Now that the wonderful celebration of the Archdiocesan Eucharistic Congress has become a cherished memory and the Advent/Christmas cycles of the Church Year have been completed, the energies of the archdiocese can return to the preparation process for the Synod scheduled for 2008.

During the recently completed meeting of the Permanent Board of Bishops of the Antilles Episcopal Conference, there was a session about pastoral planning.

It became clear that a number of (arch)dioceses, independently of each other, have begun a process of serious conversation about the quality of Catholic life in their particular Churches and the effectiveness of the ministry being offered in a very challenging age.

The bishops understood that the conversations in these (arch)dioceses may lead to a decision, at a later date, to have an Assembly for the Caribbean Catholic Church.

As the session progressed, my thoughts turned to the year-long preparations for the 2003 Synod and the year long series of “mini-Synods” in the Vicariates of the Archdiocese that led to Synod 2005.

Now that we are familiar with the process and have the structures to implement the approved resolutions, we can concentrate our energies on Building Church Together. It is in the context of these three paragraphs that I offer to the archdiocese a letter on Synod 2008.

This letter will be followed by Guidelines prepared by the Synod Implementation Committee. The Guidelines will be issued in the near future by Fr Allan Ventour, the Chairman of the Committee.

"My Sisters and Brothers,

Synod 2005 mandated the Synod Implementation Committee to prepare Guidelines (cf Synod Resolution 43, iv) to assist parishes on three levels:

1) To help with the implementation of the Synod Resolutions;

2) To help with the preparations for Synod 2008;

3) To help facilitate effective annual parish assemblies which can process both synod and parish issues.

The fundamental goal of the Synod sessions and the Parish Assemblies is to create and sustain an archdiocese that is committed to ongoing dialogue and evaluation about every aspect of its life and pastoral ministry. The commitment to dialogue and evaluation is a sign of life and is directed to evangelisation.

The archdiocese has learned that dialogue is not only necessary for planning and for making pastoral decisions, it is also the proper context for implementation. A Church that is alive understands that life never stands still. Consequently, it accepts the ongoing need to analyse the current pastoral situation and to bring creative energy to the pastoral care of God's People.

The Archdiocesan Organisational Chart mandated by the Synod (Confer Synod Resolution 21) is also being provided to the archdiocese at this time as an attachment to this letter.

What is the value of the Organisational Chart? It is important for two reasons:
1) It gives a comprehensive picture of how the archdiocese understands itself at this point in history; and
2) It shows that many people, as a result of two synod sessions, are now involved in the day-to-day life and government of the archdiocese. Please note that each department is made up of a number of people, not just an individual person.

The Organisational Chart also provides guidance for the hoped for linkage among the various levels of the archdiocese: the Archdiocesan level, the Vicariate level and the Parish level. The goal is that, in time, the parish and vicariate levels will replicate the various responsibilities listed under the archdiocese.

The specific goal for 2006 is that three pastoral responsibilities from the Organisational Chart will be replicated on the vicariate and parish levels: Catechesis (Adult Formation), Education and Family Life. Three more pastoral responsibilities will be added in 2007.

Three additions will be made each year until, with the necessary distinctions e.g. the legal department, the replication process is completed and the necessary linkage among the archdiocesan, vicariate and parish levels is fully established.

Obviously, in the meantime, all the Councils, Commissions and Secretariats will continue to work on their own agendas and try to implement the Synod resolutions that pertain to them.

The Administrative Council of the Archdiocese which is made up of all the chairpersons of the Councils, Commissions and Secretariats of the Archdiocese and which meets every six weeks will continue to facilitate collaboration among the various departments of the Archdiocese.

For my part I will continue to chair the Administrative Council and continue to meet each month with the chairpersons of each department of the archdiocese.

I respectfully request that the leadership and the membership of the archdiocese study this letter and the Organisational Chart carefully. Please discuss these documents on the vicariate and parish levels so that as many people as possible may understand the goals of the preparation process for Synod 2008 that will include parish and vicariate assemblies.

It is my hope that the present level of collaboration in the archdiocese will continue to grow and that the witness of this collaboration will motivate more and more people to choose to involve themselves in the life and growth of their parishes, vicariates and the archdiocese itself.

Prayer is an essential part of the life of the Church. Please pray for the archdiocese in a persevering manner. May the Lord bless our efforts to continue building Church in the Archdiocese of Port of Spain.

Most Reverend Edward J Gilbert CSsR
Archbishop of Port of Spain