Diocese of Metuchen
P.O. Box 191
Metuchen, NJ  08840
Tel: (732) 562-2454
Fax: (732) 562-1427
synod@diometuchen.org

• A Message from Bishop Bootkoski
• What is a Synod?
• The Synod Process
• About the Synod Logo
• Synod Prayer

or those who remember that November day in 1981 when they heard the news that His Holiness, Pope John Paul II had created a new Catholic diocese in New Jersey, it may seem hard to believe that the Diocese of Metuchen will mark the twenty-fifth anniversary of its establishment in a little over two years. Some anniversaries are occasions for celebration; others call for reflection on the past and attention to the future. It is my hope that the observance of Twenty-fifth Anniversary of the Diocese of Metuchen will incorporate both of these features.

I believe our Diocese has much about which to rejoice and to be proud. We have been the recipients of many blessings and have been a source of blessing for many. Throughout its history the Diocese of Metuchen has been a community faithful to preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to caring for one another, especially those who are poor, vulnerable and undervalued among us. If growth is indeed a sign of life, we are a vibrant community: when we were established the Catholic population of the Diocese numbered 411,000; today there are some 557,000 Catholics living throughout our four counties. By this fall, I will have been to all of our 108 parishes, and in every parish I have visited I have met scores of people deeply grateful to be a part of our Catholic Church and greatly interested in deepening their relationship with Our Lord and Savior.

My visits throughout the Diocese have also taught me that there is much we must still do as instruments of the Lord’s presence and peace in this portion of his vineyard. Many Catholics feel estranged from the Church. There are many in the Church who are uninformed or confused about what the Church believes and teaches in the areas of doctrine, morality and social justice. The continuing decline in religious vocations raises questions about how we will adequately staff all of our parishes in the future. Many who live in the Diocese continue to be deprived of the dignity and fulfillment that is their birthright as a child of God. It is because of these and numerous other challenges we face that I decided to make the convocation of a diocesan synod a part of our anniversary observance.

A synod (pronounced sin-ed), for those unfamiliar with the term, is a gathering of all the faithful of a diocese for the purpose of assisting the bishop in his role as their leader and shepherd. While the traditional function of a synod is to enact legislation or policies for the good ordering of a local Church, synods have also come to be seen as opportunities for dioceses to foster a unified vision, to plan for the future and to develop strategies for realizing its future goals.

The First Synod of the Diocese of Metuchen will have its formal opening on November 19, 2005 , which will also mark the beginning of our anniversary year; the Synod will conclude on January 31, 2007 , the twenty-fifth anniversary of the installation of the first Bishop of Metuchen and the formal launching of the Diocese. Last month, I appointed a Synod Preparatory Commission, which will oversee the Synod’s work. The Commission is made up of 20 people – four priests, two deacons, three religious sisters and eleven other laity representative of our four counties and many of the ethnic groups and ministries that comprise our Diocese.

Finally, I ask each of you and every parish to make the next two years a time of special prayer and reflection as we celebrate our past and lay the foundation for the next chapter in our history. May future generations look back on our Silver Jubilee as a time when the Diocese of Metuchen “advanced in wisdom and age and favor before God and humanity” (Lk 2:52 ).

Sincerely in the Lord,

Most Rev. Paul G. Bootkoski
Bishop of Metuchen

What is a Synod?

The term “synod” comes from the Greek words:
syn: together
nodos: road or way

A synod is an elected and appointed assembly of priests, deacons, those consecrated to God in religious life, and laity. The goal of any diocesan synod is to advise the bishop as he seeks to teach, sanctify, and lead all entrusted in his care.

Our synod is an historic event in the life of our diocese. The first to be held in the Diocese of Metuchen, it is being convoked by Bishop Bootkoski in the hope that it will affirm where we have been faithful to our mission as a Christian community, as well as identify those areas where we can, traveling the road together, better communicate the truth and hope of the gospel. Our synod is timed to coincide with the 25th Anniversary of the Diocese of Metuchen. We pray that our synod will further the apostolic zeal of the faithful and enhance the life of faith within our diocese

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The Synod Process

A synod involves preparation, consultation, and deliberations that may take up to three years. It is a process not an event! Everyone in the Diocese of Metuchen will have opportunities to get involved. Here is an outline of the major phases and what happens during each.

I. Preparatory Phase

     A. Initial Preparatory Phase

    B. Spiritual and Educational Phase

     C. Consultation Phase

II. Synodal Phase

     A. Synod Sessions October 7 & 21, 2006; December 2, 2006

     B. Synodal Decrees

III. Implementation Phase

How shall we harvest the fruits of our labors? During his reflection at the Delegate Orientation in October, 2005, Bishop Bootkoski made a special point of noting that “our synod will not be an activity that leads to futility.”

We are engaged in a process that will shape the future of Roman Catholic life in the Diocese of Metuchen for many years to come. How will the decrees and declarations be implemented? These practicalities are part of a future that is not yet here, but a future we welcome.

About the Synod Logo

Because our observance of the Diocese’s Silver Jubilee will include its first synod, the logo we are using looks as much to the future as it does to the past. The logo – in words and in symbol – invokes the help of the Holy Spirit, the Lord’s gift to the Church to guide it to all truth (Jn 16:13).

The Holy Spirit image was adapted from a stained glass window at Queenship of Mary Church, Plainsboro. Queenship of Mary is one of eight parishes founded since the establishment of the Diocese and is named for the patroness of the Diocese.

May the Spirit of God who has strengthened and guided our diocese for a quarter century continue to direct our steps during these special days of recollection and renewal.

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The Synod Prayer