“We have work to do in Atlanta.” With these words Archbishop Paul J. Hallinan opened Monday the first of three presynodal sessions of the Archdiocese of Atlanta. After his address, diocesan and order priests from throughout North Georgia began discussing and voting on matters of pastoral concern - the archdiocese’s part in the universal Church, the archdiocese as part of the Church in the United States and the mission of the archdiocese.

“We have work to do -- in Atlanta,” the archbishop pointed out. “As in Genesis, it is scheduled to take six days. As in Genesis, may we hope that when it is finished, God may look upon it and see that it is good.” “Very briefly, may I direct your thoughts to the past and future? The past because it is on the shoulders of the great laymen, sisters, priests and bishops that we stand today.” “Just as Vatican II could never have been the historic landmark that it is without popes Leo XIII and Pius XII, churchmen like Newman of England, Gibbons of America, Suhard of France -- neither could we be meeting in Atlanta today were it not for bishops Verot, O’Hara and Hyland, priests like Father Thomas O’Reily of the Immaculate Conception in the 1860s and Msgr. Joseph Moylan of all Georgia in the 1920s to the 1960s and laymen of our own, like Richard Reid, Martin Haverty, Col. Jack Spalding, Flannery O’Connor, and the Marietta men who knew the Bible cover-to-cover in the 1840s.” The archbishop said, “In turn we must look ahead to the future because another generation will stand on our shoulders to widen their vision. May our main focus be on the unity of the whole archdiocese - laity, religious, clergy and bishops, young and old.”

“But diversity and flexibility are needed too. The Church is not a rock, it is built on a rock. It is a vine that must grow. With due respect for proper authority and with that kind of common sense we often call prudence, we realize that if the Church is to grow in depth and develop with the times, we must keep ever alert to change.” “Old ways have to be shed, no matter how painfully, if they no longer bear fruit nor point in the right direction. New ways must be assimilated, pointing toward better understanding and participation and involvement as long as the majesty of the transcendent God and the divine law of charity toward others are not betrayed by our own opinionated self. This calls for flexibility and change, in courage, humility and patience.” “But our strongest motive these days, our ultimate thrust, will be toward our part in the servant Church.”

Father Michael Manning, chairman of the Synod said following the archbishop’s remarks: “We have different problems than those of the past and in this Synod we will meet these new problems.”

“The idea of the Church as a rock may have lulled us into apathy, but as we think of the Church as a vine that changes and grows we will be benefited by the changes of Vatican II.” The second presynodal session will be held Nov. 7, the third Nov. 14 and the Synod Nov. 20-22. The synodal decree will be presented to Archbishop Vagnozzi, Apostolic Delegate, on Dec. 8, the first anniversary of the end of Vatican II.

Topics to be discussed in the sessions include the role of laymen, priests and sisters, the structures, needs and resources of parishes and lay groups, Christian life including the liturgy and Eucharist, education, social services, communications, health and hospitals.