About 400 lay, religious, clergy and deacon delegates to the diocesan synod will attend a pre-synod gathering April 23-24 at St. Isidore Parish Center 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 and 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.

“We see this day as an opportunity for delegates to meet each other — especially those from their own deaneries — and to share something about their parish speak-up sessions for the synod,” said Mercy Sister Eileen Enright, director for synod preparation.

The synod was announced by Bishop William K. Weigand last August, with the theme “Journeying Together in Christ.” It is an extensive process being carried out between now and October, calling on laity, clergy and religious and deacons 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.

About 300 of the 400 delegates who will take part in the synod are laypersons, including two delegates from each of the 99 parishes in the diocese. An additional 50 at-large delegates have been selected by Bishop Weigand “in order to adequately reflect all the people and interests of the diocese,” Sister Enright said, and include representatives of groups and movements.

Delegates mandated by canon law — including members of the Council of Priests and priests representing deaneries — and deacons and religious make up the remainder of the synod membership.

Since delegate orientation sessions in late February, delegates and parish pastoral council members have been working jointly to offer speak-up sessions for the synod in parishes and/or regions of the diocese.

Speak-up sessions, focusing on the two main themes of the synod, will continue through the end of April. Parishioners are using guided questions during the sessions to focus on the two themes announced by Bishop Weigand: 1) Parish community life: Where the Call to Holiness is Lived and Strengthened; and 2) Faith in Formation:
Always Learners, Always Disciples (Handing on the Faith — Family/Children/Youth/Adults).

Synod delegates, with the assistance of the parish pastoral council, will identify three or four themes that emerge from the speak-up sessions and report these findings to the Synod Preparatory Commission in May.

Gary Costamagna, a delegate to the synod from the Diocesan Pastoral Council and a member of Holy Trinity Parish in El Dorado Hills, told The Herald that the parish has already completed speak-up sessions following weekend Masses, on a weeknight and with seniors and youth group members.

“It’s been inspiring to hear parishioners talk about their faith — where they think we are strong as a diocese and where we need to improve,” he said. “I think the synod will be greater than our expectations and it’s helping bring many concerns to light.”

Beth White, an at-large delegate to the synod and associate director of social service ministry for the diocese, said that members of the diocese’s advisory council for social service ministry will soon hold a speak-up session.

“It will be from the point of view of social service organizations and how they see their role in collaborating with parishes to serve people in the next 10 years,” she said.

White noted that the board of directors of Catholic Social Service-Solano and Northern Valley Catholic Social Service will also participate in “modified speak-up sessions” to give their input to the Synod Preparatory Commission.

Jessie Shields, a delegate from the Synod Preparatory Commission and a member of Sacred Heart Parish in Red Bluff, said delegates from Sacred Heart recently offered speak-up sessions following weekend liturgies and on a Monday evening.

“We received various reactions to the questions about the themes,” she said. “Everyone had an equal opportunity to speak. For many, this is a learning process to encourage people to look beyond their own parish concerns to issues of common good for the entire diocese.”

Between now and October, various speakers will address different aspects of the synod on “The Bishop’s Radio Hour” on KSMH-AM 1620, from 11 a.m. to noon on the fourth Wednesday of each month.

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