Denver Catholic

CATHOLIC LIFE I 19 DENVER CATHOLIC REGISTER I DECEMBER 18, 2013 Archbishop consults 'people in the pews' for Vatican questionnaire BY JULIE FILBY Leading up to a synod of bishops on family and evangelization next October, the Vatican sent a preparatory document to dioceses worldwide, including the Archdiocese of Denver, to gather data to facilitate the bishops' discussions. "Synods are forums in which the Church, through bishops, discuss the challenges of being Catholic in the world today and address those issues," explained chancellor David Uebbing. The Extraordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, scheduled for Oct. 5-19, 2014, will explore the theme of "pastoral challenges of the family in the context of evangelization." It is expected to focus on pastoral responses to divorce, cohabitation, same-sex marriage and other challenges to the family. In a letter accompanying the document, Archbishop Lorenzo Baldisseri, secretary general of the Synod of Bishops, specifically requested that bishops confer "as widely as possible to deaneries and parishes." "This isn't the first time the Vatican has asked bishops to consult about questions ahead of a synod," Uebbing said. "But what seems to be new is that Pope Francis is asking them to consult parishes and deaneries, so it's going a little bit further ... they're really trying to get a sense of what's going on in the parish, the most basic entity of the Church. "That's something we've seen with Pope Francis, he very much wants to be close to the people." Archbishop Samuel Aquila received the document in early "... Pope Francis is asking them to consult parishes and deaneries, so it's going a little bit further ... they're really trying to get a sense of what's going on in the parish ..." "Hearing from the people in the pews is the whole point." Archbishop Aquila will send the questionnaire response to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops by year-end, who will compile material from all U.S. dioceses and send it to the Vatican by the end of January. ADVERTISING FOCUS CALENDAR January 8 Lawyers Respect Life January 22 January 29 Seniors Julie Filby: 303-715-3123; julie.filby@archden.org; www. David Uebbing twitter.com/DCRegisterJulie Chancellor/Special Assistant to Archbishop Aquila November and is in the process of completing it on behalf of the archdiocese's estimated 557,000 Catholics. "The archbishop asked each of the deans to consult with all of the pastors in their deanery," Uebbing said. "He also reached out to key groups within the archdiocese that have experience working with families, in catechesis and teaching the faith." There are 12 deaneries and 142 parishes and quasi-parishes in the Denver Archdiocese that spans 40,154 square miles in northern Colorado. When the questionnaire was initially released, some media outlets mistakenly claimed it was a Vatican survey polling individual Catholics about their opinions on Church teaching related to issues such as divorce and same-sex marriage. There are an estimated 1.2 billion Catholics worldwide. "If you're going to Mass, you're known to the pastor, and you're involved in parish life, you are being represented (in the questionnaire response) in that way," Uebbing clarified. January 15 Education Catholic Schools Week COMPARE APPLES TO APPLES Not all apartment rents are the same Bella Vita's all-inclusive value package is a sweet comparison. Pay just one predictable monthly rent. More affordable than you might think. Includes: • • • • • • • Electricity Water Washer/dryer in each apartment Wireless and high-speed internet Cable Housekeeping in your apartment Trash removal at your door • • • • • Concierge daily 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Live-in caretaker All interior and exterior maintenance 24 hour fitness studio Specialty coffee and juice bar Ask about our move-in incentives! www.bellavitaseniorliving.com (303) 500-7002 • 1470 S. Havana Street • Aurora, CO 80012 Starting the week of January 8, 2014, instead of newspaper carrier delivery, you will be receiving the Denver Catholic Register via the U.S. Postal Service. We want to ensure you know what is going on in your archdiocese every week and this is the best way to get the job done. For news that touches Catholics everywhere, every day, we welcome you to visit us at www.denvercatholicregister.org

• Cover