The Priest’s Synod of the Archdiocese of Atlanta begins its official work this month to consider measures for the welfare of the clergy and people of the archdiocese.

The synod follows the congresses of nuns, laymen and young adults as part of the program of renewal in the archdiocese. It will officially meet Nov. 20-22 before auditors of nuns, laymen and young adults, Protestant and Jewish observers and the public.

In preparing for the formal meeting, priests in the archdiocese will hold several meetings to discuss the issues and proposals.

Priests in three deaneries will meet Oct. 27 and presynodal sessions will be held on Oct. 31, Nov. 7, and Nov. The results of the synod will be presented to the Apostolic Delegate, Archbishop Vagnozzi, Dec. 8 for presentation to Pope Paul VI.

General chairman of the synod is Father Michael Manning with Fathers Noel C. Burtenshaw and Eusebius J. Beltran serving as secretaries. Fathers John Stapleton and John McDonough will be advisors. Area chairmen will be Msgr. Joseph Moylan, Msgr. Michael J. Regan, Msgr. Joseph Cassidy, Msgr. P. J. O’Connor and Father Vincent P. Brennan, S.M.

In announcing last year that a synod would be held, Archbishop Paul J. Hallinan pointed out that it is required by canon law that each diocese convene a synod to “consider measures for the welfare of the clergy and people of the diocese.”

It will be the first synod since the Archdiocese of Atlanta was formed. In 1939, Archbishop Gerald P. O’Hara called the synod for the diocese then known as Savannah-Atlanta. These statutes retained their force in 1956 when the new Diocese of Atlanta was formed under Bishop Francis E. Hyland and in 1962 when the diocese was raised to the rank of an archdiocese.

The archbishop said every priest of the archdiocese --diocesan and religious, pastors, assistants, teachers and staff will be called to the synod. Although they constitute a “consultative body,” the priests will discuss recommendations made by the congresses and make recommendations on the role of the archdiocese. According to canon law, the bishop is sole legislator.

In calling the synod, Archbishop Hallinan said, “We are blessed in that the tenth year of diocese comes after the Vatican Council. We can review the decade, look ahead at the decades to come and legislate for both the needs and opportunities of the present and future. Our focus before 1962 was largely judicial and the Church was considered a hierarchical society. Now we can prepare for the synod as an event affecting God’s people and their place in Christ’s mystical body.”