By Louis Fink

The Lay Congress of the Archdiocese of Atlanta, believed by many observers to be the first in the world, is scheduled to meet at the Biltmore Hotel in Atlanta for three days beginning Friday, May 20. James Callison will preside.

The Congress has been convened for the purpose of enabling the laity to make recommendations to a Synod of priests which will meet in the fall. The Synod will consider the recommendations and then pass legislation for the governing of the archdiocese.

Elected delegates to the Congress from each parish have been meeting for the past month, both with members of their parishes and with the four committees organized to consider various areas of archdiocesan government. During the past week each of the committees has put the final touches on its report and these documents are now ready for submission to the Congress.

The recommendations will be debated at the Congress and final votes taken. Additional matters may be proposed to a Rules Committee headed by Felmer Cummings, vice president of the Congress.

Friday night’s session will feature opening remarks by Archbishop Paul J. Hallinan. The keynote address will be delivered by Dean William Cannon of the Candler School of Theology of Emory University.

There will be a banquet on Saturday evening which will be addressed by Martin Work, executive director of the National Council of Catholic Men in Washington, D.C. Interested persons who are not official delegates may attend the Congress and will be seated in a reserved section. Provisions have been made for press coverage.