American Catholic Council November 12, 2013

American Catholic Council Announces
Survey for Vatican Synod on the Family
Let the voice of the Baptized be heard!

A group of 15 progressive Catholic organizations has launched an on-line survey to enable U.S. Catholics to provide input to the US Conference of Catholic Bishops and to the Vatican in preparation for an upcoming Synod on the Family.

Vatican Seeks Input

In preparation for the Extraordinary Synod on the Family to be held Oct. 5-19, 2014, the Vatican has asked national bishops’ conferences around the world to seek the opinions of Catholics on a number of church teachings including contraception, same-sex marriage and divorce and remarriage. Archbishop Lorenzo Baldisseri, secretary general of the Vatican’s Synod of Bishops, asked the bishops’ conferences to commence a survey “immediately as widely as possible to deaneries and parishes so that input from local sources can be received.” (Read the full letter here)

In the U.S., the Conference of Catholic Bishops has determined that its members will respond to the survey. In some other countries, notably the United Kingdom, a survey has been made available over the internet, allowing feedback from Catholics.

Catholic Organizations for Renewal (COR), a leadership forum of US progressive Catholic organizations said, “U.S. Catholics have been happily surprised that the Vatican is seeking input on issues like divorce and remarriage, use of contraception, same-sex marriage, and what kind of pastoral practice is effective and appropriate. They have been disappointed that there was not a vehicle for them to give their input. That’s why we created this on-line survey. Lay Catholics have strong feelings and a great deal of experience on these matters. Our voices, along with those of our bishops, need to be heard.”

The survey, which closely follows the questions asked by the Vatican, will be available for response through December 15, 2013. Responses will be compiled and sent to Catholic officials including Archbishop Baldisseri, Secretary General of the Vatican’s Synod of Bishops, Cardinal Sean O’Malley, Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, Papal Nuncio to the United States, and the incoming president of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops who will be elected this week.
Take The Survey Now

Organizational sponsors of the survey project from Catholic Organizations for Renewal (COR) include: American Catholic Council, Call To Action, CORPUS, DignityUSA, Federation of Christian Ministries/Roman Catholic Faith Community Council, FutureChurch, New Ways Ministry, RAPPORT, Roman Catholic WomenPriests, Southeastern Pennsylvania Women’s Ordination Conference, Voice of the Faithful, and Women’s Ordination Conference. Other supporting organizations include Catholic Church Reform, Fortunate Families, and Women’s Alliance for Theology, Ethics and Ritual (WATER). Additional organizations are being invited to sponsor the project, and to encourage their members to complete it.