THE
P RTAL
January 2013
Page 11
four or five minutes
to speak on anything
they liked. Remember
there
were
two
hundred and fifty of
them! I was one of the
specialist helpers. We
listened and we made
a note when our “key
word” was mentioned.
Catechetics for me.
Cardinal Wuerl had
the job of sorting
all this out. He
had to compile the
documentation. I do
not think he slept for a
month!
its own small
group
“Each
evening
we helpers sent in Dr Caroline Farey and Pope Benedict XVI - October 11th 2012
our summaries. We
all listened for our specialist theme. From these approved propositions formed the advice that was sent
summaries Cardinal Wuerl compiled a document to the Holy Father.
for discussion. Each theme had its own small group
to discuss their area. Apart from that there were no the Mother never made it!
barriers. That was week one.
“The whole Synod was on board with the New
Evangelisation. The new Churches are showing great
translated into Latin
growth. However, there is concern that what is needed
“In week two we were put into language groups. There is strong missionary spirit from the old world, the old
were four English language groups that covered the churches. To put it bluntly, Europe’s recovery of faith
globe! At this second stage we compiled propositions is crucial for the future of the Church. If Europe loses
from the groups. We could make as many as we itself, the Mother never made it!
wished. These went to Cardinal Wurel who sorted out
similar themes and points from the various language globalization
groups. They were all translated into Latin. A synopsis
“Of course secularisation and globalization is
on various subjects.
spreading to the new churches as well. We need to
keep the old churches, so the New Evangelisation is
two hundred propositions!
for the old churches.
“Cardinal Wurel gathered the Synod together and
presented the propositions to the Bishops. There were The Ordinariate is crucial
two hundred propositions! These were reduced to the
“Here, of course, the Ordinariates are key. Here, in the
fifty-five that made it into the booklet of propositions. UK, it is the Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham.
The Ordinariate is crucial to the recovery of England
“In the third week these propositions were modified. for the faith. The members of the Ordinariate - clergy
The small groups discussed what they liked and what and lay - are crucial for their authentic living and
they disliked. Should they amend it, keep it, or discard effective answers.
it? All these modifications went to the very busy
Cardinal Wurel! The bishops did the writing and the a great privilege
voting.
It was a great privilege to meet and chat with Caroline
and listen to her enthusiastic account of the events in
presented to the Synod
Rome during the Synod of Bishops.
“During the fourth week these propositions were
presented to the Synod and voted upon. These
Thank you Caroline.