After a proclamation in the year 2000 from Pope John Paul in Rome, the Roman Catholic Church Diocese in Bermuda is combining forces with the laity to help assure its future on the Island.

The Church will hold its second annual Synod Assembly tomorrow to discuss such matters as the youth, family life, Mount St. Agnes Academy, continuing Christian development, inactive Catholics, stewardship, parish life and liturgy, social outreach and social justice.

"The purpose of our first Synod in the diocese of Hamilton in Bermuda will be to prepare and approve a pastoral plan which will guide the life and ministry of our church in this new millennium. Our church is facing serious challenges, not the least of which is the lack of priests to assure us the possibility of our sacramental life in the future," said Sister Judith.

In response to the directive from the Pope, the Bishop of Hamilton, Robert J. Kurtz, C.R. formed the Diocesan Pastoral Council (DPC) made up of members of each parish in Bermuda. As a reaction, church attendance grew beyond expectation.

"The involvement of lay members of the Catholic church has generated a renewed groundswell of energy as they have welcomed being involved in the affairs of their church locally," said Bishop Kurtz.

In the next Synod Assembly in January, postponed to avoid the Christmas rush, people will be divided into groups to discuss questions that were distributed to the diocese on January 5.

The input from these groups will be studied by Bishop Kurtz and the Pastoral Council at their meetings throughout the remainder of the year.