Press release regarding the dubia of the 4 cardinals
Please send out to your local media and post on your websites (See attached)
Jakarta conference
The Jakarta conference will be taking place July 26 through August 3. If you have anyone to encourage to attend, please do so.
Letter to Cardinal Farrell promoting the Year of the Laity
The letter has been approved and mailed to Cardinal Kevin Farrell and copied to Cardinal Parolin, Vatican Secretary of State, and to Pope Francis. Per the decision of the Strategy Team, it has also been emailed to Bob Mickens, Rome journalist, and to Fr. John Abruzzese in the Synod office in Rome. It will be emailed to the eight cardinals who serve as advisors to Pope Francis and to the chair of AMECEA in Africa. Once Don has been able to translate the letter into Portuguese, we will send the translated version to Celso and to the secretary of the Brazilian Bishops conference (need this address).
We encourage all of our Advisors to send the letter out to their contacts who might be influential in supporting the implementation of the Year of the Laity. Here is a suggested preface to the Letter:
“Please consider the attached letter we have sent to Cardinal Farrell, who heads the new Dicastery on the Laity Family and Life. The letter proposes carrying forward to the rest of the Church globally a “Year of the Laity” being undertaken by the bishops of Brazil this coming year. We hope you will join us in supporting this excellent idea for engaging all the people in the work of the Gospel.”
Discussion about using our influence to gather lay global demand for a Year of the Laity
Peter called Cardinal John Njue who resides in Nairobi to find out why his pastoral coordinator is not cooperating with Peter to work together to determine the value of CCRI. He sent the Cardinal’s personal secretary a copy of the letter to Farrell. The Cardinal is not opposed to the concept of a Year of the Laity.
We each should contact our own bishops letting them know of this plan to establish November 2017 to November 2018 as the Year of the Laity.
We encourage Astrid to personally get the letter to Cardinal Gracias and Sr. Socorro to contact the bishops in Mexico. Christina indicated she can reach out to Cardinal John Drew in New Zealand. Ashiknaz will reach out to two bishops in Pakistan. Virginia will email the letter to Cardinal Tagle of Manila. For Africa, Peter will have the letter presented to the Chairman of AMECEA region by the sec general of AMECEA. He Will also have it go to the chairman of SECHAM – Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa (6 in all) and to the chairman of the Commission of Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops on Education.
Young Adult Committee
Rachael’s report: she has gotten 10 people to answer the Vatican questionnaire and has given others 15 days to send a reply. Amal and Liz have been in communication with Rachael. Brice (sp?) from Brazil has answered the questionnaire. Ashiknaz will bring in a few young adults to the young adult committee. Socorro has sent the names of 4 young adult leaders. Rene has emailed them and will put them in touch with the young adult committee. Reminder to send copies of the responses to Rene so they can be forwarded to Fr. Abruzzese. Peter plans to put Liz in touch with the Vice chancellor of the Catholic University of Eastern Africa, who can support work both on the Youth Questionnaire and building the network for the SCCs.
Building the Network of SCCs
Peter is connecting with small faith communities. There have been four continental meetings in Africa linking the SCCs. Fr. Joe and Peter are working on building the team in Africa. Fr. Joe is joining Clyde’s NOVA community for their annual retreat in September. While speaking with Joe about this, Clyde will ask Joe for detail contacts with other SCCs in other parts of the world. He will also connect Joe to some young people through his Nova community. Christina will be meeting with St. Paul’s small faith community. She will bring up CCRI’s goal to connect small communities globally.
