- Written by: Frank Callus
CARDINAL NICHOLS SENDS “PRAYERS AND BEST
WISHES” TO ACTA AHEAD OF THE NATIONAL
CONFERENCE.
The National Conference takes place via Zoom on
Saturday 16th October with a central theme of
Synodality.
The Board of Trustees have issued an invitation to all the Bishops of England and Wales to its National
Conference on 16th October. We recognised that in many cases, the diocese might wish to send a representative of the Bishop’s office. The Conference occurs at exactly the moment that dioceses will begin their individual synodal process and it was felt important that dioceses have the chance to hear about the process from our speakers.
Cardinal Nichols wrote to explain that the date of 16th October was when the Archdiocese of Westminster was launching its own synodal process. He sent his “prayers and best wishes” on the occasion of the National Conference.
- Written by: Frank Callus
Trustees Welcome New Groups
The pandemic has had a devastating impact on so much of the Church’s activity in the last eighteen months. The Sunday Obligation suspended, limits at weddings and funerals, social distancing in church. The regularity of Mass attendance and face-to-face meetings were lost.
- Written by: Alex Walker
Those in early adulthood share their hopes for the Church after lockdown, recognising Pope Francis’ call to contribute their gifts and energies to the Church.
- Written by: Alex Walker
This is the first of the Scottish Laity Network's programme on Synodality - Towards a Synodal Church. Our next session Synodality in Practice is with Brian Grogan.
If anyone may be interested in any of our future sessions, programme attached, please register completing this Registration Form
- Written by: Liz Dodd, The Tablet
Lay Catholics have condemned the outline by the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales for the synodal process for the national Church, warning that it will stifle discussion, participation and freedom for everyone except the hierarchy.
The bishops’ conference’s vision for the synodal process, which was published last month and is based on the Holy See’s vision for the process, reserves discernment around what topics should be taken forward from the parish level to the global synod in 2023 to the bishops’ conference alone. While all members of the Church have the right to speak, particularly in the diocesan-level listening process this winter, they also have “the obligation to allow those charged with the work of discernment the freedom to do so”.