Archdiocese set to hold historic Synod 16 downtown Nov 18 20
The Archdiocese of Detroit this month will be holding its first Synod since 1969. The meeting will take place from Nov. 18-20 at St. Aloysius Church and the Westin Book Cadillac Hotel in downtown Detroit. An archdiocesan Synod in the Catholic Church is a gathering of select Catholics leaders and members to inform and advise the archbishop on an important matter of faith. It is intended to be a transformative event that leads to a renewal of local Church life. This is the Archdiocese of Detroit’s 11th Synod since its founding as a diocese in 1833. “We come with confidence before the Lord, our hearts open to His will, trusting He will use us to Unleash the Gospel more fervently so that it might resonate powerfully throughout all of southeast Michigan,” Archbishop Vigneron said in a recent letter to Catholics across the archdiocese. “This is the focus of our important work in the Synod. I am grateful to God, as He has made it clear… that something important and life-giving is happening here in our archdiocese, and it clearly is of the Holy Spirit.” This year’s Synod, referred to as Synod ’16, focuses on evangelization, which refers to the way members of the Church share the Good News of Jesus Christ with others. More than 400 Synod participants — including clergy members, Catholic lay people, parishioners and subject matter experts — will be focusing on how to change the way God’s Word is shared in four distinct areas: personal life, family life, parish life (local Catholic church communities), and from the central organization that directly supports Archbishop Vigneron. Archbishop Vigneron first announced in 2014 that there would be a Synod in the fall of 2016. Since then, the Archdiocese has prepared by observing a Year of Prayer for a New Pentecost; branding a new evangelization initiative “Unleash the Gospel”; hosting dozens of inspirational worship events called Come, Encounter Christ! at local parishes; and holding discussion sessions with thousands of Catholics. Synod participants, who were chosen through a process under Church law, come from all parts of the six-county archdiocese, and have committed to prayer, spiritual reading and attending events since January 2016. Archbishop Vigneron expects to discern the advice of the Synod and announce an outcome of its endeavor on Pentecost Sunday, June 4, 2017. Further information on the Synod, including schedules and information sheets are available at www.aod.org/synodmedia. Though Synod discussions are not open to the public or media, news media will have access to briefings and Synod leaders and members throughout the weekend. To receive media credentials for event coverage, or if you have any other questions, please contact the Office of Public Relations at (313) 237-5943. n/a
