A simplified version of the synod questionnaire on family life has
drawn 1,600 responses even though it is only available on request.
The questionnaire, produced by the Diocese of Arundel and Brighton,
allows respondents to tick “yes” and “no” boxes and rank statements
from one to 10 depending on how much they agree or disagree with them.
Deacon Mark Woods, communications officer for the diocese, said the
questionnaire had not been put on the diocese’s website because of a
lack of resources to deal with demand.
Instead copies can be obtained by
emailing a request to communications@dabnet.org.
He explained that the idea was to make the questionnaire “more understandable as a survey”.
He said: “The aim was to give people something they might find easier to get their teeth into.”
He explained that responses from people outside Arundel and Brighton
would be passed on to the relevant diocese to use if it wished.
Last week the bishops’ conference said that 5,000 people had filled
in the synod questionnaire in the three weeks since it was posted
online.
Elizabeth Davies, marriage and family life project officer, said
15,000 had accessed the survey but only a third of those had submitted
responses.
The bishops have asked Catholics to respond to the questions by Saturday, November 30.
The findings will be passed on to officials in Rome in January and
will be used to inform discussions at the extraordinary synod of bishops
on the family in October.