Albany woman helps advise bishops

Among 16 new members who joined the U.S. bishops' National Advisory Council in January was a resident of the Albany Diocese: Aba Hinds, a parishioner of St. Joan of Arc Church in Menands who is active with the Diocese's Black Apostolate.

The Advisory Council meets twice a year, just before the nation's bishops gather for their own biannual national assemblies. The council gives recommendations on issues on the bishops' agenda.

About 63 laity, women religious, priests and bishops from all over the country make up the council's diverse membership.

Speaking out

Ms. Hinds, a native of the West Indies and mother of two grown sons, has made her voice heard within the Diocese through her efforts to coordinate ministries at St. Joan's and at Sacred Heart Church in Albany, the two parishes served by Rev. Kofi Amissah, head of the Black Apostolate.

In addition, Ms. Hinds is a graduate of the Diocese's Formation for Ministry program, which helps Catholics prepare for more active ministry in parishes, and has served on a subcommittee of the Diocesan Liturgical Commission.

Despite that background, However, her appointment to the council came as something of a surprise. She'd been asked quite a while ago to fill out a form stating her thoughts on certain issues of concern to the Church, "and the next thing I heard was [in a letter] welcoming me to this! It was an act of God."

Ms. Hinds accepted the position because she believes that "complacency of mind" can be a problem for Catholics. She said it's important not to "think we have all the answers" to challenges confronting the Church.

Confidentiality

The council's first meeting of 2006 was held earlier this month. Just back from the four-day gathering, Ms. Hinds shared some of her thoughts with The Evangelist.

What she couldn't share, however, were the specifics of what the council discussed. That remains confidential until after the U.S. bishops meet. (Issues discussed at the bishops' November 2005 assembly included lay ecclesial ministry, Scripture readings for Masses with children and opposition to capital punishment.)

Ms. Hinds did say that the meeting was "a life-altering experience." Each day, council members gathered for Mass, then had large- and small-group discussions on a "very full agenda" of issues. The group also listened to presentations from experts on the issues before offering their feedback. Every day ended with evening prayer as a group.

Many voices

Ms. Hinds noted that her peers' positions during discussions ranged from very liberal to extremely conservative, and she was pleased that everyone's ideas were listened to "in a manner respectful of all of us."

She felt her own input was important, too: "I think I was heard. I think I did make a valuable contribution."

That input will be presented to the bishops when they gather for their national assembly in Los Angeles in June. Ms. Hinds eagerly awaits her next meeting, which will be in the fall.

"I came back more energized and committed" as a Catholic, she declared. "Catholics can become somewhat isolated, because we tend to see our own parish as the only thing of importance." But participating in the council "gives you a sense of the bigness of the Church,...a sense of trying to fully leave egos aside. I'm not the Church. The Church is bigger than me."

(At the gathering, Ms. Hinds met her "guardian angel": a fellow council member who answered the newcomer's many questions about how the council works and the format of each day. Ms. Hinds said her "angel" was an older woman from the western part of the country and was "full of energy. There was no question I couldn't ask.")

(3/16/06) [[In-content Ad]]