- PRESENTAZIONE DEL SEGRETARIO GENERALE
- CALENDARIO DEI LAVORI SINODALI
- INFORMAZIONE GENERALE SINODALE
- PREGHIERA PER IL FELICE ESITO DEL SINODO
- LA CAPPELLA DEL SINODO
- ILLUSTRAZIONI DALLA SAINT JOHN’S BIBLE
- AVVISI

PRESENTAZIONE DEL SEGRETARIO GENERALE

Venerdì, 3 ottobre 2008 alle ore 11.30 nell’Aula Giovanni Paolo II della Sala Stampa della Santa Sede, il Segretario Generale del Sinodo dei Vescovi S.E.R. Mons. Nikola Eterović ha tenuto un “Briefing” per fornire informazio­ni su senso e svolgimento dell’Assemblea sinodale.

Riportiamo di seguito il testo della presentazione del Segretario Generale:

“Beati piuttosto coloro che ascoltano la parola di Dio e la osservano!” (Lc 11, 28). Così rispose Gesù Cristo a una donna che, meravigliata dei suoi miracoli e del suo insegnamento, fatto con autorità (cfr. Lc 4, 32), intendeva elogiare sua madre, la quale doveva essere orgogliosa del suo figlio. Il Signore, invece, dichiarò beati coloro che ascoltano la Parola di Dio e la osservano. Ascoltare la Parola di Dio significa capire quello che viene proclamato, meditare su tale annuncio affinché diventi parte della vita concreta. Per evitare ogni possibile equivoco, in un’altra situazione, il Signore Gesù ha precisato: “Mia madre e miei fratelli sono coloro che ascoltano la parola di Dio e la mettono in pratica” (Lc 8, 21).
Per diventare membri della famiglia di Gesù Cristo, della sua Chiesa, occorre dunque ascoltare la Parola di Dio e metterla in pratica. Ora la Parola di Dio è Gesù stesso, il Verbo eterno fatto carne (cfr. Gv 1, 14), colui che ha parole di vita eterna (cfr. Gv 6, 68). Per capire il mistero di Gesù Cristo occorre conoscere le Scritture, quelle dell’Antico Testamento, che preparano la sua venuta, e quelle del Nuovo Testamento, soprattutto i quattro Vangeli, che narrano la sua vita, descrivono il mistero pasquale, tramite il quale il Signore Gesù ha salvato il mondo, e raccontano gli inizi della Chiesa da Lui fondata.
Convocati dal Santo Padre Benedetto XVI, i padri sinodali saranno riuniti a Roma dal 5 al 26 ottobre 2008 nella XII Assemblea Generale Ordinaria del Sinodo dei Vescovi per riflettere sulla Parola di Dio, sulla sua centralità nella vita della Chiesa e sul suo dinamismo che spinge i cristiani in missione, ad annunciare, con parole e con l’esempio della vita, la Buona Notizia della presenza in mezzo a noi del Signore Gesù risorto. Egli, mandato dal Padre, “proferisce le parole di Dio e dà lo Spirito senza misura” (Gv 3, 34). Per la grazia dello Spirito Santo, i fedeli possono percepire la sua presenza nella Chiesa, nella preghiera, nella celebrazione della Parola e, in modo del tutto particolare, dell’Eucaristia.
La celebrazione dell’Eucaristia, presieduta dal Santo Padre Benedetto XVI, accompagnerà i lavori sinodali in momenti significativi. Sua Santità, Presidente del Sinodo dei Vescovi, presiederà 4 celebrazioni eucaristiche. L’apertura dell’Assise sinodale avrà luogo domenica 5 ottobre nella Basilica Papale di San Paolo fuori le mura. È la prima volta che un Sinodo dei Vescovi viene aperto fuori della Basilica Papale di San Pietro. La ragione è ovvia, in quanto la XII Assemblea Generale Ordinaria del Sinodo dei Vescovi si svolge nel corso dell’Anno Paolino che il Sommo Pontefice ha aperto il 29 giugno 2008. L’Eucaristia di conclusione avrà luogo il 26 ottobre nella Basilica di San Pietro in Vaticano. Nella stessa cornice avranno luogo altre due celebrazioni eucaristiche. Il 12 ottobre saranno canonizzati quattro beati che si sono distinti nell’ascoltare la Parola di Dio e nel metterla in pratica. Si tratta di un sacerdote Gaetano Errico; di 2 religiose Maria Bernarda Büttler e Alfonsa dell’Immacolata Concezione; e di 1 laica, Narcisa da Gesù Martillo Morán. È un invito a tutti, ai padri sinodali e ai fedeli, a lasciarsi guidare dallo Spirito Santo per mezzo della Parola di Dio nell’esigente ma al contempo esaltante cammino di beatitudine o di santità. Il 9 ottobre il Vescovo di Roma presiederà la Santa Messa in occasione del 50° del decesso del Servo di Dio Pio XII che ha, tra l’altro, grandi meriti per il rinnovato interesse agli studi biblici. Anche l’Eucaristia del 19 ottobre, nel Pontificio Santuario della Beata Vergine del Santo Rosario di Pompei, sarà un’occasione per il Santo Padre per supplicare la Beata Vergine Maria di intercedere per i padri sinodali affinché seguano il suo esempio di Discepola di Gesù Cristo che ascoltava la Parola di Dio, la serbava e la meditava nel suo cuore (cfr. Lc 2, 19).
Come occorre di abitudine, ognuna delle 24 Congregazioni generali previste, comincerà e finirà con la preghiera. In particolare, quella del mattino consisterà nella Liturgia dell’Ora terza, accompagnata da una breve omelia, a cura dei padri sinodali.
La preghiera accompagnerà anche l’incontro ecumenico di sabato 18 ottobre 2008. Nell’aula del Sinodo dei Vescovi, il Santo Padre Benedetto XVI e il Patriarca Ecumenico Bartolomeo I presiederanno i primi Vespri della XXIX domenica del tempo ordinario. In seguito, faranno i loro interventi sul tema della Parola di Dio con particolare riferimento all’Anno Paolino. Sarà la prima volta che il Patriarca Ecumenico si rivolgerà ai padri sinodali. Egli porterà il saluto dalle Chiese particolari che l’Apostolo delle Genti fondò prima di recarsi a Roma, dove subì il martirio. Da parte sua, il Vescovo di Roma, Papa Benedetto XVI, non mancherà di accogliere con l’abbraccio fraterno il Patriarca ecumenico, illustrando l’importanza della missione di San Paolo a Roma, città che custodisce gelosamente e con orgoglio i resti mortali di due colonne della Chiesa, Pietro e Paolo, come pure la loro ricca tradizione apostolica.
In questo ambiente di preghiera e di religioso ascolto della Parola di Dio, si svolgeranno i lavori della XII Assemblea Generale Ordinaria. Vi prenderanno parte 253 Padri sinodali, rappresentanti di 13 Chiese Orientali Cattoliche sui iuris, di 113 Conferenze Episcopali, di 25 Dicasteri della Curia Romana, e dell’Unione dei Superiori Generali.
Dei 253 Padri sinodali 51 provengono dall’Africa, 62 dall’America, 41 dall’Asia, 90 dall’Europa e 9 dall’Oceania. Essi prendono parte all’Assemblea Generale Ordinaria a vario titolo: 173 sono stati eletti, 38 partecipano ex officio, 32 sono stati nominati dal Santo Padre e 10 sono stati eletti dall’Unione dei Superiori Generali. Pertanto il 72,3 % dei padri sinodali sono eletti; 15 % prendono parte ai lavori ex officio e 12,6 % sono nominati dal Santo Padre. Tra i 253 padri sinodali vi sono 8 Patriarchi, 52 Cardinali [1], 2 Arcivescovi Maggiori, 79 Arcivescovi, 130 Vescovi. Per quanto riguarda l’ufficio che svolgono, 10 sono Capi di Chiese Orientali sui iuris, 30 Presidenti di Conferenze Episcopali, 24 Capi di Dicasteri della Curia Romana, 185 Ordinari, 17 Ausiliari.
Tra i padri sinodali il più anziano ha 88 (il Patriarca di Antiochia dei Maroniti Card. Pierre Nasrallah Sfeir) e il più giovane 39 anni (Mons. Anton Leichtfried, Vescovo Ausiliare di Sankt Pölten, Austria). Pertanto, nelle riflessioni sinodali si potrà beneficiare dell’esperienza dei fratelli maggiori e del dinamismo dei più giovani. Ad ogni modo, l’età media dei padri sinodali è di circa 63 anni.
All’Assemblea sinodale prenderanno parte, poi, 41 Esperti, provenienti da 21 Paesi, e 37 Uditori, pervenuti da 26 Paesi. Tra gli esperti vi sono 6 donne, mentre le Uditrici sono 19, una in più degli Uditori.
All’Assise sinodale parteciperanno anche alcuni Delegati fraterni, rappresentanti di 10 Chiese e comunità ecclesiali, che con i cattolici condividono l’amore e la venerazione nei riguardi della Sacra Scrittura. Oltre al Patriarcato Ecumenico, saranno rappresentati i Patriarcati di Mosca, di Serbia e di Romania, la Chiesa Ortodossa di Grecia e la Chiesa Apostolica Armena, come pure la Comunione Anglicana, la Federazione Luterana Mondiale, la Chiesa dei Discepoli di Cristo, come pure il Consiglio Ecumenico delle Chiese.
Ai lavori sinodali parteciperanno anche 3 Invitati speciali del Santo Padre Benedetto XVI. Il primo ad intervenire sarà il Rabbino capo di Haifa Shear Yashyv Cohen, che nel pomeriggio del 6 ottobre presenterà come il Popolo Ebraico legge e interpreta la Sacra Scrittura - la Torah, i profeti e gli scritti sapienziali - che è, in grande parte, condivisa dai cristiani, da essi denominata l’Antico Testamento. Si tratta della prima volta che un Rabbino, e un non cristiano, si rivolge ai padri sinodali. In seguito, l’Em.mo Card. Albert Vanhoye, S.J., spiegherà come i cristiani si riferiscono alle Sacre Scritture Ebraiche, presentando alcune norme del Documento della Pontificia Commissione Biblica, dell’anno 2001, Il Popolo ebraico e le sue Sacre Scritture nella Bibbia cristiana.
Gli altri due Inviati speciali sono il Rev.do Dr. A. Miller Milloy, Segretario generale dell’United Bible Societies e il Fratello Alois, Priore della Comunità di Taizé
I giornalisti saranno regolarmente informati sui lavori sinodali da parte di 5 Addetti Stampa, rispettivamente per il francese, l’inglese, l’italiano, lo spagnolo e il tedesco. Ovviamente, vi saranno alcune Conferenze stampa che saranno debitamente annunziate.
I lavori sinodali sono possibili anche grazie agli Assistenti, ai Traduttori, al personale tecnico e, in particolare, ai Officiali della Segreteria Generale del Sinodo dei Vescovi. In tutto, al Sinodo dei Vescovi parteciperanno oltre 400 persone.
Nel corso della XII Assemblea Generale Ordinaria del Sinodo dei Vescovi sarà applicato per la prima volta l’Ordo Synodi Episcoporum aggiornato nell’anno 2006. Il testo ha voluto recepire lo sviluppo della prassi sinodale nel corso dei 40 anni della sua esistenza ed esprimerlo in norme giuridiche. Ovviamente, si è cercato di adattare il Regolamento alle norme del Codice di Diritto Canonico e al Codice dei canoni delle Chiese Orientali, promulgati rispettivamente nel 1983 e nel 1990.
La descrizione dettagliata delle modifiche richiederebbe molto tempo e sarebbe interessante per gli specialisti in diritto, in particolare, per quanto concerne lo sviluppo delle istituzioni ecclesiastiche. Al riguardo, è utile leggere con attenzione il Proemio, in cui sono indicati in modo succinto gli aspetti teologici e giuridici del Sinodo dei Vescovi, comprovati dalla prassi sinodale durante oltre 4 decenni. Mi sembra che per questa occasione sarà sufficiente rilevare quanto segue.
Sono indicate più chiaramente le competenze del Relatore Generale e del Segretario Speciale. Come è noto, il Relatore Generale è Sua Eminenza il Sig. Card. Marc Ouellet, P.S.S., Arcivescovo di Québec, Canada. È la prima volta che un Vescovo canadese svolge l’ufficio di Relatore Generale.
Il Segretario Speciale è Sua Eccellenza Mons. Laurent Monsengwo Pasinya, Arcivescovo di Kinshasa, Repubblica Democratica del Congo. Anche qui si tratta di una prima volta, in quanto l’Ecc.mo Mons. Monsengwo è il primo Vescovo africano a svolgere l’ufficio di Segretario Speciale per un’Assemblea Generale Ordinaria. Egli ha sostituito Sua Eccellenza Mons. Wilhelm Emil Egger, O.F.M. Cap., Vescovo di Bolzano-Bressanone, prematuramente scomparso.
Nel menzionato Regolamento è stata meglio recepita la collocazione giuridica delle venerande Chiese Orientali Cattoliche sui iuris. Esse possono essere rappresentate dai Capi delle rispettive Chiese o, se questi si trovano nell’impossibilità di partecipare all’Assemblea sinodale, da un Delegato, scelto dal Capo con il consenso del Sinodo della Chiesa sui iuris. Inoltre, le Chiese Orientali Cattoliche che hanno un numero di Vescovi superiore a 25 possono scegliere un altro rappresentante per le Assemblee Generali Ordinarie del Sinodo dei Vescovi. Pertanto, per la prima volta si avranno, per quanto riguarda le Chiese Orientali Cattoliche sui iuris tre categorie di rappresentanti: ex officio, ex designatione e ex electione.
Il Regolamento del Sinodo dei Vescovi recepisce, oltre gli interventi scritti dei padri sinodali, la cosiddetta Discussione libera. Essa avrà luogo dalle ore 18 alle 19 nel corso di ogni Congregazione generale pomeridiana. Inoltre, dato che ogni padre sinodale avrà a disposizione per il suo intervento ufficiale 5 minuti, è aumentato il tempo di Discussione libera durante i lavori sinodali, come per esempio dopo le Relazioni ante Disceptationem e post Disceptationem, e per il Messaggio (Nuntius).
Vi saranno momenti di Discussione libera anche dopo cinque relazioni, ognuna di 10 minuti, nelle quali cinque Vescovi indicheranno come il tema della Parola di Dio è percepito nei cinque continenti. Si tratta di un’altra novità metodologica, prevista nel pomeriggio del 6 ottobre, che permetterà di avere informazioni più precise sulla realtà delle Chiese particolari nei singoli continenti.
È in programma anche una relazione, di circa 30 minuti, sulla recezione dell’Esortazione Apostolica Postsinodale Sacramentum Caritatis, la prima del Santo Padre Benedetto XVI. Il relatore sarà l’Em.mo Card. Angelo Scola, Patriarca di Venezia, Relatore generale nell’ultima Assemblea sinodale. In seguito, vi sarà una Discussione libera su tale tema.
Presentando alcuni aspetti rilevanti della XII Assemblea Generale Ordinaria del Sinodo dei Vescovi su La Parola di Dio nella vita e nella missione della Chiesa, vorrei invitare tutti, soprattutto le persone di vita consacrata, a pregare con più fervore e perseveranza affinché i risultati sinodali apportino rinnovato amore verso la Parola di Dio, che nella Sacra Scrittura trova la sua espressione attestata, l’auspicato dinamismo della Chiesa e della sua missione di evangelizzazione e di promozione umana.
Concludo con la citazione dell’ultimo libro della Bibbia che apre gli orizzonti dell’eternità a coloro che amano Gesù Cristo, inviato da Dio Padre, ascoltano la Parola di Dio e, guidati dallo Spirito Santo, camminano verso il Regno dei cieli, in comunione con tutti i santi: “Beato chi legge e beati coloro che ascoltano le parole di questa profezia e mettono in pratica le cose che vi sono scritte. Perché il tempo è vicino” (Ap 1, 3).

Note

[1] Alcune categorie sono indicate più volte, dato che, per esempio, tra i Cardinali sono inclusi anche 4 Patriarchi Cardinali come pure 1 Arcivescovo Maggiore.

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CALENDARIO DEI LAVORI SINODALI

5 octobris - Die Dominica

09.30
Sollemnis inauguratio cum Concelebratione Sanctae Missae in Basilica S. Pauli

6 octobris - Feria II

09.00 - 12.30
1ª Congregatio generalis
Salutatio a Praeside Delegato
Relatio Secretarii Generalis
RELATIO ANTE DISCEPTATIONEM
Interventiones liberae

16.30 - 19.00
2ª Congregatio generalis
Relationes circa continentes (5)
18.00 - 19.00
Interventiones liberae

7 octobris - Feria III

09.00 - 12.30
3ª Congregatio generalis
Suffragatio pro Commissione Nuntio Parando (I)
Incipit disceptatio generalis

16.30 - 19.00
4ª Congregatio generalis
Prosequitur disceptatio generalis
18.00 - 19.00
Interventiones liberae

8 octobris - Feria IV

09.00 - 12.30
Circuli minores (I Sessio)
Eliguntur Moderatores et Relatores
Discussio circa Relatio ante disceptationem

16.00
Adunatio Moderatorum et Relatorum

16.30 - 19.00
5ª Congregatio generalis
Prosequitur disceptatio generalis
18.00 - 19.00
Interventiones liberae

9 octobris - Feria V

09.00 - 11.00
6ª Congregatio generalis
Suffragatio pro Commissione Nuntio Parando (II)
Prosequitur disceptatio generalis

11.30
Sancta Missa pro Summo Pontifice Pio XII

16.30 - 19.00
7ª Congregatio generalis
Prosequitur disceptatio generalis
18.00 - 19.00
Interventiones liberae

10 octobris - Feria VI

09.00 - 12.30
8ª Congregatio generalis
Prosequitur disceptatio generalis

16.30 - 19.00
9ª Congregatio generalis
Prosequitur disceptatio generalis
17.30
Relatio de “Sacramentum caritatis” exsequenda
18.00 - 19.00
Interventiones liberae

11 octobris - Sabbato

09.00 - 12.30
10ª Congregatio generalis
Prosequitur disceptatio generalis

16.30 - 19.00
11ª Congregatio generalis
Prosequitur disceptatio generalis
18.00 - 19.00
Interventiones liberae

12 octobris - Die Dominica

09.30
Sancta Missa cum canonizatione quorundam Beatorum in Basilica S. Petri

13 octobris - Feria II

09.00 - 12.30
12ª Congregatio generalis
Prosequitur disceptatio generalis

16.30 - 19.00
13ª Congregatio generalis
Prosequitur disceptatio generalis
18.00 - 19.00
Interventiones liberae

14 octobris - Feria III

09.00 - 12.30
14ª Congregatio generalis
Prosequitur disceptatio generalis
Auditio Auditorum (I)

16.30 - 19.00
15ª Congregatio generalis
Prosequitur disceptatio generalis
Auditio Delegatorum Fraternorum
18.00 - 19.00
Interventiones liberae

15 octobris - Feria IV

09.00 - 12.30
16ª Congregatio generalis
Prosequitur disceptatio generalis
Auditio Auditorum (II)

16.30 - 19.00
17ª Congregatio generalis
RELATIO POST DISCEPTATIONEM
Interventiones liberae


16 octobris - Feria V

09.00 - 12.30
Circuli minores (II Sessio)
Propositiones apparantur

16.30 - 19.00
Circuli minores (III Sessio)
Propositiones apparantur

17 octobris - Feria VI

09.00 - 12.30
18ª Congregatio generalis
Relationes Circulorum minorum in aula praesentatur
Interventiones liberae

16.30 - 19.00
Circuli minores (IV Sessio)
Propositiones apparantur
19.00
Propositiones traduntur Secretariae Generali

18 octobris - Sabbato

09.00 - 12.30
19ª Congregatio generalis
Suffragatio pro Consilio (I)
Praesentatio schematis Nuntii
Disputatio de Nuntio

17.00
Celebratio Verbi

19 octobris - Die Dominica

Vacat Congregatio

Relator Generalis, Secretarius Specialis et Relatores Circulorum propositiones in unum colligunt

20 octobris - Feria II

09.00 - 12.30
Vacat Congregatio

Relator Generalis, Secretarius Specialis et Relatores Circulorum propositiones in unum colligunt

16.30 - 19.00
Vacat Congregatio

Relator Generalis, Secretarius Specialis et Relatores Circulorum propositiones in unum colligunt

21 octobris - Feria III

09.00 - 11.30
20ª Congregatio generalis
Praesentatur ELENCHUS UNICUS PROPOSITIONUM
Suffragatio pro Consilio (II)

11.30 - 12.30
Circuli minores (V Sessio)
Praeparantur modi collectivi propositionum
Propositionum

16.30 - 19.00
Circuli minores (VI Sessio)
Praeparantur modi collectivi propositionum
Propositionum

22 octobris - Feria IV

09.00 - 12.30
Circuli minores (VII Sessio)
Praeparantur modi collectivi propositionum
Propositionum

16.30 - 19.00
Circuli minores (VIII Sessio)
Praeparantur modi collectivi propositionum
Propositionum
19.00
Modi collectivi traduntur Secretariae Generali

23 octobris - Feria V

09.00 - 12.30
Vacat Congregatio

Expensio modorum collectivorum circa propositiones a Relatore Generali peragitur una cum Secretario Speciali et Relatoribus Circulorum

16.30 - 19.00
Vacat Congregatio

Expensio modorum collectivorum circa propositiones a Relatore Generali peragitur una cum Secretario Speciali et Relatoribus Circulorum

24 octobris - Feria VI

09.00 - 12.30
21ª Congregatio generalis
Praesentatio et suffragatio Nuntii

Expensio modorum collectivorum circa propositiones a Relatore Generali peragitur una cum Secretario Speciali et Relatoribus Circulorum

17.30 - 19.00
21ª Congregatio generalis
Praesentatur ELENCHUS FINALIS PROPOSITIONUM

25 octobris - Sabbato

09.00 - 12.30
23ª Congregatio generalis
Suffragatio de propositionibus Placet - Non Placet
13.00
Convivium cum Sancto Padre
Salutationes

17.30 - 19.00
24ª Congregatio generalis
Exitus suffragationis de propositionibus
Conclusio

26 octobris - Die Dominica

10.00
Sollemnis Concelebratio Sanctae Missae ad concludendam Synodum in Basilica S. Petri

E Civitate Vaticana die 8 septembris 2008

+ Nikola ETEROVIĆ
Archiepiscopus tit. Sisciensis
Secretarius Generalis

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GENERAL INFORMATION ON THE SYNOD

I
INTRODUCTION TO THE SYNOD OF BISHOPS

The Synod of Bishops is a permanent institution established by Pope Paul VI, 15 September 1965, in response to the desire of the Fathers of the Second Vatican Council to keep alive the positive spirit engendered by the conciliar experience.
Literally speaking the word “synod”, derived from two Greek words syn meaning “together” and hodos meaning “road” or “way”, means a “coming together”. A Synod is a religious meeting or assembly at which bishops, gathered around and with the Holy Father, have the opportunity to interact with each other and to share information and experiences, in the common pursuit of pastoral solutions which have a universal validity and application. The Synod, generally speaking, can be defined as an assembly of bishops representing the Catholic episcopate, having the task of helping the Pope in the governing of the universal Church by rendering their counsel. Pope John Paul II has referred to the Synod as “a particularly fruitful expression and instrument of the collegiality of bishops” (Speech to the Council of the Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops, 30 April 1983: L’Osservatore Romano, 1 May 1983).Even before the Second Vatican Council the idea was growing for a structure which might provide the bishops with the means to assist the Pope, in some manner to be determined, in his governing of the universal Church.
His Eminence, Silvio Cardinal Oddi, then an Archbishop and Apostolic Pro-Nuncio in the United Arab Republic (Egypt), on 5 November 1959, made a proposal to establish a central governing body of the Church or, to use his words, “a consultative body”. He stated: “From many parts of the world there come complaints that the Church does not have a permanent consultative body, apart from the Roman congregations. Therefore, a kind of ‘Council in miniature’ should be established and include persons from the Church worldwide who would meet periodically, even once a year, to discuss major concerns and to suggest possible new paths in the workings of the Church. This body would extend over the whole Church as the Episcopal Conferences bring together all or part of the hierarchy of a country or countries. Other bodies, like C.E.L.AM. (the Latin American Episcopal Council), for example, extends its activity for the benefit of the whole continent”.
On 22 December 1959, His Eminence, Cardinal Bernardus Alfrink, Archbishop of Utrecht, wrote: “In clear terms the Council proclaims that the government of the universal Church is by right exercised by the college of bishops with the Pope as its head. From here it follows that, in one sense, the care of the universal Church is the responsibility of every bishop taken singularly, and also, in another sense, that all bishops participate in the governing of the Church worldwide. This can be done not only in calling an Ecumenical Council, but also in the creation of new institutions. Perhaps some permanent Council of specialized bishops, chosen from the Church, could be given the charge of a legislative function in union with the Supreme Pontiff and the cardinals of the Roman Curia. The Roman Congregations would then maintain only a consultative and executive power”.
However, it was Pope Paul VI who gave force to these ideas, while he was still Archbishop of Milan. In a talk commemorating the death of Pope John XXIII, he made reference to an “ongoing collaboration of the episcopate that is not yet in effect, which would remain personal and in union, but given the responsibility of governing the whole Church”. After his election as Pope he kept returning to the concept of collaboration within the Episcopal body - the bishops in union with the successor of Saint Peter - in a talk he gave to the Roman Curia (21 September 1963), at the opening of the second session of the Second Vatican Council (29 September 1963) and again at its closing (4 December 1963).
At the conclusion of a discourse beginning the last session of the Council (14 September 1965), Pope Paul VI himself made public his intention to establish the Synod of Bishops in the following words: “The advanced information that We Ourselves are happy to share with you is that We intend to give you some institution, called for by this Council, a ‘Synod of Bishops’, which will be made up of bishops nominated for the most part by the Episcopal Conferences with our approval and called by the Pope according to the needs of the Church, for his consultation and collaboration, when for the well-being of the Church it might seem to him opportune. It goes without saying that this collaboration of the episcopate ought to bring the greatest joy to the Holy See and to the whole Church. In a particular way it will serve a useful purpose in the daily work of the Roman Curia, to which We owe so much recognition for its most valuable help, and for which, as bishops in their diocese, We also have permanent need in Our apostolic concerns. News and norms will be made known to this assembly as soon as possible. We did not wish to deprive Ourselves of the honor and pleasure of making you aware of this brief communication so as to personally bear witness once more to Our trust, esteem and fraternity. We place this beautiful and promising innovation under the protection of Mary, the Mother of God”.On the next day, 15 September 1965 at the beginning of the 128th General Assembly, the then Bishop Pericle Felici, General Secretary of the Council, promulgated the Motu Proprio Apostolica sollicitudo with which the Synod of Bishops was officially instituted.
The principal characteristic of the Synod of Bishops is service to the communion and collegiality of the world’s bishops with the Holy Father. It is not a particular organism with limited competence as that of the Roman Congregations and Councils. Instead, it has full competence to deal with any subject in accordance with the procedure established by the Holy Father in the letter of convocation. The Synod of Bishops with its permanent General Secretariat is not part of the Roman Curia and does not depend on it; it is subject directly and solely to the Holy Father, with whom it is united in the universal government of the Church.
Though the institution of the Synod of Bishops is permanent in character, its actual functioning and concrete collaboration are not. In other words, the Synod of Bishops meets and operates only when the Holy Father considers it necessary or opportune to consult the episcopate, which at a synodal gathering, expresses its “opinion on very important and serious subjects” (Paul VI, Address to Cardinals, 24 June 1967). The task of every synodal Assembly shares in the collegial character which the episcopate can offer to the Holy Father. Through the Holy Father’s acceptance of the advice or the decisions of a given Assembly, the episcopate exercises a collegial activity which approaches but does not equal that manifested at an Ecumenical Council. This is a direct result of various factors: the ensured representation of the whole episcopate, the convocation by the Holy Father and “the unity of the episcopate, which, in order to be one, requires that there be a Head of the College” (John Paul II, Pastores Gregis, 56), who is first in the episcopal order.

II
NOTES ON THE SYNODAL PROCESS

So as to fulfill its mission, the Synod of Bishops works according to a methodology based on collegiality, a concept which characterizes every stage of the synod process from the first steps of preparation to the conclusions reached in each synodal assembly. Briefly stated, the method of work alternates between analysis and synthesis, in consulting interested parties and decisions being made by competent authorities, according to a dynamic of feed-back which permits the continual verification of results and the making of new proposals. Each part of this process takes place within the climate of collegial communion.
Already in the preparatory stage, the topic of the synodal assembly is the result of collegiality. The first official step in the process is to consult the Eastern Catholic Churches sui iuris, Episcopal Conferences, department heads of the Roman Curia and the Union of Superiors General for suggestions on possible topics for a synod. As a rule, in ordinary general assemblies this consultation is anticipated by an informal solicitation of the synod fathers in the closing days of the synodal assembly for their preference in the matter. However, in each case the bishops are asked to keep in mind the following criteria:
a) that the topic have a universal character, that is, a reference and application to the whole Church;
b) that the topic have a contemporary character and urgency, in a positive sense, that is, having the capability of exciting new energies and movement in the Church towards growth;
c) that the topic have a pastoral focus and application as well as a firm doctrinal basis;
d) that the topic have a feasibility; in other words, that it have the potential actually to be accomplished.
The suggestions on a topic - which must be include reasons for the choice - are classified, analyzed and studied during a meeting of the Council of the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops. Afterwards, the Council submits the meeting's results, together with pertinent recommendations, to the Holy Father who makes the final decision on the topic for treatment in the synodal assembly.
At the next meeting, the Council prepares an outline for developing and presenting the synod topic in the document called the Lineamenta. The drafting of this document represents the combined work of the Council members, theologians who have a certain expertise in the material to be treated in the synodal assembly, and the staff of the General Secretariat who coordinate the various efforts. After studying the text and making the necessary revisions, the Council drafts a final version which is submitted to the Holy Father for his approval. The document is then translated into the world's major languages and sent to the Church's episcopate for the purpose of generating at the local level study, discussion and prayer concerning the synod topic.
The Lineamenta from the Latin word meaning "outline" is by its nature very broad in scope and is meant to elicit a broad range of observations and reactions. Though the first and authoritative recipients of the Lineamenta are obviously the bishops and the bishops' conferences, they have full liberty to broaden their basis of consultation. After gathering and summarizing suggestions, reactions and responses to the various aspects of the Lineamenta topic, the bishops prepare a report or official response to the questions proposed in the document, which is then sent to the General Secretariat by a certain date.
After having received the above material, the Council of the General Secretariat - always with the help of specialists on the subject - proceeds to draft another document called the Instrumentum laboris, which will serve as the basis and reference-point during synodal discussion. This "working document", though rendered public, is only a provisional text which will be the object of discussion during the synod. The document is not a draft of the final conclusions but only a text which aims at helping to focus discussion on the synod topic. After subsequent submission and approval by the Holy Father the document is translated into the major languages and sent to the bishops and those members who will participate in the General Assembly. Since 1983 the Instrumentum laboris of a given synodal assembly has been made public so as to receive a wide circulation. The bishop-delegates and members read the document to familiarize themselves with the contents which will then be discussed at the synodal assembly.
As a result of preparation work in the local Churches, based on the above-mentioned documents, i.e., Lineamenta and Instrumentum laboris, the bishops are thereby able to present to the synodal assembly the experiences and aspirations of each community as well as the fruit of the preliminary discussions of the episcopal conferences.
Three phases characterize the Synod's working sessions:
a. during the first phase, each member makes a presentation of the situation in his particular Church. This encourages an exchange of faith and cultural experiences on the synod topic and contributes an initial picture of the Church situation, which, nevertheless, needs greater development and refinement.
b. In light of these presentations, the Rapporteur of the Synod formulates a series of points for discussion during the second phase, when all the synod members divide into small groups circuli minores - according to the various languages spoken. The reports of each one of these groups are read in the plenary session. At this time, the synod fathers are given the opportunity to pose questions to clarify the subjects expressed and are able to make comments.
c. In the third phase, work proceeds in the small groups towards formulating suggestions and observations in a more precise and definite form, so that in the final days of the assembly a vote can be taken on concrete propositions. The synod fathers’ initial work in the small groups is to compose various propositions on the basis of the discussion in the synod hall and the reports of the small groups. In the small groups, the synod fathers can vote on a proposition with a "placet" (yes) or "non placet" (no). The propositions of the small groups are then taken by the General Rapporteur and Special Secretary and combined into an Integrated List of Propositions which is presented by the General Rapporteur in plenary session. Afterwards, the small groups again meet to discuss the propositions. At this time, the synod fathers can submit individual amendments for consideration by the group, which will be used in composing the collectively voted upon amendments to the propositions which are expected from each group. The General Rapporteur and the Special Secretary give consideration to these collective amendments and may or may not incorporate them in the final list of propositions, depending on their decision, which, in case of refusal, have to give the basis for their decision in a document called the Expensio modorum. The final list of propositions is then presented in plenary session, after which the booklet becomes the ballot where each synod father can vote for or against the proposition.
At the end of a synodal assembly, the General Secretary oversees the work of archiving the material and drafting the report on the work of the synod for submission to the Holy Father. No established norm exists concerning the final document from the synodal assembly. At the conclusion of the first three synodal Assemblies (1967 and 1971 Ordinary General Assemblies and the 1969 Extraordinary General Assembly) the conclusions were submitted to the attention of the Pope with recommendations in response to problems expressed. Instead, after the 1974 Third Ordinary General Assembly the Holy Father himself, taking into account the synodal propositions and final reports, drafted the Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii nuntiandi. A similar process was followed in the remaining Ordinary General Synodal Assemblies (1977, 1980, 1983, 1987, 1990, 1994, 2001, 2005), from which the following Apostolic Exhortations are associated respectively, Catechesi tradendæ, Familiaris consortio, Reconciliatio et pænitentia, Christifide­les laici, Pastores dabo vobis, Vita consecrata, Pastores gregis and Sacramentum caritatis.
At the conclusion of the Special Assembly for Africa (1994), the Holy Father promulgated the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Ecclesia in Africa which bore many positive results in pastoral initiatives on this continent. Subsequent to publishing a document on the impact and implementation of the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation on the level of the local Church, attention was given to the feasability of a II Special Assembly. On 13 November 2004, Pope John Paul II announced the convocation of a II Special Assembly for Africa, which was later reconfirmed by the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, in the Weekly General Audience of 22 June 2005.
In May, 1997, the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation for the Special Assembly for Lebanon (1995) was published during a papal trip to Lebanon as part of the celebration phase of the Special Assembly. On 23 January 1999 the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation for the Special Assembly for America was promulgated by the Holy Father in Mexico at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe. On 6 November 1999 the Post-Synodal Exhortation for Asia was signed by the Holy Father in Delhi, India.
Since the 1987 Synod, the various Councils of the General Secretariat and the General Secretary have been collegially involved in the process leading to the publication of the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation, the papal document coming from the synod. It is interesting to note the history and development of these Councils.
Between the second and third synodal Assemblies, an advisory Council for the General Secretariat was formed, made up of 12 elected bishops and 3 papal appointees. Such a Council first met from 12-15 May 1970 and was intended to facilitate communication with episcopal conferences and the formulation of the agenda for the subsequent assembly. After this meeting, a general consultation of the bishops worldwide was begun for suggested topics for future Assemblies (such consultation now begins in the final days of an Ordinary General Assembly).Since that time the Ordinary Councils of the General Secretariat, elected from each synod in light of preparation for the following one, have become a permanent feature of the General Secretariat:
- Second Ordinary Council (6.11.1971 - 27.09.1974)
- Third Ordinary Council (26.10.1974 - 30.09.1977)
- Fourth Ordinary Council (29.10.1977 - 26.09.1980)
- Fifth Ordinary Council (25.10.1980 - 29.09.1983)
- Sixth Ordinary Council (29.10.1983 - 1.10.1987)
- Seventh Ordinary Council (30.10.1987 - 30.09.1990)
- Eighth Ordinary Council (28.10.1990 - 2.10.1994)
- Ninth Ordinary Council (29.10.1994 - 30.09.2001)
- Tenth Ordinary Council (26.10.2001 - 2.10.2005)
- Eleventh Ordinary Council (15.10.2005 - 5.10.2008)
With the advent of continental or regional synodal assemblies, the Holy Father chose to form during the special assemblies post-synodal councils through election and papal appointment. As a result, in addition to the Ordinary Council, the General Secretariat has in existence the following Post-Synodal Councils from their date of institution. With the revision of the Ordo Synodi Episcoporum (2006), these councils are now called “Special Councils”:
- Special Council for the Netherlands (31.01.1980)
- Special Council for Africa (8.05.1994)
- Special Council for Lebanon (14.12.1995)
- Special Council for America (12.12.1997)
- Special Council for Asia (14.05.May 1998)
- Special Council for Oceania (11.12.1998)
- Special Council for Europe (22.10.1999)
Similarly, in the preparation of a Special Assembly, the Holy Father appointed a group of bishops, primarily from the continent and region under consideration, to form pre-synodal Councils. These Councils endured from the date of appointment until the first day of the synodal assembly. Therefore, the following is a listing of past pre-synodal councils along with their dates of existence:
- Pre-Synodal Council for Africa (6.01.1989 - 10.04.1994)
- Pre-Synodal Council for Lebanon (24.01.1992 - 26.11.1995)
- Pre-Synodal Council for America (12.06.1995 - 16.11.1997)
- Pre-Synodal Council for Asia (10.09.1995 - 19.04.1998)
- Pre-Synodal Council for Oceania (7.06.1996 - 22.11.1998)
- Pre-Synodal Council for Europe (9.02.1997 - 1.10.1999)
As can be observed, the collegial methodology is operative from the very beginning (through the choice of topic), during the preparation (through the development of the topic in the Lineamenta) and the actual celebration of the Synod Assembly, to the publication of the document, which is the fruit and crowning-point of the synod itself. In this way, it can be said that the synod works as a collegial body through which, in the first stage, the faith and life experiences of the Christian communities are taken into account; later, in plenary sessions, these elements are recapitulated and enlightened by faith and then, in a spirit of communion, propositions are formulated which, from the Holy Father, who is the principle of unity in the Church, return to the particular Churches as the oxygenated blood returns to arteries to vivify the human body.
So that this collegiality can fully realize its potential, it is necessary that a selfless spirit of collaboration exist among all those called upon to participate in the preparation of a synodal Assembly, particularly the Eastern Catholic Churches sui iuris and the Episcopal Conferences which gather the Pastors of the local Churches where the faith of the People of God is lived and experienced in all its vigor and richness. The principle way in which the collegial participation of the episcopal bodies receives concrete form is in their responses to the Lineamenta. The greater the number of episcopal bodies which respond, the more rich and varied will be the elements which, faithfully reflecting the life of the local Churches, constitute true reference points for both the drafting of the Instrumentum laboris, and the discussion in the synod hall during a synodal Assembly.

III
SUMMARY OF THE SYNOD ASSEMBLIES

1. I Ordinary General Assembly

In Session: 29 September - 29 October 1967
Synod Fathers: 197
Topic: “The Preservation and Strengthening of the Catholic Faith, its Integrity, its Force, its Development, its Doctrinal and Historical Coherence”

Pope Paul VI stated the goals for this First General Assembly: “... the preservation and the strengthening of the Catholic faith, its integrity, its force, its development, its doctrinal and historical coherence”. One result of the meeting was a recommendation by the bishops, in light of the rise of atheism, a crisis of faith and erroneous theological opinions, to set up an international commission of theologians to assist the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith as well as to broaden a discussion on approaches to theological research. In 1969 Pope Paul VI established the International Theological Commission.
The Synod also called for a revision of the Code of Canon Law of 1917 in an attempt to make it more pastoral and more contemporary in tone and emphasis. The work was subsequently begun by Pope Paul VI and brought to completion under Pope John Paul II with the promulgation, in 1983, of the Revised Code of Canon Law.
Other pastoral questions were discussed and submitted to the Pope as recommendations: that Episcopal Conferences should have major control over seminaries in their respective areas; procedures relating to mixed marriages were recommended and approved by the Pope in 1970; and approval was given for the New Order of the Mass which was put into effect in 1969.

2. I Extraordinary General Assembly

In Session: 11 October - 28 October 1969
Synod Fathers: 146
Topic: “The Cooperation between the Holy See and the Episcopal Conferences”

This specially convoked General Assembly had as its agenda to seek and examine ways and means of putting into practice the collegiality of bishops with the Pope, a subject which gained much attention in the declarations on the Church formulated at the Second Vatican Council. This meeting opened the door to wider participation by the bishops with the Pope and each other in the pastoral care of the universal Church.
The main emphasis of these sessions involved two basic points: 1. the collegiality of the bishops with the Pope; 2. the relation of Episcopal Conferences to the Pope and to individual bishops. Various recommendations were subsequently submitted to the Pope, three of which received immediate attention: 1. that the Synod meet at regular intervals, every two years (subsequently changed to every 3 years); 2. that the General Secretariat operate between Synodal sessions and organize these meeting; 3. that the bishops be permitted to suggest topics for the future assemblies.

Between the second and third Synodal assemblies, an advisory Council for the General Secretariat was formed made up of 12 elected bishops and 3 papal appointees. Such a Council first met from 12-15 May 1970 and was intended to facilitate communication with episcopal conferences and the formulation of the agenda for the subsequent assembly. After this meeting a general consultation of the bishops worldwide was begun for suggested topics for future assemblies. Such consultation now begins in the final days of a synodal Assembly. Since that time the Council of the General Secretariat, elected from each Synod in light of preparation for the following Synod, has become a permanent feature of the General Secretariat.

3. II Ordinary General Assembly

In Session: 30 September - 6 November 1971 (longest to date)
Synod Fathers: 210
Topic: “The Ministerial Priesthood and Justice in the World”

In the course of their discussion the Synod Fathers praised priests worldwide for their dedication in their ministry to Word and Sacrament as well as their pastoral work in the apostolate. At the same time, attention was given to various difficulties experienced by priests in the ministry.
In addition, the Synod Fathers treated the subject of justice, stating the need to relate the Gospel to existing worldwide and local circumstances. In response they outlined an 8-point program for international action, and made recommendations that the Church on the local level foster education and ecumenical collaboration in the field of justice.

4. III Ordinary General Assembly

In Session: 27 September - 26 October 1974
Synod Fathers: 209
Topic: “Evangelization in the Modern World”

At this assembly the Synod Fathers re-emphasized the essential missionary character of the Church and the duty of each member to bear witness to Christ in the world. In this context the popular issue of “liberation” was linked to the work of evangelization in seeking to free peoples and individuals from sin. The Synod Fathers’ recommendations and proposals submitted to the Pope, were used in the formulation of the Apostolic Exhortation “Evangelii nuntiandi” of 8 December 1975.

5. IV Ordinary General Assembly

In Session: 30 September - 29 October 1977
Synod Fathers: 204
Topic: “Catechesis in our Time”

The discussion of the Synod Fathers, which gave special attention to the catechesis of children and young people, resulted in a series of 34 proposals or “Propositions” and over 900 suggestions regarding the subject. Six general areas were treated in the these recommendations: the importance of catechetical renewal, the nature of true catechesis, the persons involved in catechesis, the ongoing need of catechesis for all Christians, the means or channels of catechesis and the special aspects affecting catechesis.
On this occasion the Synod Fathers issued for the first time a Synodal statement entitled A Message to the People of God, in which the Synod Fathers pointed out that Christ is the center of salvation and, therefore, of catechesis. At the same time, they emphasized that all Christians have the responsibility of bringing Christ to the world.
Shortly after the conclusion of this Synod, Pope John Paul II issued the Apostolic Exhortation “Catechesi tradendae” of 17 October 1979, which utilized a great many of the Synod Fathers’ insights and proposals.

6. Special Assembly for the Netherlands

In Session: 14 - 31 January 1980
Synod Fathers: 19
Topic: “The Pastoral Situation in the Netherlands”

The “Particular Synod for the Netherlands”, or the so-called “Dutch Synod” is, according to the revised Code of Canon Law (Cf. Canon 345), subsequently promulgated in 1983, the first Special Assembly of the Synod of Bishops. This synodal gathering, held in the Vatican, treated the Vatican II concept of mystery of Church communion and its practical implications, both local and universal, centering on the figure of the bishop as “Teacher of the Faith” and “Pastor of Souls”, both in his diocese and in the Episcopal Conference. At its conclusion the assembly adopted resolutions pertaining to the ministerial priesthood, religious life, the participation of the laity in the mission of the Church, the sacraments, the Eucharist and Confession, liturgy, catechesis and ecumenism, all based on the teachings of the Second Vatican Council. A specially-formed Council instituted at the end of this synodal assembly periodically meets with the General Secretariat to continue to assess the pastoral situation and to promote the implementation of the Synod resolutions. Though technically still in existence, this Council has not had a meeting since 10-11 November 1995.

7. V Ordinary General Assembly

In Session: 26 September - 25 October 1980
Synod Fathers: 216
Topic: “The Christian Family”

A reaffirmation of the Church’s teaching on the indissolubility of marriage and the contents of the encyclical Humanae vitae was central to the work of this Synod. In the course of their work the Synod Fathers produced a written message entitled, A Message to Christian Families in the Modern World, and proposed a Charter for the Rights of the Family which Pope John Paul II subsequently acted upon, on 22 October 1983. From the discussion and proposals of the assembly the Pope issued the Apostolic Exhortation “Familiaris consortio” of 22 November 1981.

8. VI Ordinary General Assembly
In Session: 29 September - 29 October 1983
Synod Fathers: 221
Topic: “Penance and Reconciliation in the Mission of the Church”

The synodal assembly and theme coincided with the “extraordinary” Holy Year proclaimed by the Holy Father to commemorate the 1950th year of the Redemption of the World through the Death of Christ. At this time the Synod Fathers discussed related matters, emphasizing the need of applying the fruits of Christ’s redemption to a person’s life and, as a result, to society. In a statement issued by the assembly the Synod Fathers called the world to “reconciliation” and proclaimed “the Church as a Sacrament of reconciliation and a sign of the mercy of God toward the sinner”. The Synod Fathers’ work during the Synod served as the basis for the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation “Reconciliatio et paenitentia” of 2 December 1984, which for the first time was designated as a “Post-Synodal” document.

9. II Extraordinary General Assembly

In Session: 24 November - 8 December 1985
Synod Fathers: 165
Topic: “The Twentieth Anniversary of the Conclusion of the Second Vatican Council”

Specially convened by Pope John Paul II, the purpose of this synodal assembly was to commemorate the occurrence of the Second Vatican Council and to assess the state of Church renewal. According to statute the Synod brought together all the presidents of the over 100 Episcopal Conferences worldwide and various other persons. The discussions centered on the documents of the Second Vatican Council and their implementation in the Church around the world. At this session the Synod Fathers produced a final report (Relatio finalis), issued at the closing session, along with a Nuntius or Message to the People of God. Responding to the proposal from the Synod Fathers at this assembly, the Holy Father authorized the compilation and publication of The Catechism of the Catholic Church, released in 1992. At the same time, it “... called for a fuller and more profound study of the theological and, consequently, the juridical status of episcopal Conferences, and above all of the issue of their doctrinal authority, in light of no. 38 of the conciliar Decree Christus Dominus and canons 447 and 753 of the Code of Canon Law (Final Report, II, C, 8, b),” which was addressed in John Paul II’s Apostolic Letter Motu Proprio on the Theological and Juridical Nature of Episcopal Conferences (21 May 1998), 7.

10. VII Ordinary General Assembly

In Session: 1 - 30 October 1987
Synod Fathers: 232
Topic: “The Vocation and Mission of the Lay Faithful in the Church and in the World”

Through a consideration of the concepts of vocation (“being”) and mission (“doing”) in the Vatican II context of Church communion, the Synod Fathers sought to emphasize the distinctive nature of the lay faithful in the Church’s life, in their sharing or communion in holiness and the Church’s work of evangelization in the world, in virtue of their secular character. Because of the topic, this Synod witnessed a significant presence of lay persons as Auditors, who were called upon to address the general assembly and share insights in the Small Groups. For the first time, a lay woman and man were appointed as Adjunct Special Secretaries. The information resulting from this Synod, particularly the 54 propositions of the General Assembly, were used in the formulation of the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation “Christifideles laici” of 30 December 1988.

11. VIII Ordinary General Assembly

In Session: 30 September - 28 October 1990
Synod Fathers: 238
Topic: “The Formation of Priests in Circumstances of the Present Day”

Taking into consideration the work of the Second Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops (1971) which gave a theological treatment to the priesthood and its implications in the priestly ministry, this Synod was more pastoral in tone, centering upon priestly formation and the “person” of the priest himself, both religious and diocesan, before and after ordination. Notable in the sessions was the general accord of the Synod Fathers in their discussion and treatment of the subject. At the Synod’s conclusion the Synod Fathers offered 41 propositions to the Holy Father which were used, along with other information resulting from the Synod process, in the preparation of the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation entitled “Pastores dabo vobis” of 25 March 1992.

12. I Special Assembly for Europe

In Session: 28 November - 14 December 1991
Synod Fathers: 137
Topic: “So That We Might Be Witnesses of Christ Who Has Set Us Free”

On 22 April 1990 during an Apostolic Visit to Velehrad, Czechoslovakia, the site of the tomb of St. Methodius, co-patron of Europe with Saints Cyril and Benedict, the Holy Father announced his desire to convoke a Special Assembly for Europe of the Synod of Bishops so as to discern the kairos of the situation created by the great changes taking place in Europe and to consider the role of the Church in the efforts on the continent towards renewal and reconstruction. The special nature of the Synod and its brief preparation period required various modifications to Synod procedure, e.g., instead of the Lineamenta and Instrumentum laboris documents, a brief guide to reflection (Itinerarium) and a synopsis (Summarium) were prepared; special criteria were devised for episcopal delegates so as also to give substantial representation bishops from Central and Eastern Europe, etc. One of the noteworthy events in the preparation was a pre-Synodal symposium sponsored by the Pontifical Council for Culture which gathered intellectuals from both eastern and western Europe in a common reflection on the Synod topic. Likewise, representatives from the Orthodox Church and major Christian communities in Europe were invited in a spirit of ecumenism to participate for the first time in a synodal Assembly as “fraternal delegates”. The work of the special assembly culminated in the publication of a Declaration, in which the Synod Fathers outlined a program for the new evangelization of Europe and made an appeal for universal solidarity among all European citizens. Subsequently, a group of members from the special assembly was appointed to devise ways of implementing the conclusions of the Declaration through a strengthening of the Concilium Conferentiarum Episcopalium Europae (CCEE) in light of the present circumstances.

13. I Special Assembly for Africa

In Session: 10 April - 8 May 1994
Synod Fathers: 242
Topic: “The Church in Africa and Her Evangelizing Mission Towards the Year 2000: ‘You Shall Be My Witnesses’ (Acts 1, 8)”

On 6 January 1989 the Holy Father announced his intention to convene this Special Assembly and appointed a Pre-Preparatory Commission, made up primarily of members of the African episcopate. The following June, this group was expanded to constitute the Council of the General Secretariat, and entrusted with helping prepare for the synodal Assembly. In conjunction with the meeting of representatives of the African episcopate in Lomé, Togo, July, 1990, the Lineamenta document “outlining” the Synod topic was published, beginning a period of prayerful reflection on the local level. The responses from the local Churches were used in formulating the Special Assembly’s “working paper” or Instrumentum laboris, released during the Holy Father’s Ninth Pastoral Visit to Africa, Kampala (Uganda), February, 1993.
With this document as a point of reference, the Synod Fathers discussed in the month long session the general topic of evangelization from the following perspectives: 1. Proclamation of the Message; 2. Inculturation; 3. Dialogue; 4. Justice and Peace; 5. Means of Social Communication. In addition to the lively and in-depth discussion of the topic during the various phases of Synodal activity, a highlight of the Special Assembly were the opening and closing ceremonies which incorporated many elements from liturgical traditions in Africa.
The resulting documentation includes a lengthy Message to the People of God, released at the conclusion of the Special Assembly, and the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation “Ecclesia in Africa” of 14 September 1995, signed and presented to the Church in conjunction with the Synodal visit to Africa by the Holy Father, 14-20 September 1995, for the Special Assembly’s celebration phase.
A Post-Synodal Council, elected from the Special Assembly, continues to offer assistance to the General Secretariat. Its task is to monitor the impact and implementation of the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation at the level of the local Church. The Council compiled a report which was sent to all the bishops in Africa, the heads of the departments of the Roman Curia, and the presidents of Episcopal Conferences worldwide as well as other interested parties. This Council meets periodically to assess the situation so as to update and encourage the bishops of Africa in the application of the document’s rich contents.
On 13 November 2004, during the Symposium of the Bishops of Africa and Europe, held in Rome, Pope John Paul II, “welcoming the aspirations of the Post-Synodal Council”, made the announcement to convoke a Second Special Assembly for Africa in response to the “the hopes of the African pastors”. In the General Audience of 22 June 2005, Pope Benedict XVI confirmed this decision “made by my venerated predecessor”. No specific dates or topic for the Second Special Assembly have been announced.

14. IX Ordinary General Assembly

In Session: 2 - 29 October 1994
Synod Fathers: 245
Topic: “The Consecrated Life and Its Role in the Church and in the World”
On 30 December 1991, the Holy Father announced the convocation of a synodal Assembly to consider the topic of consecrated life. Some saw it as a logical completion of the treatment of the states of life in the Church begun in the previous two Ordinary Assemblies on the laity and the priesthood respectively. The period of prayer and reflection prior to the synodal Assembly was particularly fruitful, eliciting a widespread exchange not simply within the institutes of consecrated life and the societies of apostolic life, but also within national and international bodies, not to mention various individual and group initiatives with the Church’s hierarchy and various departments of the Roman Curia. The Synod Fathers touched on a vast number of subjects associated with the topic and listened attentively to the many interventions made by the great number of auditors. Particularly noteworthy during this Synodal gathering was the number of Synod Fathers members from religious congregations, the appointment of a woman and man religious as Adjunct Special Secretaries, as well as the significantly increased number of women and men from the consecrated life as Experts and Auditors. The Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation “Vita consecrata” was published on 25 March 1996.

15. Special Assembly for Lebanon

In Session: 26 November - 14 December 1995
Synod Fathers: 69
Topic: “Christ is Our Hope: Renewed by His Spirit, in Solidarity We Bear Witness to His Love”

Because of the particular needs of the Church in Lebanon created by the prolonged situation of war, the Holy Father announced on 6 June 1991 his intention to convoke a Special Assembly of the Synod of Bishops for Lebanon. After subsequent initial meetings with the Patriarchs of the Oriental Churches in Lebanon, a ten-member Council, representing the 6 sui juris Catholic Churches in Lebanon, was appointed in January, 1992 to render assistance in the required preparatory work. At the same time, a Lebanese bishop was also designated as an on-site coordinator.
The Lineamenta of the Special Assembly was made public on 13 March 1993, beginning the phase of prayer and reflection on the Synod topic by the local dioceses and various Church bodies in Lebanon, a period which lasted until 1 November 94. The responses to the Lineamenta were incorporated in the Instrumentum laboris, the Special Assembly’s working document, which served as the point of reference during the synodal Assembly. On 12 December, an annotated version of the Code of Canons of the Oriental Churches, published under the auspices of the Pontifical Council for the Interpretation of Legislative Texts, was distributed to the synod fathers.
On 10 May 1997 the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation “Une Espérance nouvelle pour le Liban” (“A New Hope for Lebanon”), was published during a papal visit to Lebanon for the celebration phase of the Special Assembly. An Arab translation of the document, prepared by the Assembly of Patriarchs and Bishops in Lebanon (A.P.E.C.L.), was subsequently published in 1998. The Post-Synodal Council, resulting from this special assembly, continues to hold meetings to evaluate the impact and implementation of the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation in Lebanon. In this regard, a report was prepared and mailed in 2003 to the hierarchy of Lebanon, the heads of the Dicasteries of the Roman Curia, the Patriarchs, Major Archbishops and Metropolitans of the Eastern Churches sui iuris, the presidents of the episcopal conferences worldwide and other interested parties. Since then, the Special Council has met periodically to assess the situation in Lebanon.

16. Special Assembly for America

In Session: 16 November - 12 December 1997
Synod Fathers: 233
Topic: “Encounter with the Living Jesus Christ: the Way to Conversion, Communion and Solidarity in America”

In the Apostolic Letter Tertio millennio adveniente, the Holy Father made known his desire to continue the Synodal movement on the continental level, beginning with the Special Assemblies for Europe (1991) and Africa (1994), and to convene special Synodal assemblies, including the Special Assembly for America, as part of the program leading to the celebration of the Jubilee Year 2000. On 12 June 1995, a Pre-Synodal Council was appointed to collaborate in the preparations of the special assembly. With its assistance, the Lineamenta was published on 3 September 1996 and the Instrumentum laboris on 10 September 1997.
During the assembly, the Synod Fathers took into consideration the various features of Church life and society on the American continent and sought the best ways and means of allowing the people of America to encounter Jesus Christ. In this regard, they discussed the relation between the Gospel and culture and the main concepts of conversion, communion and solidarity in meeting the great challenges of contemporary society on the continent. At the conclusion of the special assembly the Synod Fathers published the customary Nuntius or “Message to the People of God”.
A Post-Synodal Council, elected during the assembly, met on various occasions to evaluate the results of the Synod and to offer assistance to the Holy Father in drafting the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation “Ecclesia in America” of 22 January 1999, which was promulgated by the Holy Father, 23 January 1999, during the celebration phase of the special assembly in Mexico City, Mexico. On the following day, many Synodal participants from all parts of the continent were present for the Eucharistic Liturgy celebrated in the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadeloupe.
Subsequently, the Post-Synodal Council has met at various times to evaluate the implementation of the document and to offer encouragement to the bishops in their initiatives on the continent in response to the post-Synodal document. In 2002, a report in this matter was prepared and sent to each member of the hierarchy in America, the heads of the dicasteries of the Roman Curia, the Patriarchs, Major Archbishops and Metropolitans of the Eastern Churches sui iuris, the presidents of the episcopal conferences worldwide and other interested parties. The Special Council meets periodically to continue to discuss the priority issues on the continent set forth in the report.

17. Special Assembly for Asia

In Session: 19 April - 14 May 1998
Synod Fathers: 191
Topic: “Jesus Christ the Savior and His Mission of Love and Service in Asia: ‘...That They May Have Life, and Have it Abundantly’ (Jn 10,10)”

In the Apostolic Letter Tertio Millennio Adveniente, the Holy Father announced his intention to call special synodal assemblies on the continental level as part of the preparatory program leading to the Jubilee Year 2000. On 10 September 1995, the Holy Father established the Pre-Synodal Council for the Special Assembly for Asia made up primarily of cardinals, archbishops and bishops from Asia. Part of their task was to assist the General Secretariat in the drafting of the Lineamenta released on 3 September 1996 and the Instrumentum laboris published on 13 February 1998.
During the Special Assembly, the Synod Fathers, keeping in mind that the Church is a small but vibrant flock on a Asian continent where the Great Religions of the World are present, focused their attention on the uniqueness of the person of Jesus as Savior and His gift of abundant life in the context of the Church’s program of a new evangelization. Of particular concern was how the Church, in a concrete pastoral plan, can continue the Lord’s mission of love and service in Asia. At the conclusion, the Synod Fathers published a Nuntius or “Message to the People of God” which treated various points of the Synodal topic.
A Post-Synodal Council resulted from the synodal assembly. Subsequently having met at various intervals in the wake of the assembly, this Council offered assistance in analyzing the special assembly’s recommendations and contributed to the drafting of the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation “Ecclesia in Asia”, which was signed by the Holy Father on 6 November 1999 in the Sacred Heart Cathedral, during the Synod’s celebration phase, 5-8 November 1999, in New Delhi, India. Since that time, the Post-Synodal Council had met periodically to evaluate the distribution and implementation of the document in the Church in Asia. In 2002, a report was prepared and mailed to each member of the hierarchy on the Asian continent, the heads of the dicasteries of the Roman Curia, the Patriarchs, Major Archbishops and Metropolitans of the Eastern Churches sui iuris, the presidents of the episcopal conferences worldwide and other interested parties.
At its last meeting in November, 2007, the Special Council shared further reaction to the Post-Synodal document, evaluated the significance of the Special Assembly on the Asian continent, related the present state of ecumenical and interreligious dialogue in various countries and spoke of various published works in relation to the Post-Synodal document.

18. Special Assembly for Oceania

In Session: 22 November - 12 December 1998
Synod Fathers: 117
Topic: “Jesus Christ and the Peoples of Oceania: Walking His Way, Telling His Truth, Living His Life”

The Special Assembly for Oceania was the third continental or regional synodal assembly to be held in the series announced by the Holy Father in the Apostolic Letter Tertio Millennio Adveniente as part of the preparation for the Jubilee Year 2000. On 7 June 1996 the Holy Father appointed the Pre-Synodal Council made up primarily of bishops from Oceania. In a series of meetings held in Rome and Wellington, New Zealand, this Council offered assistance in drafting the Lineamenta, establishing criteria for participation, and finalizing the Instrumentum Laboris.
A unique feature of this synodal Assembly was the fact that all bishops of the region were to participate as ex officio members. To ease travel difficulties and limit the absence of the bishops from their local Churches, arrangements were made to hold the customary ad limina visits in conjunction with the special assembly. Despite the great difference in pastoral situations in the region, many common concerns emerged in the course of Synod work, e.g., inculturation of the Gospel, renewed attention to catechetics and formation, the revitalization of the faith of believers, pastoral care of youth, migrants and native peoples, etc., all of which converged in a concentration on the person of Christ, the way, the truth and the life.
On 11 December, the members of the Special Assembly elected a Post-Synodal Council, to which the Holy Father appointed three members. This Council held a number of meetings to discuss the outcome of the special assembly and to offer assistance to the Holy Father in drafting the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation “Ecclesia in Oceania”, promulgated 22 November 2001 at an important, historic ceremony in the Vatican during which the document was simultaneously transmitted on the internet to all the dioceses of the region. Ecclesia in Oceania thus became the first papal document to be transmitted by internet in the computer age.
In 2003, the Post-Synodal Council met to begin the process of evaluating the impact and implementation of Ecclesia in Oceania in the region, resulting in a report which was sent to the Bishops in Oceania and shared with the Universal Church in 2006. At its February meeting in 2008, the Council members made the decision to hold its next meeting in Australia, in conjunction with the Plenary Assembly of the Federation of the Catholic Bishops Conferences of Oceania in May, 2010.

19. II Special Assembly for Europe

In Session: 1 - 23 October 1999
Synod Fathers: 117
Topic: “Jesus Christ, Alive in His Church, Source of Hope for Europe”

The Second Special Assembly for Europe is the last in the series of continental Synodal assemblies which were convoked by the Holy Father in his Apostolic Letter Tertio millennio adveniente as part of the preparation for the Jubilee Year 2000. Notwithstanding the fact that the First Special Assembly for Europe took place in 1991, less than a decade ago, new social and cultural situations, existent on the continent in the wake of political changes in the East, have created pastoral challenges which make particularly opportune the convocation of a Second Special Assembly for Europe.
On 9 February 1997 the Holy Father appointed the Pre-Synodal Council to assist in the preparation of this synodal assembly, which, with the help of theologians from Europe and the staff of the General Secretariat, published the Lineamenta (Spring, 1998) and the Instrumentum Laboris (21 June 1999) of the Special Assembly.
In the course of the Second Special Assembly, the synod fathers gave attention to the various realities in the Church in Europe and the particular historic moment in the project towards unifying the continent. The topic of Jesus Christ, alive in his Church, dominated the synodal discussion on the cultural roots of the continent, while, at the same time, serving as the source of hope in the building of a new Europe on the foundation of faith.
The Post-Synodal Council, elected during the Assembly, held various meetings to analyze the outcome of the synod and to contribute to the drafting of the Holy Father’s Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation “Ecclesia in Europa” which was promulgated in the Vatican, 28 June 2003, during Evening Prayer beginning the Solemnity of the Apostles Peter and Paul.
Subsequently the Post-Synodal Council, to evaluate the impact and implementation of Ecclesia in Europa in the continent, drafted a questionnaire which was sent to the episcopal conferences and continental organizations in Europe. The responses to this questionnaire were used to evaluate some aspects of the Church’s mission in Europe.

20. X Ordinary General Assembly

In Session: 30 September - 27 October 2001
Synod Fathers: 247Topic: “The Bishop: Servant of the Gospel of Jesus Christ for the Hope of the World”

In preparation for the Tenth Ordinary General Assembly, the Ninth Ordinary Council of the General Secretariat, in a series of periodic meetings assisted in the consultation process to determine the Synodal topic and collaborated in the composition of the Lineamenta which was sent on 16 June 1998 to the bishops throughout the world and those customarily contacted for official responses. The responses were subsequently analyzed and included in the Council’s work of drafting the Instrumentum laboris which was released on 1 June 2001.
During the synodal assembly the synod fathers focused on the person and role of the bishop in his diocese at the beginning of the Third Millennium.
On 26 October 2001, the synodal assembly elected members to the Tenth Ordinary Council of the General Secretariat to which the Holy Father appointed three members. In subsequent meetings, this Council analyzed the material which came from the synod process, especially the synod’s Propositiones, so as to offer assistance to the Holy Father in his drafting the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation “Pastores Gregis”, promulgated 16 October 2003, in conjunction with the 25th Anniversary of the Holy Father’s election.

21. XI Ordinary General Assembly

In Session: 2 - 23 October 2005
Synod Fathers: 241
Topic: The Eucharist: Source and Summit of the Life and Mission of the Church

On 29 November 2003, taking into consideration the opinion of the members of the Tenth Ordinary Council of the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops, based on the consultation of the episcopal conferences worldwide and the other parties concerned, Pope John Paul II decided to convoke the Eleventh Ordinary General Assembly to treat the topic of the Eucharist. That the Pope’s choice came briefly after the publication of his encyclical on the same subject deserves attention. This synodal assembly was convoked to provide the Pope with the pastoral reflections of the world’s bishops on a subject vital to the life and mission of the Church.
The Lineamenta, composed by the Tenth Ordinary Council of the General Secretariat with the assistance of theologians, was sent to the episcopal conferences, the Eastern Churches sui iuris, the heads of the dicasteries of the Roman Curia, the Union of Superiors General and other concerned parties on 31 March 2004. At a subsequent meeting the Council analyzed the responses to the questions in the Lineamenta and, again with the help of experts, drafted the Instrumentum Laboris, which was made public on 7 July 2005.
After his election, Pope Benedict XVI reconfirmed the dates of the synodal assembly and, at the same time, approved the following innovations in synodal procedure: a reduction of the length of the synodal assembly to three weeks; an hour of open discussion, during the intervention phase, at the conclusion of the evening plenary sessions; an electronic vote by the members - in addition to the customary written ballot - on the Propositiones or synodal recommendations; and the release to the public pro hoc vice of an Italian translation of the Propositiones.
A special session was held to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the institution of the Synod of Bishops, during which various synod fathers spoke on the theological, juridical and historical aspects of the synod. Subsequently, these presentations, along with reference material on synodal assemblies, were published in a book entitled Il Sinodo dei Vescovi: 40 Anni di Storia (“The Synod of Bishops: 40 Years of History”) by the Lateran University Press.
The official documentation resulting from this synodal assembly includes a Message to the People of God (Nuntius), composed during the assembly and approved by the Synod Fathers, and the Holy Father’s Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Sacramentum Caritatis (22 February 2007).

22. XII Ordinary General Assembly

Scheduled to be in Session: 5 - 26 October 2008
Topic: The Word of God in the Life and Mission of the Church

On 6 October 2006, Pope Benedict XVI announced his decision to convoke the Twelfth Ordinary General Assembly to treat the topic of The Word of God in the Life and Mission of the Church. In doing so, he took into consideration the opinion of the members of the Eleventh Ordinary Council of the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops which was based on a consultation of the episcopal conferences worldwide, the Eastern Catholic Churches sui iuris, the heads of the dicasteries of the Roman Curia, the Union of Superiors General and other parties concerned. The Synod on the Word of God is intended to be in continuity with the 2005 Synod on the Eucharist and to set forth the intrinsic connection between the Eucharist and the Word of God for the life and mission of the Church.
Subsequently, the Council members, with the assistance of theologians, drafted the Lineamenta, released on 27 April 2007, which gave preliminary guidelines on the topic and contained a series of questions for discussion and prayer at the local level. At later meetings the Council analyzed the responses to the questions in the Lineamenta, submitted by the aforementioned groups, along with observations submitted by various groups and individuals, and drafted the Instrumentum laboris, which was made public on 12 June 2008.
This synod assembly will be the first to take place after the revision of the Ordo Synodi Episcoporum, approved by the Holy Father on 29 September 2006, acceding to the counsel of the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops on the opportuneness of updating the statutes to conform to the present Code of Canon Law and The Code of Canons of the Oriental Churches.
A distinctive feature of this synodal assembly is its occurrence during the Pauline Year, beginning 29 June 2008. In commemoration, the opening liturgy of the synod will be celebrated in the Papal Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls.

23. II Special Assembly for Africa

Scheduled to be in session: 4 - 25 October 2009
Topic: The Church in Africa in Service to Reconciliation, Justice and Peace: “You are the salt of the earth ... You are the light of the world” (Mt 5: 13, 14).

The Special Council for Africa, elected at the I Special Assembly for Africa, continues to offer assistance to the General Secretariat. Subsequent to its publishing a document which reported the impact and implementation of the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation on the level of the local Church, the Council investigated the feasability of a II Special Assembly. On 13 November 2004, during the Symposium of the Bishops of Africa and Europe, held in Rome, Pope John Paul II, “welcoming the desire of the Special Council for Africa”and responding to “the hopes of the African pastors,”announced the convocation of a II Special Assembly for Africa. In the Weekly General Audience of 22 June 2005, the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI reconfirmed this decision.
Subsequently, the Special Council for Africa formulated the synod topic, which received papal approval: The Church in Africa in Service to Reconciliation, Justice and Peace: “You are the salt of the earth ... You are the light of the world” (Mt 5: 13, 14). With the assistance of experts, the Council proceeded to draft the Lineamenta, presenting the topic and containing a series of questions for discussion and prayer on the local level. After being made public on 27 June 2006, the document was sent to the Church in Africa, where it is being widely distributed and enthusiastically received. Responses to the Questions are to be sent to the General Secretariat by November, 2008, for use in drafting the Instrumen­tum laboris, which will set the agenda for the synodal assembly, scheduled to take place 4-25 October 2009.
The Episcopal conferences and assemblies are presently engaged in electing members to the II Special Assembly for Africa, based on specially devised criteria, which have received papal approval.

PRAYER FOR THE SUCCESS OF THE SYNOD

Lord Jesus Christ, whom the Father has commanded us to listen as his beloved Son, shed your light upon your Church, so that she might have nothing more holy than to listen to your voice and follow you. You are the Supreme Shepherd and Ruler of Souls. Look then upon the Pastors of your Church gathered in these days with the Successor of St. Peter in synod assembly. We implore you to sanctify them in truth and confirm them in faith and love.

Lord Jesus Christ, send forth your Spirit of love and truth on the bishops in synod and on all who assist them in fulfilling their task. Make them more faithful to what the Spirit is saying to the Churches; stir their souls and teach them truth by that same Holy Spirit. Through their work, may the faithful of their Churches be purified and strengthened in spirit, so that they might greater follow the Gospel through which you accomplished salvation and they might make of themselves a living offering to the heavenly Father.

May Mary, the Most Holy Mother of God and Mother of the Church, assist the Bishops in these days, as she assisted the Apostles in the Upper Room, and intercede with motherly affection to foster brotherly communion among them, to allow them to rejoice in prosperity and peace in the calmness of these days, and, in reading the signs of the times, to celebrate the majesty of the merciful God, the Lord of History, to the praise and glory of the Most Blessed Trinity, Father Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.

THE SYNOD CHAPEL

The design and furnishings of the synod chapel are meant to communicate and celebrate the theological concepts of communion and collegiality underlying the Synod of Bishops which meets in assembly, cum Petro et sub Petro. Therefore, the episcopal college figures greatly in the artistic design and appointments of the chapel, drawing particular inspiration from two major Biblical passages, Acts 2:1-4 and John 20:19-29, which both treat the bestowal of the Holy Spirit on the apostles gathered together.
Though the Church was mystically begotten at the crucifixion of Christ, coming forth, as St. Augustine mentions, like the new Eve from the side of the New Adam, the Church has consistently taught that the Church’s initial venture into the world was accomplished on the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit descended in tongues of fire upon the apostles, gathered with Mary, the Mother of Jesus, in the Upper Room or Cenacle. Since this is a particularly powerful event in the life of the episcopal college as a group, and thereby the Church, the design of the chapel wishes to re-create visually the experience of Pentecost (cf. Acts 2:1-4).
The oval stained glass window in the ceiling portrays the Holy Spirit as a dove on a triangular golden field to recall the Blessed Trinity, the source of communion in the episcopate and in the Church as a whole. The movement of the glass in various tones of red, yellow and orange highlights the outpouring of the Spirit in tongues of fire which made the apostles eloquent witnesses to Christ. Fire’s property of light and heat also corresponds to enlightenment (wisdom) and strength (zeal), elements which characterised the mission of Peter and the apostles. The Holy Spirit continues as the dynamic force in the pastoral mission of the Pope and the episcopal college, particularly in the celebration of the synod.
According to Biblical evidence, the Cenacle or Upper Room, the site of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit as seen above, was also the room in which Jesus celebrated the Passover meal at which he instituted the Sacraments of the Priesthood and the Eucharist. The setting of the Cenacle, therefore, becomes symbolic not only of the shared episcopal dignity but the principle of its unity. These concepts of communion and collegiality are communicated in the furnishings positioned directly beneath the Holy Spirit window: a central kneeler recalls the Holy Father, Successor of St. Peter, surrounded by benches and kneelers to symbolize the eleven remaining apostles. The configuration of the chairs in an oval as opposed to a standard consecutive “line-up” of benches or chairs, beginning at the entrance and sweeping towards the front of the chapel, assists in highlighting the unitive action of the college gathered “in and around Peter.” At the same time, all - including the spectator - are drawn to the altar and tabernacle towards an encounter with the mystical Christ, present in the Eucharist, who, in the Easter apparition to the episcopal college, recorded by St. John, stands in the midst of the college, and “breathes forth” or imparts his Holy Spirit (cf. Jn 20: 19-29), giving them authority and power as bishops. The two bronze statues of Sts. Peter and Paul, in the niches at the rear of the chapel, are symbolic of the universality of the Church and the vocation of the episcopate.
The above theme is reinforced in the artwork on the glass door at the chapel’s entrance: a central mitre bearing the apostolic keys to signify Peter, surrounded by eleven mitres, as if to announce the chapel’s theme. The mitres are drawn together in a circle to indicate their unity as a college through the gift of Trinitarian communion.
To continue the theme of the collegiality and communion of the apostolic college, the altar is suggestive of the prow of a boat, turning up waves. The New Testament contains many passages in which a boat provides the setting for significant experiences for the apostles as a group or college.
- After Jesus calms the winds and the sea, the apostles, gathered in a boat, first receive the revelation that Jesus is more than a mere man. They marvel, “Who then is this, that he commands even wind and water, and sea obey him?” (cf. Matt 8:23-27; Lk 8:22-25: Mk 4:37-41).
- Jesus has the apostles get into a boat so that he can be alone with them to teach them (cf. Mk 6:32).
- Following the multiplication of the loaves and fish, Jesus sends the apostles out in a boat on the Sea of Galilee. Even though the Lord spends the night in prayer on the hilltop, the apostles are never out of his sight. As a storm arises, Jesus approaches them walking on the water with the words, “It is I; do not be afraid.” After they take him into the boat, it immediately reaches land and the apostles remain perplexed, because - as Mark recounts - they did not understand the significance of the multiplication of the loaves and fish (cf. Jn 6:16-21; Matt 14: 22-27; Mk 6:45).
The boat has special meaning not just for the apostolic college but for the person of Peter.
- In the series of Easter apparitions, it is from Peter’s boat that the apostles (Peter, James, John, Thomas, Bartholomew, and two others), after catching a huge draught of fish, recognize the Risen Christ along the seashore (cf. Jn 21:1-8).
- Jesus preaches from a boat, presumably Peter’s, to the crowd of people on the shore (cf. Matt 13:2; Mk 3:9; 4:1).
- Peter’s faith is confirmed by Christ, in front of the other apostles, after Christ bids him to walk towards Him on the water. In the wake of this incident, the apostles worship the Lord and exclaim, “Truly you are the Son of God” (cf. Matt 14:28-33).
- In another post-Resurrection episode, it is from Peter’s boat that the apostles lower their nets, at Jesus’ request, and catch the miraculous draught of fish. Peter then is the one who drags the net ashore full of fish (cf. Jn 21: 4-11), symbolic of the Church.
In addition to the above associations, a boat also has Eucharistic significance in relation to the apostolic college and thus reinforces the use of this symbol as the base of the altar of reservation of the Blessed Sacrament.
- After the multiplication of the loaves and fish, Jesus sets out with his apostles in a boat, during which he relates his discourse “on the leaven of the Pharisees”(Matt 16: 5-12; Mk 8:14).
- A particularly significant biblical reference to the Eucharist comes from Mark’s gospel. Following the multiplication of the loaves and fish, a prefigurement of the Eucharist, the scriptures say that the apostles did not bring any bread with them, just “one loaf” (cf. Mk 8:14). The implication is that Jesus is the “one loaf” or Bread from heaven. In this instance, Jesus seeks to draw out of them the meaning of the miracle of the loaves and fish as well as his words and teaching on the Eucharist at this miraculous event.
The boat is also used as the symbol of the entire Church, oftentimes referred to as the “Bark of Peter.” In this sense, the crucifix conveniently completes the mast to Peter’s humble fishing boat. The movement of the sculpture, including the shroud-like pieces of cloth in the rear - a hearkening to the shroud and resurrection - is a further association with the work of the Holy Spirit, who provides the “wind” for the sails of Peter’s Bark, always moving the Church ahead in time towards the Lord, in fulfilment of the promise.
The simple bronze tabernacle bears the customary shafts of wheat and grapes for the Eucharist. Fish, indicative of Peter the fisherman and the mission of the apostles as “fishers of men” (Matt 4:19; Mk 1:17) are also on the tabernacle, candlesticks and sanctuary lamp. The fish is also the ancient symbol of Christ, drawn by using the Greek word, ΙΧΘγΣ, meaning fish, as an acronym for the phrase: “Jesus Christ, Son of God Saviour”.
The Stations of the Cross, crafted in mother-of-pearl in Palestine, recall the following of Christ, the vocation which the bishops share with every Christian in the Church.
The Marian statue, entitled Our Lady of Hope, is reminiscent of Our Lady’s presence with the Apostles gathered in prayer in the Cenacle. She extends her hand to marvel at the wonder of God’s grace, to welcome the flame of the love of the Holy Spirit and to allow it to bear fruit. As true handmaiden and servant of the Lord and His Gospel and image of the Church who mystically brings forth children, Mary is the Mother of the Apostles and their successors. In effect, the apostles, gathered around Mary in the Upper Room, look at her as if into a mirror, a mirror in which they see themselves as Church, the “Bride of Christ”.

ILLUSTRATIONS FROM THE SAINT JOHN’S BIBLE

The images chosen to illustrate the booklets of the Synodal liturgies (Ora Tertia, Solemn inauguration with Eucharistic Concelebration, Solemn Concelebration of the Holy Mass concluding the Synod, Celebration of the Word and Solemn Concelebration with Canonizations) are taken from Saint John’s Bible. During the XII Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, a copy of a part of the Saint John’s Bible and six illustrations, will be shown in the atrium of Paul VI’s Hall.

Continuing the Benedictine tradition of producing illuminated Bibles and lectionaries, the monks of Saint John’s Abbey and University in Collegeville, Minnesota (U.S.A.), in 1996, in order to celebrate the Third Millennium, undertook the project of commissioning the first handwritten and illuminated Bible since the invention of the printing press. The Saint John’s Bible brings together scholarship and art and employs ancient materials and techniques to present the Holy Spirit’s influence on man’s enormous strides in science, technology, and the humanities over the past two millennia.
An ecumenical undertaking, The Saint John’s Bible incorporates imagery from the Greek East and the Latin West, as well as the influence of Native American cultures. The pages are also decorated with the flora and fauna indigenous to the State of Minnesota, where Saint John’s Abbey is located. The translation used in The Saint John’s Bible is the New Revised Standard Version, approved for Catholics by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (1991).
Under the masterful direction of the scribe to Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth, seven calligraphers and four artists have assisted in producing The Saint John’s Bible. When completed in 2010, it will contain more than 1,000 parchment pages bound in seven distinct volumes standing 40 cm tall by 1 m wide.
In April, 2008, through the generosity of the Papal Foundation, a reproduction of the Book of Wisdom was presented to His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI. When the project is completed, copies of all seven volumes will be given to the Holy Father and to the Vatican Apostolic Library.

[00003-02.06] [NNNNN] [Original text: English]

AVVISI

CONFERENZA STAMPA

La prima Conferenza Stampa sui lavori sinodali (con la traduzione simultanea in italiano, inglese, francese, spagnolo e tedesco) si terrà nell’Aula Giovanni Paolo II della Sala Stampa della Santa Sede lunedì 6 ottobre 2008, alle ore 12.45 orientativamente.

I Signori operatori audiovisivi (cameramen e tecnici) e fotoreporter sono pregati di rivolgersi per il permesso di accesso al Pontificio Consiglio per le Comunicazioni Sociali.

I nominativi dei partecipanti saranno comunicati appena possibile.

Le successive Conferenze Stampa si terranno:
- Giovedì, 16 ottobre 2008 (il giorno dopo la Relatio post disceptationem)
- Sabato, 25 ottobre 2008 (il giorno dopo la presentazione dell’Elenchus finalis propositionum)

“BRIEFING”

Per una più efficace informazione sui lavori sinodali sono stati organizzati per i Signori giornalisti accreditati 5 gruppi linguistici.

Qui di seguito sono riportati per ogni gruppo linguistico il luogo del “Briefing” e il nome dell’Addetto Stampa:

Gruppo linguistico italiano
Addetto Stampa: Rev. Mons. Giorgio Costantino
Luogo: Sala dei giornalisti, Sala Stampa della Santa Sede
Gruppo linguistico inglese
Addetto Stampa: R.P. Thomas Rosica, C.S.B
Luogo: Aula Giovanni Paolo II, Sala Stampa della Santa Sede

Gruppo linguistico francese
Addetto Stampa: Rev. Mons. Joseph Bato’ora Ballong Wen Mewuda
Luogo: Sala Marconi, Radio Vaticana, Palazzo Pio, Piazza Pia 3

Gruppo linguistico spagnolo
Addetto Stampa: Sig. Jesús Colina
Luogo: Sala delle telecomunicazioni, Sala Stampa della Santa Sede

Gruppo linguistico tedesco
Addetto Stampa: Rev. Marcus Graulich, S.D.B.
Luogo: Centro Pastorale per i Pellegrini di lingua tedesca, Via della Conciliazione 51

Nei seguenti giorni gli Addetti Stampa terranno “Briefing” orientativamente alle ore 13.10:
- Martedì 7 ottobre 2008 (per la II e III Congregazione Generale);
- Mercoledì 8 ottobre 2008 (ore 14.00 circa, per la IV Congregazione Generale e per la Sessio I dei Circoli minori; a conclusione della Conferenza Stampa di presentazione del Messaggio per la 95° Giornata Mondiale del Migrante e del Rifugiato delle ore 12.30 e del Briefing della Bible Society delle ore 13.30, in Aula Giovanni Paolo II della Sala Stampa della Santa Sede);
- Giovedì 9 ottobre 2008 (per la V e VI Congregazione Generale);
- Venerdì 10 ottobre 2008 (per la VII e VIII Congregazione Generale);
- Sabato 11 ottobre 2008 (per la IX e X Congregazione Generale);
- Lunedì 13 ottobre 2008 (per la XI e XII Congregazione Generale);
- Martedì 14 ottobre 2008 (per la XIII e XIV Congregazione Generale);
- Mercoledì 15 ottobre 2008 (ore 13.30 circa, per la XV e XVI Congregazione Generale, a conclusione della Conferenza Stampa che si terrà alle ore 12.30 nell’Aula Giovanni Paolo II della Sala Stampa della Santa Sede per la presentazione del film “Testimonianza”, tratto dal libro “Una vita con Karol” del Card. Stanislaw Dziwisz e di Gian Franco Svidercoschi);
- Venerdì 17 ottobre 2008 (per la XVII, XVIII Congregazione Generale e per le Sessio II e III dei Circoli minori);
- Sabato 18 ottobre 2008 (per la Sessio IV dei Circoli minori e per la XIX Congregazione Generale);
- Venerdì 24 ottobre 2008 (per la XXI Congregazione Generale e per le Sessio V, VI, VII e VIII dei Circoli minori).

Gli Addetti Stampa saranno accompagnati per il “Briefing” a ogni gruppo linguistico da un Padre sinodale della stessa lingua , alle ore 13.10 orientativamente, il giorno:
- Martedì, 21 ottobre 2008 (dopo la presentazione dell’Elenchus unicus propositionum)

Eventuali variazioni saranno pubblicate appena possibile.

“POOL”

Si prevedono “pool” di giornalisti accreditati per accedere all’Aula del Sinodo, in linea di massima per la preghiera di apertura delle Congregazioni Generali antemeridiane, nei giorni seguenti:
- Martedì 7 ottobre 2008
- Giovedì 9 ottobre 2008
- Venerdì 10 ottobre 2008
- Sabato 11 ottobre 2008
- Lunedì 13 ottobre 2008
- Martedì 14 ottobre 2008
- Venerdì 17 ottobre 2008
- Sabato 18 ottobre 2008
- Martedì 21 ottobre 2008
- Venerdì 24 ottobre 2008
- Sabato 25 ottobre 2008

Nell’Ufficio Informazioni e Accreditamenti della Sala Stampa della Santa Sede (all’ingresso, a destra) saranno messe a disposizione dei redattori le liste d’iscrizione ai “pool”.

Per i “pool” i fotoreporter e gli operatori TV sono pregati di rivolgersi al Pontificio Consiglio delle Comunicazioni Sociali.

I partecipanti ai “pool” sono pregati di trovarsi alle ore 08.30 nel Settore Stampa, allestito all’esterno di fronte all’ingresso dell’Aula Paolo VI, da dove saranno accompagnati da un officiale della Sala Stampa della Santa Sede (per i redattori) e del Pontificio Consiglio per le Comunicazioni Sociali (per i fotoreporter e troupe TV). È richiesto un abbigliamento confacente la circostanza.

BOLLETTINO SYNODUS EPISCOPORUM

Il Bollettino informativo della Commissione per l’informazione della XII Assemblea Generale Ordinaria del Sinodo dei Vescovi, dal titolo Synodus Episcoporum, pubblicato dalla Sala Stampa della Santa Sede, uscirà in 6 edizioni linguistiche (plurilingue, italiana, inglese, francese, spagnola e tedesca), con 2 numeri al giorno (antimeridiano e pomeridiano) o secondo necessità.

Il numero antimeridiano uscirà a conclusione della Congregazione Generale del mattino e il numero pomeridiano uscirà il mattino seguente.

La distribuzione ai Signori giornalisti accreditati si effettuerà nella Sala dei giornalisti della Sala Stampa della Santa Sede.

L’edizione plurilingue riporterà i riassunti degli interventi dei Padri sinodali preparati da loro stessi, nelle lingue in cui saranno consegnati per la pubblicazione. Le altre 5 edizioni riporteranno la versione rispettivamente in italiano, inglese, francese, spagnolo e tedesco.

Il terzo numero del Bollettino conterrà l’Omelia del Santo Padre durante la Solenne Concelebrazione Eucaristica di apertura del mattino di domenica 5 ottobre 2008 (sarà a disposizione dei Signori giornalisti accreditati all’apertura della Sala Stampa della Santa Sede, sotto embargo).

Il quarto numero del Bollettino conterrà le relazioni che saranno presentate nella Prima Congregazione Generale del mattino di lunedì 6 ottobre 2008 (che sarà anche trasmessa in diretta TV nella Sala Stampa della Santa Sede).

Le edizioni linguistiche del Bollettino saranno consultabili anche sul sito Internet della Santa Sede: http://www.vatican.va/news_services/press/sinodo/sinodo_index_it.htm

Si ricorda che il Bollettino del Sinodo dei Vescovi è soltanto uno strumento di lavoro ad uso giornalistico e che le traduzioni non hanno carattere ufficiale.

COPERTURA TV IN DIRETTA

Saranno trasmesse in diretta sui monitor nella Sala delle telecomunicazioni, nella Sala dei giornalisti e nell’Aula Giovanni Paolo II della Sala Stampa della Santa Sede:
- Domenica 5 ottobre 2008 (ore 09.30): Solenne inaugurazione con Concelebrazione Eucaristica (Basilica di San Paolo fuori le Mura).
- Lunedì 6 ottobre 2008 (ore 09.00): Prima parte della Prima Congregazione Generale.
- Giovedì 9 ottobre 2008 (ore 11.00): Santa Messa in occasione del 50° anniversario della morte del Servo di Dio Papa Pio XII (Basilica San Pietro).
- Domenica 12 ottobre (ore 10.00): Solenne Concelebrazione con Canonizzazioni (Piazza San Pietro).
- Mercoledì 15 ottobre 2008 (ore 16.30): Parte della Sedicesima Congregazione Generale in cui viene svolta la Relatio post disceptationem.
- Sabato 18 ottobre 2008 (ore 17.00): Celebrazione della Parola.
- Domenica 19 ottobre 2008 (ore 10.30): Concelebrazione Eucaristica (Piazzale del Santuario della Beata Vergine del Rosario di Pompei).
- Domenica 26 ottobre 2008 (ore 09.30): Solenne Concelebrazione della Santa Messa a conclusione del Sinodo (Basilica di San Pietro).

Eventuali variazioni saranno pubblicate appena possibile.

NOTIZIARIO TELEFONICO

Durante il periodo sinodale sarà in funzione un notiziario telefonico:
- +39-06-698.19 con il Bollettino ordinario della Sala Stampa della Santa Sede;
- +39-06-698.84051 con il Bollettino del Sinodo dei Vescovi, antimeridiano;
- +39-06-698.84877 con il Bollettino del Sinodo dei Vescovi, pomeridiano.

ORARIO DI APERTURA DELLA SALA STAMPA DELLA SANTA SEDE

La Sala Stampa della Santa Sede, in occasione della XII Assemblea Generale Ordinaria del Sinodo dei Vescovi resterà aperta dal 3 al 26 ottobre 2008 secondo il seguente orario:
- Venerdì 3 ottobre: ore 09.00 - 15.00
- Sabato 4 ottobre: ore 09.00 - 14.00
- Domenica 5 ottobre: ore 09.00 - 13.00
- Lunedì 6 ottobre: ore 09.00 - 20.00
- Da martedì 7 ottobre a sabato 11 ottobre: ore 09.00 - 16.00
- Domenica 12 ottobre: ore 09.30 - 13.00
- Lunedì 13 ottobre e martedì 14 ottobre: ore 09.00 - 16.00- Mercoledì 15 ottobre: ore 09.00 - 20.00
- Giovedì 16 ottobre e venerdì 17 ottobre: ore 09.00 - 16.00
- Sabato 18 ottobre: 09.00 - 19.00
- Domenica 19 ottobre: ore 10.00 - 13.00
- Da lunedì 20 ottobre a sabato 25 ottobre: ore 09.00 - 16.00
- Domenica 26 ottobre: ore 09.00 - 13.00

Il personale dell’Ufficio informazioni e accreditamento sarà a disposizione (nell’ingresso a destra):
- Lunedì-Venerdì: ore 09.00-15.00
- Sabato: ore 09.00-14.00

Eventuali cambiamenti saranno comunicati appena possibile, tramite annuncio nella bacheca della Sala dei giornalisti nella Sala Stampa della Santa Sede, nel Bollettino informativo della Commissione per l’informazione della XII Assemblea Generale Ordinaria del Sinodo dei Vescovi e nell’area Comunicazioni di servizio del sito Internet della Santa Sede.

[00004-01.11] [NNNNN] [Testo originale: italiano]

- Indice Bollettino Synodus Episcoporum - XII Assemblea Generale Ordinaria - 2008
  [Plurilingue, Francese, Inglese, Italiano, Spagnolo, Tedesco]

- Indice Sala Stampa della Santa Sede
  [Francese, Inglese, Italiano, Portoghese, Spagnolo, Tedesco]