About 200 parishioners in the diocese have already been recommended by their pastors and approved by Bishop William K. Weigand as delegates to the diocesan synod.

The synod, announced by the bishop last August, with the theme “Journeying Together in Christ,” is an extensive process being carried out between now and October, calling on laity, clergy and religious to participate in developing principles for pastoral planning that will guide the diocese through the first decade of the 21st century.

It will culminate in a convening session on Oct. 11-13 at St. Isidore Parish Center in Yuba City.

The Synod Preparatory Commission, a group made up of about 25 clergy, religious and laypeople from throughout the diocese, recommended to Bishop Weigand that two delegates (one man and one woman) be selected from each of the 99 parishes in the diocese. An additional 50 at-large delegates will be selected by Bishop Weigand.

Mercy Sister Eileen Enright, director for synod preparation, said commission members are working to recruit youth and young adults to be synod delegates. “The body of delegates will be truly representative of the diocese, reflecting the makeup of gender, ethnicity, age and socioeconomic status,” she said. “Representatives of groups and movements will also be included.”

In a letter to pastors, parish administrators and parish stewards last fall, the bishop noted that the delegates to the synod “represent the entire local church and are in fact a community of persons, not representatives of individual parishes.”

Delegates recommended by their pastor or parish steward will soon receive a letter from Bishop Weigand. The weekend of Feb. 21-22 is being suggested to pastors as a time for introducing and commissioning delegates in their parishes.

Sister Enright said topics for the synod will be announced by Bishop Weigand in the Feb. 21 issue of The Herald. Delegates, as well as chairpersons of parish pastoral councils, will receive detailed information about the topics in the next few weeks.

Delegates and chairpersons of parish pastoral councils are asked to attend one of the eight orientation sessions scheduled in February. The schedule for the sessions is as follows:

• Friday, Feb. 20, from 4 to 6:30 p.m. at Sacred Heart Parish in Red Bluff.

• Saturday, Feb. 21, from 1 to 3:30 p.m. at St. Anthony Parish in Mount Shasta.

• Monday, Feb. 23, from noon to 2:30 p.m. at St. John Parish in Quincy and from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at Holy Spirit Parish in Fairfield.

• Tuesday, Feb. 24, from 1 to 3:30 p.m. at St. Anthony Parish in Sacramento and from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at Our Lady of the Assumption Parish in Carmichael.

• Thursday, Feb. 26, from 2:30 to 5 p.m. at St. Isidore Parish in Yuba City and from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at Immaculate Conception Parish in Sacramento.

Delegates and parish pastoral council members will be working jointly on speak-up sessions for the synod, to be held in parishes and/or regions of the diocese in March and April, according to Sister Enright.

A pre-synod gathering for delegates will be held April 23-24 at St. Isidore Parish in Yuba City. Delegates will choose to attend one of the two daylong presentations, facilitated by Brother Loughlan Sofield, a Missionary Servant of the Most Holy Trinity, and Sister Carroll Juliano, a member of the Society of the Holy Child Jesus.

Brother Sofield is an author, lecturer and consultant who specializes in collaborative ministry. He has served as director of the Missionary Servant Center for Collaborative Ministry. He has given workshops in more than 100 dioceses in the nation.

Sister Juliano serves as director of Life Planning for Ministry in Washington, D.C. Her background in education includes teaching, administration and career counseling. She is the author of numerous articles and books, many of them co-authored with Brother Sofield.

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