Posted on 10/12/2005 2:57:36 PM PDT by siunevada
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- When the U.S. bishops meet in November, major items on their agenda will include decisions on a statement about lay ecclesial ministry, a new text of Scripture readings for Masses with children and a new statement calling for an end to the use of the death penalty in the United States.
The annual fall meeting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops will be held in Washington Nov. 14-17.
Also on the agenda are the election of a new USCCB general secretary, the election of chairmen-elect for seven USCCB committees and approval of 2006 priorities, plans and budget for the USCCB.
The proposed statement on lay ecclesial ministry, "Co-Workers in the Vineyard of the Lord," is intended as a "foundational document" on one of the most significant phenomena to emerge in the church since the Second Vatican Council -- the rapid growth of lay ministerial leaders collaborating with the priests and deacons as an integral part of parish and diocesan life.
The document being presented to the bishops is the result of several regional and national consultations and has gone through seven drafts over the past year and a half.
It notes that two-thirds of U.S. parishes now have salaried lay ecclesial ministers and nationwide there are more than 30,000 such people working at least 20 hours per week in paid positions in parishes. More than 2,100 others work 20 hours a week or more as volunteers. By comparison, there are now fewer than 29,000 diocesan priests in the country and more than one-fourth of them are retired.
The statement says lay ecclesial ministry is characterized by "authorization of the hierarchy to act in the name of the local church, leadership in a particular area of ministry, close mutual collaboration with the pastoral ministry of bishops, priests and deacons, (and) preparation and formation appropriate to the level of responsibilities that are assigned."
"The term 'lay ecclesial minister' is generic," it says. "It is meant to encompass and describe several possible roles. In parish life -- to cite only one sphere of involvement -- the pastoral associate, parish catechetical leader, youth ministry leader, school principal and director of liturgy or pastoral music are examples of such roles."
The 83-page document was developed by the Subcommittee on Lay Ministry of the bishops' Committee on the Laity. It discusses the human, spiritual, intellectual and pastoral formation needed to prepare people for such ministry.
It also discusses certification of those called to such ministries, the role of the bishop and the pastor in authorizing them to engage in ministry on behalf of the church, important employment considerations including the handling of terminations and grievances, and guidelines for the ministerial workplace.
The proposed new Lectionary for Masses With Children must be approved by two-thirds of country's Latin-rite bishops and confirmed by the Vatican before it can be used. It is intended to replace the experimental Lectionary that has been in use since 1993. A Lectionary contains the Bible readings and responsorial psalms used at Mass.
The children's Lectionary is adapted to the simpler vocabulary and shorter attention span of preadolescent children.
Many of the readings have been abridged and responsorial psalms are generally reduced to three verses.
Simpler words are often substituted for many difficult or archaic terms found in the standard Bible translation approved for use in the liturgy in U.S. dioceses. For example, "abide" is changed to "stay," "abode" becomes "home," "at cockcrow" becomes "at dawn."
The bishops have been on record opposing use of the death penalty for 25 years, but the proposed new statement, "A Culture of Life and the Penalty of Death," says the bishops seek "to seize a new moment and new momentum" in their campaign against capital punishment.
"It is time for our nation to abandon the illusion that we can protect life by taking life," the statement says. "Ending the use of the death penalty would be one important step away from a culture of death toward building a culture of life."
Among other items on November's agenda are a proposal to make May 22 an annual National Day of Prayer for Mariners and People of the Sea and proposed revisions in guidelines for the support of retired bishops.
The bishops will also be asked to approve the writing of a document on the relationship between the sacrament of confirmation and stewardship and a project to revise "Fulfilled in Your Hearing," a guide and resource on preaching. If those projects are approved, the documents will be brought back to the bishops for a vote at a later meeting.
The documentation on priorities and plans for 2006 is more than 200 pages long and its treatment could take up a larger portion of the meeting than usual, since the bishops are currently in the middle of a several-year effort to reassess their whole approach to what priorities they should have as a bishops' conference and how those priorities should affect the work of their national offices.
Following their afternoon business session Nov. 14, the bishops will go to the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception for a concelebrated Mass.
After the Mass they will have a reception and dinner followed by a concert, with guests from other faiths, commemorating the 40th anniversary of "Nostra Aetate," the Second Vatican Council's Declaration on the Relationship of the Church to Non-Christian Religions.
The 1965 declaration said the church rejects nothing that is true and holy in non-Christian religions. It condemned anti-Semitism and affirmed the continuing validity of God's covenant with the Jewish people. The declaration opened the door for Catholic dialogue with other world religions and has dramatically changed the character of Catholic-Jewish relations.
The cart remains firmly in front of the horse, gentlemen.
Before we can rely on a life sentence to protect the innocent we must first have a judiciary that actually imposes a true life sentence.
Best argument against the death penalty is all the screw ups in Illinois. People got railroaded.
the bishops are currently in the middle of a several-year effort to reassess their whole approach to what priorities they should have as a bishops' conference
I guess it's a safe bet that no one from USCCB is lurking at FR.
"The children's Lectionary is adapted to the simpler vocabulary ... of preadolescent children.
"Simpler words are often substituted for many difficult or archaic terms found in the standard Bible translation approved for use in the liturgy in U.S. dioceses. For example, "abide" is changed to "stay," "abode" becomes "home," "at cockcrow" becomes "at dawn.""
The first time around it said, "She [Mary] placed him [baby Jesus] in a feedbox" (instead of "manger"). After widespread criticism, including a cartoon of some bishop singing "Away in a feedbox," it was changed back to "manger."
The children's lectionary seems to be written for morons. It's almost impossible for children who know how to read decently to make their way through its simplistic sentences. It's like trying to baby-talk.
Feedbox.
There's a word your average urban or suburban child can understand.
This must be something like government work. 'Simplify' is jargon for 'screw up'.
When they say 'simplify', run away.
By all means end the death penalty in the US. First end the death penalty for the 4,000 innocent unborn children who receive the death penalty every day - no lawyer, no trial, no conviction. Then end the death penalty for those like Terri Shiavo. Then, when you have put an end to those atrocities you can concern yourself with the people convicted of violent felonies who face the death penalty. Some of us may even pay attention to what you say.
My feeble little mind.
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