SUMMARY

- NINETEENTH GENERAL CONGREGATION (TUESDAY, OCTOBER 23 2012 - MORNING)
- ERRATA CORRIGE

NINETEENTH GENERAL CONGREGATION (TUESDAY, OCTOBER 23 2012 - MORNING)

- INTERVENTION OF THE CARDINAL SECRETARY OF STATE: ANNOUNCEMENT OF DELEGATION IN SYRIA (II)
- PRESENTATION OF THE FINAL LIST OF PROPOSITIONS
- VOTING FOR THE COUNCIL (II)
- REPLY TO THE MESSAGE FROM HIS EXC. MSGR. LUCAS LY JINGFENG, BISHOP OF FENGXIANG [SHAANXI] (CHINA)

Today, Tuesday, October 23 2012, at 9:05 a.m., in the presence of the Holy Father, whith the chant of the Hour of Tierce, the Nineteenth General Congregation began for the presentation of the Integrated List of Propositions (Elenchus Unicus Propositionum).

President delegate on duty H. Em. Card. Laurent MONSENGWO PASINYA, Archbishop of Kinshasa (DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO).

At the opening of the Congregation, His Em. Card Tarcisio BERTONE, Secretary of State (VATICAN CITY), announced some news about the Delegation in Syria decided by the Holy Fater Benedict XVI. The words by the Cardinal Secretary of State are reported in this Bulletin.

Then the Secretary General, His Exc. Msgr. Nikola ETEROVIC, Tituklar Archbishop of Cibale (VATICAN CITY), expressed the solidarity of the Synod of Bishops for the three Catholic religious persons kidnapped last Friday in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Secretary General asked that Anselme Wasukundi, Jean Ndulani and Edmond Kisughu be released and without any conditions.

Also before the break, the Secretary General announced that the Holy Father Benedict XVI gave the Cross of the Good Shepherd to the Synodal Fathers. Although it is taken from pagan culture, one of the most frequently occurring images in the art of the catacombs is that of the good shepherd. The figure of Christ, as described in the well-known parable from Saint Luke's Gospel (15:4-7), is lovingly carrying a sheep on his shoulders, as an expression of the care and solicitude that a shepherd must have for his flock. Each cross is hand-made in .925 silver by Claudio and Piero Savi, Master Goldsmiths in Rome.

At the end of the Congregation, the Secretary General read the letter by the Synodal Assembly in response to the message by His. Exc, MSGR, Lucas Ly Jingfeng [Shaanxi] (China), published in Bulletin no. 18, dated October 16th, 2012.

He also invited the Synodal Fathers to meet this afternoon in the Vth Session of the Working Groups for the preparation of the Collective Modes of the Propositions.

Finally, he announced the guided visit of the Sistine Chapel for the Synodal Fathers and the other Participants, five hundred years from the inauguration of Michelangelo's vault, which occurred in 1512. The Secretary General explained that the visit was made possible thanks to the collaboration of the Vatican Museum.

At this General Congregation, which ended at 12:20 am with the prayer of Angelus Domini 258 Fathers were present.

INTERVENTION OF THE CARDINAL SECRETARY OF STATE: ANNOUNCEMENT OF DELEGATION IN SYRIA (II)

Last Tuesday I spoke to this Assize about the Holy Father’s decision to send a Delegation to Damascus to express His solidarity and that of the Synod and the entire Church to the Syrian population, which unfortunately is undergoing a tragic situation of suffering, and to manifest our spiritual closeness to the Christian brothers and sisters in that Nation, as well as an encouragement to all those involved in finding a resolution, which respects the rights and duties of all.
The initiative had broad echoes not only here in Rome or in Syria, but also on an international level it was positively received.
First of all I would like to let you know that studies on the question and the preparations for the trip have continued, despite the tragic events of the past days in the Region.
As is known, the wish to express the closeness of the Holy See and the Universal Church is strong, doing this through a Delegation to be sent to Damascus in times and ways that will be announced, after having been defined in the light of the contacts and preparations being carried out. Considering the seriousness of the situation, the visit will be postponed, probably after the end of the Synod, as well as there might be some changes to the composition of the Delegation, due to prior commitments by some of its members.
The personal contributions by the Synodal Fathers as well as those by the Holy See will be sent to Syria, after the Synod, as a fraternal gesture of solidarity to the entire population.
Above all, the prayer which is always listened to by the Lord continues, and I wish to invite you all to join us in this with renewed faith.

[00359-02.05] [NNNNN] [Original text: Italian]

PRESENTATION OF THE FINAL LIST OF PROPOSITIONS

The Relator General H. Em. Rev. Card. Donald William WUERL, Archbishop of Washington (UNITED STATES OF AMERICA), and the Special H. Exc. Rev. Mons. Pierre-Marie CARRÉ, Archbishop of Montpellier (FRANCE), presented the Integrated List of Propositions(Elenchus Unicus Propositionum), the result of the unification of the Propositions prepared in the last days by the individual Working Groups. The Integrated List of Propositions, reflecting the work of the whole assembly, is distributed to the Synod Fathers for the private study and the preparation of the individual amendments (Modi), which each Father may present to his respective small group for collegial discussion and examination.

VOTING FOR THE COUNCIL (II)

After not having reached the necessary absolute majority of votes during the first ballot, there was a second electronic ballot, in which 12 Synod Fathers that had obtained the greater number of votes to reach a relative majority, were elected. The List of the Elected Members, with the addition of 3 Members nominated by the Pope, will be published in the following days.

REPLY TO THE MESSAGE FROM HIS EXC. MSGR. LUCAS LY JINGFENG, BISHOP OF FENGXIANG [SHAANXI] (CHINA)

Vatican City, October 23rd, 2012.
Most Reverend Excellency,
With great pleasure, the Synodal Fathers celebrating the XIII Ordinary Synod of Bishops on New Evangelization and the Transmission of Faith received your Letter, with which you wished to make your voice heard from within the Democratic Republic of China. Your intention was greatly appreciated, notwithstanding the fact that there are some Bishops coming from Hong Kong and Taiwan among the Synodal Fathers.
The Synod has come to learn with satisfaction, giving thanks to God, that the Catholic faithful of China keep their faith, piety and sincerity firm towards the Holy Mother Church. We know that the suffering, the prayers and joy of being a Christian in China are appreciated by God and encourage all the Christians in the world.
Sunday, October 7th, the Holy Father, during a solemn Eucharistic Liturgy, opened the XIII Synodal Assembly, commemorated the 50th anniversary of the beginning of Vatican Council II, and began the Year of the Faith, which will end on the Feast of Christ the King in 2013. Even if you and other Catholic bishops in China could not intervene, we considered you as spiritually present. We ask all the Bishops, Priests and faithful of this great Nation to live the Year of the Faith with generosity and commitment. We thus recommend that the evangelization of the Chinese People and the reevangelization of all those who have become lukewarm towards or lost their faith, be taken to heart in a special way.
The Synod of Bishops renews to you and to the entire Church in China the wish for all good in the hope that in the future the Bishops coming from your noble Nation may participate at the synodal works.
The Holy Father Benedict XVI sends a special blessing to you, to your priests and faithful, as well as to the entire, wellloved Church in China.
Presidents Delegate
Secretary General

[00360-02.03] [NNNNN] [Original text: Latin]

ERRATA CORRIGE

The corrections published in the Errata Corrige in Bulletin No.27 can be found in the specific Bulletins published in these Internet pages.

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