Sir, – Brendan Butler (Opinion, November 26th) asserts there has been a minimalist response by the bishops to engage the faithful in consultation on the important subject of the forthcoming extraordinary Synod on Family.
As directors of the Office of Pastoral Renewal and Family Ministry in the Archdiocese of Armagh, we wish to challenge the inaccuracy of these claims by Mr Butler.
At the behest of Cardinal Brady and Archbishop Eamon Martin, all 61 parishes have been sent both the official questionnaire and a simplified version to elicit the response of the faithful. The material is accessible online on the Armagh website and on the website of the Office of Pastoral Renewal and Family Ministry and indeed on some individual parish websites such as Magherafelt.
All parish pastoral councils have been consulted, as have all members of our Diocesan Pastoral Council, active lay organisations, schools and commissions. We have more than 100 adult lay students taking formal and informal theology courses and these too have been asked for their responses.
This weekend there will be an announcement at all Masses encouraging parishioners to complete one of the options available. We have set a deadline of December 8th for completion of the returns and we have been tasked with submitting a report to the cardinal by December 20th. – Yours, etc,
Fr GERRY CAMPBELL &
Dr TONY HANNA,
Co-Directors of Pastoral
Renewal and Family
Ministry),
Armagh Diocesan Pastoral
Centre,
The Magnet,
Dundalk,
Co Louth.