1. By authority as Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Atlanta, I hereby convoke the First Congress of the Laity to be held in 1966 as an integral part of the program of renewal which will culminate in the Archdiocesan Synod at the end of the year.

2. The Lay Congress is based on the intent of the Constitution, On the Church; Chapter IV (The Laity), especially Par. 33 (“may every opportunity be given them so that they may zealously participate in the saving work of the Church”) and Par. 37 (“let this be done through organs established by the Church for this purpose.”)

3. The Lay Congress should consist of two elements: --(a) A General Lay Committee (including a Steering Committee and committees as determined by the General Lay Committee); (b) An assembly of delegates elected by the parishes to consider, alter, amend and approve or disapprove recommendations prepared for the consideration of the delegates by the General Lay Committee.

4. In confidence born of the Second Vatican Council’s renewal and reform, I hereby convoke this Lay Congress as an authentic voice of the laity in this archdiocese. It should elicit the full interest and cooperation of God’s People as a necessary part of the renewal. It should be a first step in the establishing of those organs for the laity ordered by the Council. And it should be an effective instrument in preparing our First Archdiocesan Synod in the spirit of today’s Church.

5. To this end, I entreat on behalf of our laity, the memory of those great laymen, from Saint Joseph to Saint Thomas More, the first of many holy laymen of modern times, and the prayer and help of Our Blessed Lady, Mary Seat of Wisdom.

Paul J. Hallinan

Archbishop of Atlanta