Monday 20 March 2017

Letter from the Archbishop

To,
The Clergy, Consecrated men & Women, and Lay Faithful
ARCHDIOCESE OF CALCUTTA

Subject: THE DIOCESAN SYNOD 2017

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Since March 2013, every parish in the Archdiocese of Calcutta was actively involved in formulating The Pastoral Plan (PPP) based on 12 ‘concerns’ or areas of the living Gospel of Jesus Christ at the Parish level by making use of the working papers on each concern. That elaborate exercise is now coming to a close with the actual Parish Pastoral Plans and “Parish Cells” in place. I wish to thank Fr. Dominic Gomes (VG), all the members of the ‘Pastoral Plan Central Core committee’, all the Parish Pastoral Plan Committees headed by the Parish priest/Priest in-charge, and all who have participated in this extensive activity. 

Preparing the Archdiocesan Pastoral Plan based on the Parish pastoral Plans is the next step. After consulting the Council of Priests, I have decided to convene a DIOCESAN SYNOD for this purpose. It will take place at Morning Star Regional Seminary, Barrackpore, from 27th September 2017 (evening) to 1st October 2017. The Archdiocesan Pastoral Plan Core Committee representing priest, consecrated men & women and lay Faithful will be the Preparatory Committee.
Canons 460-468 of the Code of Canon Law lay down norms regarding the purpose, membership and procedural details of the Diocesan Synod. Accordingly, the Archbishop will preside over the Synod, and the following will be the members:

Vicar General
Judicial Vicar
Members of Priests’ Council 
All Parish Priests/Priests in-charge
Archdiocesan Pastoral Plan Core Committee
Secretary of the Parish Pastoral Plan Core team of each Parish
Major Superiors (men & women)
CRI: President & Secretary of each deanery 
Secretaries of the Archdiocesan Commissions 
Presidents of Archdiocesan Action Groups 

All the members will have regular Animation Programmes, the first one being on Monday, 13th March 2017 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Seva Kendra Calcutta. All the members are requested to attend this Programme. Those from distant places (especially Midnapore Deanery and distant parishes in North 24 Parganas Deanery) may come to Seva Kendra Calcutta on Sunday, 12th March 2017 evening by 6 p. m.

Prayer is very essential for any event of grace. I exhort all of you to pray earnestly to God, the Father of mercies through Jesus Christ Our Lord, for enlightenment from the Holy Spirit to prepare ourselves well for this ecclesial event. An official prayer will be made available soon.
May the Diocesan Synod help us to discern the will of God for the Archdiocese as we strive to live our Christian vocation as a community of faith, hope and love in the Archdiocese of Calcutta.
 United in prayer, 

Yours sincerely,
Thomas D’ Souza 
Archbishop of Calcutta

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