Recent correspondence on the National Pastoral Congress serves to remind us that 35 years have passed since the event and memories can be imperfect with time.
I am in possession of Congress Report, published shortly after the Congress by the Catholic Truth Society a quasi-official publisher of the Church, containing concluding reports from the presidents of the seven Sectors at the Congress.
On the back cover it states 'The Bishops of England and Wales are expected to meet in July [1980] to consider further all the reports...The Bishops' response will then be published, together with the more detailed reports of the thirty-four Topic groups on which the Sector reports were based.' (Italics added).
Although we got the bishops' response in the form of The Easter People the detailed reports of the group deliberations never saw the light of day, so a vital part of the record of the Congress has been lost.
If the People of God are to be treated in a mature manner and encouraged to participate then Church-shaping events such as the current Synod must be completely transparent, with delegate contributions and pre-event consultations made available in their entirety, otherwise cynicism, apathy and disengagement will follow.
Paul Paniccia, Reading
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