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
MANIFESTING THE KINGDOM
Grace
and peace
to you
in Christ.
MANIFESTING THE KINGDOM
MANIFESTING THE KINGDOM
Introduction
2
PART ONE
To Be The Best Church We Can Be
3
PART TWO
The Synod Process
6
PART THREE
The Context of Our Archdiocesan Synod
10
PART FOUR
The Holy Spirit: The Principal Agent of Evangelization
12
PART FIVE
Thematic Summary of the Synod
15
PART SIX
The Fruits of the Synod
19
CONCLUSION
A New Pentecost
20
CONTENTS
Contents
MANIFESTING THE KINGDOM
Introduction
INTRODUCTION
M
anifesting 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.
2
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.
MANIFESTING THE KINGDOM
PART ONE
PART ONE
To Be The Best
Church We Can Be
The Purpose of this Letter
I
n 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 2014 – 75 years
of our family of faith manifesting the kingdom of God
since the Archdiocese of Washington was established
in 1939. 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
MANIFESTING THE KINGDOM
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
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
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.
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.
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.
4
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
MANIFESTING THE KINGDOM
this area that we know today. The kingdom broke
through in spite of limitations.
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.
PART ONE
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.
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, 2008-2013, 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.
5
MANIFESTING THE KINGDOM
PART TWO
PART TWO
The Synod Process
Synods Generally
O
ccasionally 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).
6
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
MANIFESTING THE KINGDOM
PART TWO
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 465-66).
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
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.
8
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,
MANIFESTING THE KINGDOM
with the final session of the Synod being convoked on
the Solemnity of Pentecost, June 8, 2014.
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.
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.
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,
PART TWO
education, community, service, and stewardship and
administration.
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.
9
MANIFESTING THE KINGDOM
PART THREE
PART THREE
The Context of Our Archdiocesan Synod
Y
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.
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.
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.
The Present Situation –
Challenges and Opportunities
“
ou 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.”
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 –
10
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
MANIFESTING THE KINGDOM
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.
PART THREE
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.
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.
11
MANIFESTING THE KINGDOM
PART FOUR
PART FOUR
The Holy Spirit: The Principal Agent of Evangelization
O
nce 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).
12
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).
MANIFESTING THE KINGDOM
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
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
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.
PART FOUR
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).
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.
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
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.
14
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.
MANIFESTING THE KINGDOM
PART FIVE
P
ope 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.
PART FIVE
Thematic Summary of the Synod
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
15
MANIFESTING THE KINGDOM
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
16
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, 2008-2013, 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.
MANIFESTING THE KINGDOM
Community
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.
PART FIVE
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.
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).
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).
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
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
MANIFESTING THE KINGDOM
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.
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
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.
MANIFESTING THE KINGDOM
PART SIX
Synodal Recommendations
T
his 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 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
PART SIX
The Fruits of the Synod
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.
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.
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MANIFESTING THE KINGDOM
CONCLUSION
CONCLUSION
A New Pentecost
H
aving 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 2014.
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,
20
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.”
MANIFESTING THE KINGDOM
Our Blessed Mother Mary
CONCLUSION
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).
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
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MANIFESTING THE KINGDOM
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
“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
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