The 1976 U.S. Catholic Bishops' Call To Action Conference in Detroit

A.D. 1977
How to Extend Detroit:
Do-it-yourself Suggestions for Grassroots Catholics

Introduction -The Detroit Conference, for the first time in recent memory, asked representative U. S. Catholics their advice on liberty and justice in the Church and in society. They loved being asked and had plenty to say. They left Detroit feeling they owned a "piece of the Rock" - the Church. Real power will flow from the "Call to Action" Conference, it that sharing and sense of "owning" the Church spreads across the country. You can help this happen in two ways:

1. Extend Detroit - Advise your bishop. Pick up the advisory process where the delegates left off. Talk with other Catholics. Inform your local bishop on your views of the Detroit recommendations.

2. Begin to do what you can to implement the advice which needs no approval from the bishops.
The following are some practical suggestions to achieve this.

I. TELL THEM WHAT YOU THINK: EXTEND DETROIT, ADVISE YOUR BISHOP (AYB)

The U.S. Bishops will meet in Chicago in May 1977, to respond to Detroit. They will try to draw up a 5-year pastoral plan for the U. S. Church to work toward liberty and justice for all. In evaluating Detroit, the bishops face conflicting interpretations. Some commentators claim that the recommendations do not reflect the thinking of "ordinary Catholics. Others view the recommendations as the word of the Spirit, fully in accord with Catholic social teaching.

It is important that the bishops know, before May, what local Catholics think of the Detroit recommendations. Do you generally support or oppose what was said? With what positions do you strongly agree or disagree? The following are some practical suggestions for advising your bishop of your views.

1. WHAT CAN AN INDIVIDUAL DO?

One person can do a great deal to extend Detroit. Each person's views are precious. Your opinions will make a special difference if you take time to share them with others. Try the following:

Read the resolutions.

Keep track of the areas with which you generally agree, and those with which you disagree. The enclosed response sheet should help.

Advise your bishop(s). Send him a letter and tell him your views.

Write a brief letter to your diocesan newspaper or parish bulletin.

Encourage other Catholics to read the resolutions and to speak out as you have done.

Look for a local group which is trying to implement some of the Detroit recommendations. Share this effort.

2. WHAT CAN A SMALL GROUP DO?

Are you part of a prayer group, discussion group, religious community, adult education program, etc.? You can make an important contribution to the Church and expand your own faith and consciousness.

Read the resolutions.

Fill out the response sheet.

Discuss and pray over each section.

List the recommendations on which the group finds general agreement. Identify areas where there is initial disagreement. Discuss these areas and attempt to reach a consensus. If no consensus emerges, vote the issue. Keep a written record of your agreements/ disagreements and votes.

Advise your bishops(s) -Write him a letter. Tell him your views, your agreements and disagreements. Encourage him to be open at the May meeting of the bishops.

Write a letter or article for the diocesan paper or parish bulletin.

Encourage other groups to do as you have done.

3. EVENING SERIES:

A six-week model for larger groups, eg. parishes.

The "Call to Action" Conference used a process of open, democratic debate to develop a sense of shared responsibility. A local parish, or other sizable group can use the resolutions to liven up Lent, and to extend the work of Detroit. The following model is adapted from the dynamics of the Detroit Conference.

a. First Week

Brief explanation of the overall process.

Break up into 8 sections (Church, Family, etc.) according to each person's interest. Answer questions about existing resolutions.

Subdivide into 29 working committees according to each major recommendation. (N.B. If group is too small, stay in 8 sections.)

Each working committee discusses, amends, debates and votes their recommendation until they have it in shape for presentation to the larger gathering.

b. Second Week - Working committees continue and complete their work. Revised drafts are duplicated and shared within sections.

c. Third Week - 8 section groups debate, amend and vote the recommendations of their section. Duplicate for all.

d. Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Weeks - Plenary sessions. Take one hour for each section. Debate and vote. You might well close with a liturgy of celebration.

Week No.	First Hour	Second Hour	Third Hour
1	Explain task and dynamics	8 Sections: Clarification Session	29 Working Committees begin discusssion
2	29 Working Committees continue and complete work (discuss, debate, amend, vote)
3	8 Sections discuss, debate, amend, and vote resolutions
4	Plenary Session: vote three sections' resolutions, one per hour
5	Plenary Session: vote three sections' resolutions, one per hour
6	Plenary Session: vote remaining two sections' resolutions, one per hour		Liturgy of Celebration

e. Write up and publish your final documents for the group.

f. Advise your Bishop(s)

Send him a copy of your final documents, or a list of all significant changes from the Detroit recommendations.

Arrange for a delegation to review with him your process and recommendations. Especially note points of strong agreement/disagreement with the Detroit documents.

g. Publicize your work and conclusions more widely -diocesan press, parish newsletter, etc.

h. Look for ways to implement your advice.

4. THE ACADEMIC PLAN

Are you a religious educator who is searching for a course plan that will communicate a sense of Church, develop an understanding of social justice, and acquaint students with a wide spectrum of contemporary Church issues? Try Detroit! Use the documents in your high school or college theology/religious education program. Structure a special week, or a set of classes around discussion, debate and voting of the recommendations. Develop a process (or let the group develop its own process). The resulting dynamic will achieve a life and vigor seldom possible with ordinary lesson plans.

You will add special zest and give focus to the process if the class writes up the results of their discussion and Advises their bishops, before May, 1977. Few young people were delegates to Detroit. It is especially important to remedy this deficiency with advice from young Catholics. You might also encourage the class or program to share their reflections with local parishes or Catholic organizations, e.g. through a story for the local Catholic paper.

5. GENERAL CONFERENCE PLAN

Some groups may be adventurous enough to model a local conference on the dynamics of the Detroit assembly, where the open, free debate and voting played an important role.

For a three day conference, the original dynamics could be adapted and followed. The Bicentennial Committee of the USCC already has helpful material which was used at the original conference.

(Keep in mind, that if working committees and sections wish to amend and revise the original documents, swift duplication will be necessary, or some other solution which allows everyone to read and reflect on any revisions. An overhead projector, or other similar device might be helpful.)

At Detroit, it took over 11 hours of plenary sessions, under the guidance of strong chairpersons, to vote all of the recommendations. Amendments in writing were allowed. Each section was allotted one hour.

For one or two day conferences, some adaptation of the original dynamics would have to be made. The following alternatives might help.

a. Plan a conference which deals with only 1, 2 or 3 sections.

b. Restrict debate and amendments to the working committees, or to the sections. In the final plenary session, after a brief summary of the "pros" and "cons" of previous debate, the recommendations might be simply voted "up" or "down."

c. If the people who attend were polled in advance (e.g. by using the enclosed response sheets), areas of general agreement/disagreement could be quickly identified. The areas of general a1jreement might first be voted. Debate could then focus on the areas of disagreement, followed by a vote to indicate final judgment.

6. A GENERAL CONSULTATION

This model is designed for a group of any size, where amendments and rewriting are not attempted. This dispenses with the dynamics of working committees and section meetings. Everything is done in general session. It is important that as many as possible, carefully read the documents before coming. The enclosed response sheet provides an easy way to keep track of points of agreement/disagreement.

a. Quietly re-read a recommendation together.

b. Are there points of serious disagreement? Propose them. Ask if others share the same view. If 25-30% feel that way, the point is reserved for debate.

c. Debate the points of major disagreement for a limited time.

d. Vote the disputed points, then vote the section. Proceed to the next section.

e. Advise Your Bishop(s) - Send an account of the results, especially the points of strong agreement and disagreement. Include the tally of split votes.

Many groups cannot hold a conference, but still wish to respond to the Detroit resolutions. The following alternative is suggested for groups who wish to build a simple program covering a few weeks. It is an excellent way to raise consciousness on the themes of justice.

This publication contains a response sheet. Give the people a week to read the resolutions and fill out their reactions.

Collect and tabulate the results locally. Identify areas of general agreement/disagreement.

Use follow-up group meetings/liturgies to discuss the points of disagreement.

Prepare a new response page containing only the disputed resolutions. Repoll the people on these points of disagreement.

Advise Your Bishop(s) - give him an account of what you did and of your final results.

Do a story for the local Catholic paper.

 

II IMPLEMENT DETROIT

The Detroit resolutions call for action from all Catholics, not merely from the Bishops. Implementation can begin at once in many areas.

"The recommendations are deliberately not all addressed to the American bishops. Many issues, by their very nature, call for local resolution-in parishes, dioceses, schools or in a variety of informal situations ... Not all the actions suggested need await a decision on the part of the national hierarchy. It is the hope of the bicentennial committee that action will be undertaken by dialogue and decision on the local level as well as at the national."

Introduction to the Working Papers - U. S. Cath. Conference

Recommendations for action come alive when hopeful people pool their efforts and work to carry out the recommendations. This section suggests ways in which local people can extend Detroit and begin to implement some of the recommendations.

INDIVIDUALS

Reflect on the recommendations - Advise your bishop(s).

Read and pray over the documents to see what contribution you can make.

Look for friends or members of your parish or community with whom you might share efforts. Encourage your parish council and local priests to expand on the advice of Detroit and implement what is already possible. Acquire copies of the documents and encourage others to read and respond to them.

GROUPS -Families, discussion groups, adult education, prayer groups, organizations, etc.

Share the documents, reflect on the recommendations, discuss, debate, vote and then-advise your bishop.

Discuss and pray over ways in which you can begin to implement recommendations in your area. Try to be practical and concrete.

Encourage your parish council and local priests to discuss and support the Detroit recommendations. Encourage them to work with you on efforts at local implementation.

PARISHES - Many Detroit recommendations apply to parish life.

Spread the documents widely in your parish. Develop a program to encourage the response of the people and then advise your bishop.

The parish council and other parish groups can review the documents for those recommendations which apply to parish life.

Priests of the parish can preach on the various themes, encouraging the people to put forward their own views. Special parish-wide discussions can focus on controversial areas.

Task forces can be set up to implement particular recommendations.

The recommendations can be used to evaluate parish life.

RELIGIOUS EDUCATORS

Plan your classes/programs to discuss and reflect on the Detroit recommendations. After discussion, encourage participants to write to the bishop(s) telling him their honest views on the recommendations.

Focus discussion around controversial areas in order to expand consciousness. Invite local 'experts' to speak to the group and lead discussions.

As a group, choose one or more recommendations which can be implemented locally. Organize a group project to do this.

Hold an in-service teacher-training session to familiarize religious educators with the recommendations.

PRIESTS-You make a difference. Many parishioners will take their cues from you on openness to the Detroit recommendations.

Make copies of the Detroit recommendations easily available.

Join with your people. Discuss the documents. Advise your bishop(s).

Encourage free debate and democratic sharing of advice and decision-making in your parish.

Offer regular prayers for the forthcoming session of the bishops, that they may be open to the advice and dynamics of Detroit.

Based on the recommendations, make a list of growth-areas for your parish. Empower your people to set up task forces or other groups to build local responses. Work with them yourself.

At deanery meetings and diocesan Priests' Senate meetings, get the recommendations of Detroit on the agenda. Suggest implementation.

CAMPUS MINISTERS -You touch a critical segment of the young Catholic adult community.

Encourage free discussion and responses to the Detroit recommendations. Advise your bishop(s) on the response of your community.

Since many alienated and marginal Catholics often share life with campus communities, identify these special groups. Encourage discussions and implementation programs in areas which especially touch their lives.

RELIGIOUS COMMUNITIES

Build a response program. Discuss the documents. Advise your bishop(s). Major superiors or community leaders could set up a meeting with the bishop to communicate the views of the community.

Review the recommendations for their application to the life and ministry of your community. Identify 'key concepts,' organize groups to discuss them. Build responses to effect needed changes.

Work with the Catholics of your area to implement
recommendations which touch the life of the local church.

Use the background of the resolutions to take public stands on justice issues, especially those prominent in your area. Plan collective responses with other religious communities on larger issues.

LOCAL TASK FORCES

Most of us need to work with other people to share encouragement, energy and resources. A task force offers an effective way to do serious work in a limited amount of time.

A task force is a short-term action group. It picks a definite goal. It gathers people who work toward that goal. It works for a limited time and then disbands. Task forces are usually short-term efforts. They are action groups, not discussion clubs. Typical ingredients include:

Gather a group which wants to implement the Detroit recommendations. Pick a worthwhile goal.

Survey the resources needed for the task force, the funds, people and skills.

Determine a schedule for your work. Set a time limit. Build a specific plan to reach the goal you have chosen, something that involves each person in the group. Be concrete. How can you carry out the plan? How will you monitor the effort?

When the task force has reached its goal, or reached its time limit, evaluate what you have done. Unless there are weighty reasons for continuing- celebrate and self-destruct!!!

People use task forces to develop practical plans for taking a next step toward some desired goal. By focusing on single issues, task forces achieve considerable depth in a brief time. If a parish or diocese sets up several task forces simultaneously, depth in several areas can be achieved.

 

Reprinted with permission of the Quixote Center.