Pangkal Pinang diocese, in Bangka-Belitung province, ended its second synod on Monday after setting out a new vision and missions to be implemented over the next 10 years.

“This synod has produced many recommendations we can focus on to develop this diocese’s work,” Divine Word Bishop Hilarius Moa Nurak of Pangkal Pinang said during a Holy Mass at St. Joseph Cathedral Church in Pangkal Pinang.

The Holy Mass concluded the August 2-8 synod, which was attended by 160 priests and representatives from all 14 parishes in the diocese.

According to the prelate, the recommendations addressed visions for the future, mission strategies and action plans.

For its vision, the diocese chose the followers of God that are inspired by the Holy Trinity to be a participatory Church.

“A participatory Church contains three elements, namely making Christ the center [of life], developing a communion, and carrying out the mission of Christ,” Bishop Nurak said.

The three elements can be realized only through the ecclesial basic communities, where Catholics can live together in small communities, he added.

The synod also came up with at least 16 missions. Among them is to pay serious attention to ecological issues by forming a commission for the environment.

“Environmental issues are important since this diocese covers Bangka-Belitung and Riau Islands provinces, which have thousands of beautiful islands,” he added.

He said tin mining in the island province of Bangka-Belitung and bauxite mining in the Riau Islands have had a destructive effect on the environment.

Another mission involves Church treasury management.

“This is what I will pay attention to as well. In many places in this diocese, there are problems with treasury management including inventory and corruption,” he said.

END

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