Preparatory Commission, with its subcommittees for the review of policies and the creation of a policy index, took a look at existing archdiocesan policies in areas such as liturgical norms, sacred arts, priest personnel, child protection, the permanent diaconate, religious education, parish councils, employment, fundraising, contract review, and more. In all of this work we saw an outpouring of love for our family of faith, a gift to our Lord Jesus, Bridegroom of the Church. PART TWO 9

13 PART THREE PART THREE The Context of Our Archdiocesan Synod The Present Situation Challenges and Opportunities You know, Father, I should be Catholic. I just sort of drifted away. I miss belonging. The man who offered this self-assessment had just approached me at a charity reception and clearly was somewhat uneasy about his admission. Later in the conversation, he admitted, even though I was never the best of Catholics, I miss being a part of it all. Many of us probably know someone like that. Like any family, the Church faces challenges. In the last decades some have chosen to leave home, perhaps feeling that they had good reason to walk away. Others have just sort of drifted away. Some may say they are spiritual but not religious and therefore not affiliated with the Church. Still others may never have really known what the family is all about or they may have had a bad experience. or at least not very often. Whatever their motive for leaving, members felt strongly that it is time to invite back home our Catholic sisters and brothers who feel alienated from the Church. Additionally, too many people in our community, Catholic and non-catholic alike, are living on the margins of society, and Synod members recognized that it is also our task to go out and bring the saving love of Christ to them and all who do not know him. At the Synod of Bishops on the New Evangelization it was pointed out that the Christian way of life and the Gospel vision of right and wrong, virtue and God s love all seem to be eclipsed by various social, cultural, and political trends that seek to bleach out recognition and appreciation of God and marginalize the Church in her ability to function and live out her Gospel mandate to serve others in charity. The consequence of this is a diminishment in the ability of people today to hear the truth, richness and joy of the authentic Good News of Christ. It is against this background a diminished appreciation of God and the faith that the Church has called all of us to a New Evangelization, which is all about revitalizing and sharing life in the Lord who makes all things new. Our Archdiocesan Synod affirms that the antidote to our spiritual malaise is for each of us to know and deepen our knowledge of the Crucified and Risen Jesus and manifest his kingdom. The love of Christ should be seen in all our activities, Synod members stressed. This is our perennial mission. The Second Vatican Council and the New Evangelization This is the social reality that the participants in our Archdiocesan Synod understood they were facing. Despite the obstacles that are placed in our path, our local Church is thriving in many ways, they noted. However, Synod members widely agreed that more needs to be done. Too many of the 620,000 Catholics in our archdiocese are not touched by the Church In 1939, a few months after he established the Archdiocese of Washington, Pope Pius XII wrote a letter observing the 150th anniversary of the appointment of Bishop John Carroll and the establishment of the first diocese in the United States. In this document, the Holy Father cited many of the good fruits of the Church in our local area and across the nation, observing that in your country there prevails a thriving life which the grace of the Holy Spirit has brought to flower in the inner sanctuary of 10

14 your hearts (Sertum laetitiae, 6). However, the Pope then went on to describe some of the challenges of the time. Many of those problems we also face today, only more acutely, including secularization, neglect of the moral life, challenges to marriage and family, threats to religious freedom and social injustice. The existence of challenges such as these was part of the reason that Saint John XXIII was inspired to call the Second Vatican Council. In his address opening the Council, we see the roots of the New Evangelization: What is needed at the present time is a new enthusiasm, a new joy and serenity of mind in the unreserved acceptance by all of the entire Christian faith... What is needed, and what everyone imbued with a truly Christian, Catholic and apostolic spirit craves today, is that this doctrine shall be more widely known, more deeply understood, and more penetrating in its effects on men s moral lives. What is needed is that this certain and immutable doctrine, to which the faithful owe obedience, be studied afresh and reformulated in contemporary terms. A major focus of the pontificate of Pope Paul VI, who presided over the Council after the death of Saint John XXIII, was the implementation of its teachings. Recognizing that the objective of the Council was to make the Church in this age ever better fitted for proclaiming the Gospel to the people of our day, he called for a new period of evangelization, adding that the conditions of the society in which we live oblige all of us therefore to revise methods, to seek by every means to study how we can bring the Christian message to modern man (Evangelii nuntiandi, 2-3). In commemoration of the 500th anniversary of the evangelization of the Americas, Saint John Paul II said that this historic moment would achieve its full meaning only if it became a commitment to a new evangelization a sharing of the Gospel of Jesus Christ that is new in ardor, methods and expression, embracing our world today in all its diversity (quoted in Ecclesia in America, 6 and 66). He explained that this proclamation of the Good News, which all people have a right to hear, is to be made within the context of the lives of the individuals and peoples who receive it. It is to be made with an attitude of love and esteem toward those who hear it, in language which is practical and adapted to the situation (Redemptoris missio, 44). Noting that it was the prophetic task of the popes to give apostolic guidance and discern the new demands of evangelization (Caritas in veritate, 12), Pope Benedict XVI took up this call and made the New Evangelization a central component of his papacy. He emphasized that we must re-propose the Gospel for a hearing among those who are convinced they already know the faith and it holds no interest for them. Pope Benedict spoke often of the obstacles to faith, such as relativism and skepticism which deny the existence of objective truth and the natural moral order. During his visit to Washington in April 2008, he highlighted three related challenges the secularism, materialism, and individualism which have so influenced our culture, and have had an impact within the Church as well. Likewise, in continuity with his predecessors, Pope Francis calls us to the work of the New Evangelization. Those who have opened their hearts to God s love, heard his voice and received his light, cannot keep this gift to themselves, he wrote in his first encyclical. The word, once accepted, becomes a response, a confession of faith, which spreads to others and invites them to believe (Lumen fidei, 37). As I expressed in the Synod of Bishops and in my pastoral letter, Disciples of the Lord: Sharing the Vision, I believe there are three distinct, but interrelated stages to the New Evangelization: the renewal of our own faith affectively and intellectually; out of that depth of faith must come a fresh confidence in the truth of the Gospel; and in light of that confidence we simply share the faith with others. With these reflections in mind, the members of our Archdiocesan Synod made recommendations, recognizing that our mission does not involve one specific action or activity of the Church, but rather a way of seeing a whole range of activities carried on by the Church to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ. In the ministries of our local Church and personally, we need to communicate our own joy of being definitively and completely loved by Christ and, therefore, capable of loving others. This communication of the Gospel should be in words and in life, in prayer and in deed, urged the members of our Archdiocesan Synod. Making their own the plea of Saint John Paul to open wide the doors to Christ, they asked that we, the People of God, embrace all who seek to know and form a relationship with Jesus, inviting them into our spiritual home. PART THREE 11

15 PART FOUR PART FOUR The Holy Spirit: The Principal Agent of Evangelization Once while I was at the airport, an announcement was made that the departure gate for a certain flight had been changed. We also were told that the flight would begin boarding immediately. I watched as a family began to move quickly to the new gate. The youngest, about four and the slowest, fell behind. A look of panic covered his face. Only when his older brother recognized the situation, returned and took him by the hand did a smile appear. He realized he was not to be left behind; he was not to be forgotten. When Jesus prepared to leave us, he reminded us that he would not leave us orphans. We would not be left alone. He would continue to be with us and to teach us. This would happen through the extraordinary gift of the Holy Spirit. Accordingly, it was on Pentecost last year that I chose to formally call our Archdiocesan Synod and commission its participants, appealing to the Spirit to guide the work. If I were to describe the outcome of the Synod, or at least the mood of this family gathering, I would say that it was a positive experience, an expression of harmonious unity and clearly pastoral in its orientation. This is a sign that our local Church is alive in the Spirit. We rejoice that we live in full continuity with the Gospel and at the same time the Synod members gave voice to the need to do more. This mission is still only beginning, said Saint John Paul II, and we must commit ourselves wholeheartedly to its service (Redemptoris missio, 1). The Outpouring of the Holy Spirit Although the kingdom is good news the best news possible the task of living and spreading the faith is particularly challenging today because we live in an age of aggressive secularism. Thus we may be tempted at times to view it as an impossible mission, feeling overwhelmed by these currents of our secular culture and the pressures of modern life that militate against the Church in her mission. But Jesus never promised that our work would be easy. On the other hand, our Synod participants clearly understood, we know that we have the power of God s Spirit to enable us to meet the challenges of the day. In personally responding to the universal vocation to holiness, the call to be perfect in love and truth, to do good and avoid evil, in seeking to live the virtues of faith, hope and love, we do not fend for ourselves. The Lord does not leave us to our own devices. He offers us help, he offers us his grace. We read in the Gospel how Jesus, before he undergoes his passion and death on the Cross, says to his disciples, In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world (John 16:33). The Lord explicitly promised that when his work was finished and he returned to the Father in glory, he would not leave his disciples orphans, but would send the Holy Spirit to live with us as Advocate, Consoler, Gift, and Love (John 14:16-18, 26; 16:13-14). 12

16 Before he ascended to heaven, after having defeated sin and conquered death, the Risen Lord said, You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth (Acts of the Apostles 1:8). While perhaps not fully understood at the time, the Holy Spirit has been at work from the beginning. Obviously the voice of God that came to Abram calling him to set out to a new land and be the father of a great nation was the movement of the Spirit. Moses recognizes as he stands on hallowed ground before the burning bush that it is the Spirit of God touching him. The Spirit has also spoken through the prophets. In the messianic prophecies of the book of Isaiah, we are told of the gifts of the Spirit (11:2-3). Later, God reveals his plan to make a New Covenant and pour out his Spirit upon his people (Jeremiah 31:31-34; Joel 3:1-5). I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you, said the Lord (Ezekiel 36:25-28). That outpouring of the Spirit upon the whole Church happened in a dramatic and visible way on Pentecost, when suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim (Acts 2:1-4). By virtue of this anointing by the Holy Spirit, the Church was born and the mission of Jesus became the mission of the Church. Life in the Spirit from doctrinal error throughout history and he acts to convince the world concerning sin. He is the principal agent of the Church s mission of evangelization. The Spirit fills us with God s presence so that we can truly become adopted children of our heavenly Father. Restoring through baptism the divine likeness that was lost through sin, the Spirit gives us a rebirth into the Church so that we can be called children of light and given a share in eternal glory. In his encyclical on the Holy Spirit, Saint John Paul tells us, Man s intimate relationship with God in the Holy Spirit also enables him to understand himself, his own humanity, in a new way. Thus that image and likeness of God which man is from his very beginning is fully realized (Dominum et vivificantem, 59). Jesus says to us, Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened (Matthew 7:7-8). We have only but to pray and ask God for his grace, his power to be true to the good that he made us for, and it will be given. The Holy Spirit makes true conversion possible. This conversion, this turning for the better, is a necessary part of Christian life. It is not optional. Conversion is also not like a change of opinion or address or political affiliation or wardrobe. Our purpose in life is to be transformed into Christ. This is why Jesus came among us and nothing could be more transformative than this divinization of the human person. Through the grace of the Holy Spirit, by the love of the Crucified and Risen Christ, we are perfected in God and with God, no matter what our limitations on this earth. PART FOUR The Church continues to receive that great Pentecostal outpouring of the Spirit. Indeed, the Synod members highlighted that our very identity as Christians, as members in communion the one Body of Christ that is the Church, comes only through the power of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit builds up and animates the Church. Without the Holy Spirit, the Church is just a human structure, but with the Spirit, the Synod members recognized, the Church is formed into Christ s new Body. The Spirit inspired the human writers of the Holy Scriptures and he inspired the Sacred Tradition of the Church. He guides and protects the Church The Gift of Grace No doubt we all could tell stories of some gift we received that we did not know what to do with. If we leave the present under the Christmas tree or stick it in the closet unused, it is of little benefit. If we write return to sender on the package that arrives at our doorstep, we do not gain from it. Grace too is a gift and like any gift, in order to benefit from it, it must be accepted, it must be utilized. Grace which is offered but spurned or ignored is a gift not received. In the recent major motion picture Son of God, there is the scene where Simon Peter first encounters Jesus. 13

17 PART FOUR MANIFESTING THE KINGDOM The fisherman is on his boat when Jesus asks from the shore, Do you need help? Peter responds, I m not looking for any help. The Lord, who has been holding a rock, then begins to wade out into the water. Hey! You can t just climb into my boat! yells Peter. Jesus agrees, saying Yeah, you re right. Give me a hand. Peter reaches down and helps pull Jesus into his boat, but then, clearly annoyed, Peter asks Jesus what he is doing. We re going fishing, the Lord responds with a smile. Of course we know what happens next Peter hauls in a boat-load of fish. In this scene is a little lesson on Christ and the grace he offers us it is necessary for us to take the Lord into our boat. Each of us is called to a sublime destiny to live in the everlasting joy and glory of God. But he will not force himself on us; he will not climb in without our consent. The Lord might be persistent and we might think him annoying at times, but he will not impose himself on us. Those who have accepted and cooperated with the grace of the Spirit can testify to exactly how powerful a gift it is. With his grace, we can do that which otherwise would be very difficult or impossible for us to do on our own. It is not just a movie, not just a story in a book, it is true life. The Power of the Holy Spirit The Holy Spirit empowers us with his gifts individually and as the Church to do what needs to be done. This Archdiocesan Synod attests to that reality. It is with the grace of the Holy Spirit that the Church of Washington has sought to fulfill her solemn apostolic mission. In preparation for the work of our Archdiocesan Synod and the celebration of the 75th anniversary year of the archdiocese, we asked God at Pentecost 2013 to help us receive the Holy Spirit. The Lord answered and accordingly we have abundant fruit from the Synod. The Holy Spirit is working in our age just as he has in every age, but there is much to do. And so we continue to voice the prayer, Come Holy Spirit, today and every day, asking that the Spirit empower us as we implement the fruits of the Synod and so that we continue to be part of a renewal that will ensure for generations yet to come the ability to manifest the kingdom of God in our world. 14

18 PART FIVE Thematic Summary of the Synod Pope Benedict XVI taught that the Church s deepest nature is expressed in her three-fold responsibility: proclaiming the word of God (kerygma-martyria), celebrating the sacraments (leitourgia), and exercising the ministry of charity (diakonia) (Deus caritas est, 25). While some in our society would limit the exercise of our Catholic faith to our houses of worship, the Holy Father made clear that these duties presuppose each other and are inseparable (Id.). We are called to manifest the kingdom of God not merely within our church buildings, but out in the world, building up the common good. When we correspond to God s grace, we are extending the kingdom, we are able to be the image of Christ to all those we encounter in his love, in his truth, in his mercy, and in his justice, making a gift of ourselves in service to communion with God and one another in him. This is how Christ changes the world. With this and the challenges of our day in mind, participants in our Archdiocesan Synod and in the preceding listening sessions were asked to assess just exactly how well we as a Church are doing and to help formulate a plan for the future in light of, among other things, the New Evangelization. Mere bureaucratic efficiency is not the measure of success. Rather, as Pope Francis counseled in his first apostolic exhortation, The renewal of structures demanded by pastoral conversion can only be understood in this light: as part of an effort to make them more mission-oriented, to make ordinary pastoral activity on every level more inclusive and open, to inspire in pastoral workers a constant desire to go forth and in this way to elicit a positive response from all those whom Jesus summons to friendship with himself (Evangelii gaudium, 27). Accordingly, each of the recommendations offered by the Synod members is directed toward the goal of helping all of us be better witnesses to Jesus in all of the ministries and activities of our archdiocesan Church, in communion and harmony with both the chief shepherd of our local Church and the Pope, Successor of Peter and chief shepherd of the Church Universal. For purposes of study, discussion and presentation, the Synod organized its work under five headings: worship, education, community, service, and stewardship and administration. Worship We go to Mass on Sunday! the father asserted, to which the exasperated youngster replied, Dad, I can t. I have soccer practice. Sound familiar? It is increasingly difficult to recognize any difference between Sunday and the other days of the week. The Synod members gave witness that the heart of the Church is the celebration of the sacraments, particularly the Eucharist. From the Blessed Sacrament flows all the worship, prayer, acts of charity and faith formation. Through the sacraments, the saving work of our Lord Jesus Christ his death and resurrection is made present again in our day and applied to us. Every time I read the results of a survey or a study recounting how many Catholics do not regularly attend Mass, I cannot help but think that too many people simply do not really understand what is taking place in the Eucharist. Accordingly, members of the Synod recommended that on-going catechesis be provided on divine worship and the sacraments. In addition, they expressed a desire that priests and deacons be helped to give homilies that meet the needs of the faithful and convey fully and joyfully the Church s message of the Gospel. To foster and promote meaningful participation in the Mass, Synod members additionally urged that efforts be undertaken to ensure that the use of liturgical music PART FIVE 15

19 PART FIVE is appropriately reverent, that provision be made for moments of sacred silence during the liturgy, and that more of the laity be encouraged to get involved in various roles at Mass. Synod members also gave support to coordinating Mass times among the parishes and enhanced communication of Mass times through the various forms of media. During Lent, as part of The Light is ON for You campaign, in addition to the usual times, confessions are heard in parishes throughout the archdiocese every Wednesday evening. This initiative has been quite successful. Synod members also spoke of how crucial it is for the Sacrament of Reconciliation to be more widely available with more convenient times. In this sacrament, we have the means of mediation the sources of grace that Jesus himself established and entrusted to the Church, and so we can go to receive his mercy in Confession with complete confidence. It is the story of God s love that never turns away from us, enduring even our shortsightedness and selfishness. Viewing the wide diversity of cultures and life situations in our local Church, while also stressing the unity and harmony of our spiritual family, Synod members asked that all cultures be included in the life of the Church, in her parishes, ministries and organizations. They also pointed to the need to provide accommodation to those with special needs, the elderly, the sick, those with disabilities, and those who are homebound, hospitalized, imprisoned or otherwise unable to come to a parish for Mass or Confession. Education The participants in our Archdiocesan Synod universally appreciated the great importance of Catholic education, both in our Catholic schools and in our programs of religious education, including sacramental preparation, youth and adult faith formation, and the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, as well as ministries to youth and young adults. Beyond merely imparting information or providing training in job skills, Synod members affirmed, Catholic education should be a privileged place where participants live within the light of faith. All of the recommendations of the Synod on education were in the context of fostering an encounter and growth in friendship with Jesus Christ. They urged that access to both initial and continuing formation in his transforming love and truth be promoted and enhanced in a variety of initiatives and resources, such as classroom study, informal gatherings, and print and digital media. Also, the need for assistance to parents, as the primary educators of their children, was highlighted. The importance that Synod members placed on education derives from our conviction that our Catholic faith invites us into dialogue with God and offers us a way of life grounded in his word. Moreover, we all benefit from Catholic education, not only the student-participants, young and old, but also the wider community because the richness of Catholic teaching engages the secular culture in such a way that the light of the wisdom of God is brought to bear on the issues of the day. In short, it equips people to build up the kingdom of God while living in the secular culture that envelops them. To ensure academic excellence and the Catholic integrity of our educational efforts, Synod members stressed the importance of proper formation and oversight of teachers, catechists, ministers and staff, both intellectually and spiritually. Members paid particular attention to the impact of these factors on the catechesis of persons with special needs. Synod participants were also concerned about the accessibility and affordability of our schools and other educational programs. As noted in the recent archdiocesan report, Catholic Education in the Archdiocese of Washington, , we all share these concerns. It is essential that we all make a concerted effort toward adequate financing of our schools and programs, including working to support tuition assistance, business partnerships, the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program, tuition tax credits and the like, Synod members said. 16

20 Community After I returned from the Synod of Bishops on the New Evangelization, I joined several students at the University of Maryland for dinner. Next to me was a young lady in the RCIA program who told me it was precisely because of an invitation she had received to come to Mass that she eventually came to the decision to become a member of the Church. There are more people just waiting to be asked, waiting to be invited. Our family of faith is large and vibrant. But there are also many empty places at our table. Cognizant of this fact, the members of our Archdiocesan Synod recommended several approaches that have as their objective encouraging those in our Catholic family who have left to come home, as well as making new friends and inviting them to join us in our spiritual home. baptismal calling to be not simply passive members, but active participants in the mission of the Church. Furthermore, Synod members asked that various steps be taken by our parishes and organizations to strengthen the spiritual lives of people through fellowship, service opportunities, group prayer and other devotional practices. Not to be overlooked, they emphasized, are the homebound, the hospitalized and those with special needs. Ensuring that everyone is involved in the life of the parish and the whole of our archdiocesan Church must be a priority. As the Apostle Paul makes clear in his first letter to the Church in Corinth, we are all parts of the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:27-31). Just as in the natural body, the eyes, ears and feet, to name just a few of its members, have diverse functions, so there are diverse roles for the members of the Church. Each of us has a function and role to play, none of us is superfluous or indispensable (see Lumen gentium, 7, 33). PART FIVE Pope Francis has called for a culture of solidarity and fraternity which, he points out, brings harmony to the whole of creation and is what makes our society truly human. He challenges the Church most emphatically to go out into the world, to not stay wrapped up within our enclaves, but for us to take the initiative and boldly go to others especially those on the fringes of society, including those on the spiritual peripheries, those who may have become disillusioned with the Church or otherwise believe that the Church has nothing to offer and joyfully give to them the beauty of the Gospel, the amazement of the encounter with Jesus. The Synod members urged that our parishes manifest the love of Christ, embracing the stranger and fostering a sense of belonging. In addition, they recommended that all of the faithful be helped to understand their In our spiritual family, we see women and men, boys and girls, from all different cultures, nationalities, immigrant status, language groups, physical and mental abilities, and social, economic and educational backgrounds. Synod members spoke often of cherishing this gift of diversity while at the same time fostering unity. This is the beauty of the Church, says our Holy Father. Between the various components there is diversity; however, it is a diversity that does not enter into conflict and opposition. It is a variety that allows the Holy Spirit to blend it into harmony (General Audience, October 9, 2013). Service One time after Mass, a youngster asked me, Why do you call us brothers and sisters? You re not my brother. I responded, Ah, but we are all members of God s family. After he received a nod from his parents, he said approvingly, Wow, I didn t know that. Clearly we belong to our own natural families, but we are also real spiritual brothers and sisters. Aware that there is a struggle between a life in the Spirit and the world in which we live, the Synod members felt very strongly that our Church should never tire of proclaiming and working to protect the dignity and value of every human person. To that end, the Synod members suggested that programs be 17

21 Stewardship and Administration PART FIVE At the closing of the Synod of Bishops on the New Evangelization, I listened with interest as Pope Benedict announced that he was shifting oversight of the work of catechesis to a different office within the Vatican curia. This structural reorganization was oriented toward being the best Church we can be. That was also the objective in our own Archdiocesan Synod in the areas of stewardship and administration. instituted to help parishioners know and understand the principles of Catholic social teaching. The Synod participants further made several recommendations to advance and assist the charitable outreach of our parishes, archdiocesan entities such as Catholic Charities, other Catholic organizations, religious orders and the laity. Through faith-filled ministry to the hungry, the sick, the lonely, the unemployed, and others, God s Spirit of love and hope is shared and we all help to shine the Light of the Lord on the lives of those in need. We offer not only material aid, the Synod members recognized, but also spiritual and emotional assistance, the concrete and indispensible love which has the power to comfort and renew the spirit of those we touch. Concern for those who are poor, downtrodden, weak, wounded, alienated and marginalized including the unborn and the elderly who are at great risk in our society is among the essential qualities that the Lord expects of his good and faithful people. This regard must be more than mere obligation. It must be recognized as gratitude for the blessings that we have received ourselves, as being integral to basic justice. Compassion is not something over and above the commandments; it is part and parcel of loving God and one another. The Synod members recognized the practical need for policies and appropriate institutional structures to accomplish the tasks set before us and to ensure that our parishes, schools, ministries and offices not only remain viable, but are enhanced in their vitality and effectiveness with respect to fulfilling our mission in the New Evangelization and day-to-day business operations. To that end, Synod members asked that appropriate policies be instituted with respect to support from parishioners, both financial and volunteer service, as well as guidance to parish pastoral and financial councils in order to fulfill their responsibilities. In addition, members recommended that training regarding management and property maintenance be provided to the appropriate parties. Synod members asked that measures be taken with respect to recruitment and training of qualified employees and volunteers, with opportunities to fully use their skills and experiences. They also wanted to make sure that the various forms of communications by parishes and the archdiocese are utilized to their fullest potential, including use of digital media and other new technologies, with appropriate training for pastoral staff. The canonical commission took seriously the painstaking task of reviewing existing archdiocesan policies for efficiency and compliance with both civil and Church law. They then submitted recommendations to ensure the policies are up-to-date in the future, in addition to compiling an index for the policies. We are one family, one community before God, with an obligation to care for one another and work for the common good, Synod members affirmed. We are all called to this mission, to make a gift of ourselves in service to others. Even those who are sick, homebound or have special needs are called to service, the Synod members stated, each contributing and participating in ways they are able. 18

22 PART SIX The Fruits of the Synod Synodal Recommendations This Archdiocesan Synod, assembled in the Holy Spirit, has been a moment of grace to look at the life of our local Church, to evaluate areas where the ministry of the Church is successful and areas where there may be need for more attention. Bearing in mind the necessities of the present day, its members have prayerfully listened to the word of the Lord and endeavored to better prepare us to carry forward the mission of the Church into the future, to meet with charity the pastoral needs of not only fellow Catholics, but the entire human family in our community. the recommendations as they appear in a separate document published concurrently with this letter, I have included elements of them in newly promulgated statutes, also published concurrently with this letter. Some of the recommendations have also been entrusted to appropriate archdiocesan administrative or consultative bodies such as the College of Deans, Priest Council or Pastoral Council for further consideration, and/or to archdiocesan staff for possible realization. By these actions, I receive the deliberations and conclusions of the Synod commissions. At the same time I issue the decree authorizing the indicated statutes and policies. PART SIX The outcomes of this Archdiocesan Synod are both tangible and spiritual. Among the spiritual results we must include the many graces and blessings bestowed by God on all those who participated in the entire synodal process. The tangible outcomes, each one in keeping with the original goals set forth at the outset of the Synod, include affirmations of the truth of the Catholic faith and morals, directives for future pastoral programs, the statutes and archdiocesan policy index promulgated at the closing Mass and this pastoral reflection which, among other things, deals with the synodal recommendations. The deliberations and recommendations of the Archdiocesan Synod demonstrate a clear awareness on the part of Synod participants of the profound, fundamental centrality of the New Evangelization and the entirety of the mission that is entrusted to us, as well as a knowledge of the diversity of services and ministries available to the Church through the many gifts that God pours out on the faithful. This recognition on the part of the Synod members, as well as the encouragement they provided as we continue to address the challenges of our day, is a praiseworthy fruit of the whole effort. Having heard the General Preparatory Commission, the Canonical Preparatory Commission and the Pastoral Preparatory Commission of the Archdiocesan Synod, I have carefully reviewed and studied each of the recommendations endorsed by the Synod participants as well as the proposed statutes informed by those recommendations. In receiving In his final apostolic exhortation, Pastores gregis, Saint John Paul II paints a beautiful image of God s family as his flock gathered around its pastors, who are the shepherds, and united among themselves and with the Holy Father in the proclamation of the Gospel and the living out of its challenge. It now falls to us bishops, priests, religious and faithful laity to take the fruits of our Archdiocesan Synod and keep them before us as our guideline and encouragement as we work together, living in the Spirit, to manifest better the kingdom of God among us. Policy Index and Statutes Among the purposes of the Archdiocesan Synod from its inception was a review of the archdiocesan policies, procedures, rules and regulations to ensure that they are in conformity with canon and civil law and are appropriate and conducive to accomplishing the mission of the Church. The results of a thorough review, conducted by the Canonical Preparatory Commission, were reported to the Synod delegates who, in turn, made certain recommendations, including the recommendation for the creation of an index listing the policies and procedures currently utilized by the archdiocese as it conducts its work in various ministries. The statutes of this Synod, promulgated in the context of the liturgical celebration of the closing of the Synod on Pentecost Sunday 2014, are now published. The Archdiocesan Policy Index is published for the first time with the synodal statutes. 19

23 CONCLUSION CONCLUSION A New Pentecost Having accomplished, with the help of God, what we set out to do, the various recommendations having been submitted following the consideration and deliberation of the Synod members, and the various declarations, decrees and statutes having been approved and promulgated, the Archdiocesan Synod now comes to a close on this Solemnity of Pentecost But the conclusion of our Synod is not so much an ending as it is a new beginning. This renewal of faith and fervor in our spiritual family was not meant to be a one-time event for the history books, but instead had the purpose of informing and directing the mission and life in the Spirit of our local Church into the future as we continue to manifest the kingdom of God in our community bringing the Good News of Jesus Christ to a world so in need of healing, solidarity, justice and peace, being a light to those who struggle in darkness, and building up the common good in a culture of life, solidarity and fraternity. This holy assembly was meant to provide us direction as we, a pilgrim people, continue our heavenly journey accompanied by God and the saints. What Saint John XXIII envisioned in calling the Second Vatican Council was a new Pentecost, a renewed faith in the life of the Church and a lively apostolic fervor in spreading the Gospel. Likewise, the time of our Archdiocesan Synod has been the new beginning of renewal in the life of faith. With our hearts revived and transformed by Jesus, with the new life of the Spirit within us, every day going forward in our local Church should be as a new Pentecost. Through our commitment in Christ to love and truth today and every day, we can transform lives and renew the face of the earth. Our prayer is not just that we remember well the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles, but that we embrace, as fully as we can, the Spirit poured out on each of us and manifested in the gifts and talents of everyone in this Church of Washington. Expression of Gratitude This First Synod of the Archdiocese of Washington belongs to all of us. In our spiritual family of faith, we all share responsibility for the life and mission of the Church, including this Synod, each according to his or her gifts and role. As we reflect upon the effort and fruit of our Archdiocesan Synod, it is appropriate to thank all of those who generously gave of their time and talents toward this undertaking. The labors of all those who participated, from its conception to its conclusion, enabled the sessions to be productive. Their active participation in this ecclesial enterprise was a major factor in the success of this significant moment in the life of the Church of Washington. Finally, I express my gratitude to all the members of this local Church who by their prayers and words of encouragement provided spiritual sustenance for the work of the Synod. The holy day of Pentecost, in which we also celebrate the conclusion of the Archdiocesan Synod, is an occasion to thank God for an outpouring of the Spirit that has touched this Church in a way that we can all recognize. All of the Christian faithful of this archdiocese are asked to join in prayer-filled support of the implementation of the Synod. We pray that God continue to bless our efforts as a family of faith to manifest as fully as we can the kingdom of God as we earnestly long for its perfect fulfillment. May what we do now and in the future hasten the realization of our prayer, Thy Kingdom come. 20

24 Our Blessed Mother Mary It is appropriate that the dawning of our new day in the Church of Washington begin with our Blessed Mother Mary, Star of the New Evangelization. As Pope Francis said in his recent apostolic exhortation on the joy of the Gospel, As a true mother, she walks at our side, she shares our struggles and she constantly surrounds us with God s love (Evangelii gaudium, 286). CONCLUSION Moreover, there is an essential Marian dimension to the work of the Church. Mary is so interwoven in the great mystery of the Church that she and the Church are inseparable, just as she and Christ are inseparable, said Pope Benedict on the 40th anniversary of the closing of the Second Vatican Council. Mary mirrors the Church, anticipates the Church in her person, and in all the turbulence that affects the suffering, struggling Church she always remains the Star of salvation. In her lies the true center in which we trust, even if its peripheries very often weigh on our soul. As this archdiocesan Church moves into the future having concluded our first Archdiocesan Synod, we rededicate, individually and collectively, our commitment to Christ and the service of his people, and our love of God and all people. This is a time when, once again, we renew our fidelity to the Church we love and that brings us every day the love of Christ. Faithfully in Christ, Archbishop of Washington June 8, 2014 Solemnity of Pentecost 21

25 Cover image by Dr. Geraldine Rohling: A detail of a mosaic on the Pentecost Dome at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception depicts the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles and Mary. Other images: Catholic Standard file photos

26 For two millennia, it has been the work of the whole Church, all of the People of God, every member of the Body of Christ, to show forth to the world the presence of our Savior and Lord, one of us who is also the Son of God. We are called to be, in our very lives, an epiphany of the Lord to those we encounter, a bright shining light so that others might be led to him like the Great Star of Bethlehem led the wise men to Jesus on that glorious Christmas day. - Donald Cardinal Wuerl SHARE OUR STORY flickr.com/photos/ WashArchdiocese cardinalsblog.adw.org youtube.com/ WashArchdiocese WashArchdiocese podcast.adw.org