A primer on the October Synod of Bishops in Rome

Pittsburgh Catholic ^ | September 30, 2005 | John Flaherty

[NYer]

The XI Synod of Bishops is set to convene in Rome on Sunday, Oct. 2, to address the topic “The Eucharist: Source and Summit of the Life and Mission of the Church.” The synod will conclude Oct. 23.

More than 250 participants from around the world were expected to attend the synod’s general assembly, said one Vatican official.

Bishop Donald Wuerl will attend the synod as one of four delegates elected by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (see Bishop Wuerl’s reflections on Page 4).

Also attending are Cardinal Justin Rigali of Philadelphia; Archbishop Wilton Gregory of Atlanta, immediate past president of the USCCB; and Bishop William Skylstad of Spokane, Wash., current USCCB president.

Pope Benedict XVI appointed one cardinal and two archbishops from the United States to be part of the synod. Cardinal Edmund Szoka, president of the office governing Vatican City State, Ukrainian Archbishop Stefan Soroka of Philadelphia and Melkite Archbishop Cyril Bustros of Newton, Mass., were chosen by the pope to take part in the synod.

Members of the general assembly are divided into three categories: those who are pontifical appointees, those who are elected by their own bishops’ conference, and those who are “ex officio,” or members by virtue of one’s office.

Ex officio synod members will include officials from the Roman Curia, heads of the Eastern churches, major archbishops, and archbishops of churches “sui juris,” including Byzantine Archbishop Basil Schott of Pittsburgh.

The Synod of Bishops is a permanent institution established in 1965 by Pope Paul VI to keep alive the spirit of the conciliar experience from the Second Vatican Council. To date, there have been 10 ordinary synods, two extraordinary synods and eight special assemblies.

The synod is not a legislative body but offers counsel to the Holy Father in the common pursuit of pastoral solutions that will have universal validity and application.

The process for a synod is based on collegiality and alternates between analysis and synthesis. The process uses feedback and consultation.

The process begins with consultation regarding a topic with synod fathers in the closing days of a synodal assembly. Further, patriarchs, episcopal conferences, the Roman Curia and superiors general of religious communities are consulted. The criteria for selecting a topic for a synod include: (1) universal character, (2) contemporary character and urgency, (3) positive nature, (4) pastoral focus, and (5) feasibility.

After the consultation, a topic is proposed by the Vatican Council of the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops. The Holy Father makes the final decision and announces the topic and time for the synod.

Based on the topic announced, the council prepares an outline, called a lineamenta. This document is reviewed and revised by theologians. The pope reviews the final version and approves the outline, which is then translated into the world’s major languages. The outline is sent to bishops throughout the world for local study, discussion and prayer.

The outline, which is broad in scope, is meant to elicit a wide range of observations and reactions. The bishops of the world organized into episcopal conferences are the first and authoritative recipients of the outline. However, each episcopal conference is free to broaden the base of consultation.

Individual bishops prepare a report based on the outline and submit their reports to the episcopal conference. After consulting with priests, catechetical personnel, diocesan staff and the Diocesan Pastoral Council, Bishop Wuerl submitted his report for the XI synod by Oct. 1, 2004, and the USCCB submitted its report by Dec. 31, 2004.

The Council of the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops reviews all of the reports of all of the episcopal conferences and then drafts what is called an instrumentum laboris. This document, which will serve as a basis and reference point for the synod deliberations, is a provisional document. It is submitted to the Holy Father for approval, translated into major languages and sent to bishops and members of the synod assembly.

The synod itself involves three phases. In Phase 1, each member has the opportunity to make a presentation on the situation in his particular diocese as it relates to the topic. In Phase 2, points of discussion are explored among small groups, organized by language. The reports from these small groups are read in plenary session with the opportunity for questions of clarification.

In Phase 3, the small groups propose precise propositions. The synod members may vote “yes” or “no” on the propositions. An integrated list of propositions with amendments by small groups is developed leading to a final list of propositions that are presented in plenary session for a “yes” or “no” vote.

When the synod is over, the general secretary drafts a report that reflects the approved propositions of the synod members. Since 1987, the Holy Father has issued a post-synodal apostolic exhortation based on this report.

[NYer]

Bishops arrive for the first day of a three-week meeting of the world's bishops at the Vatican Monday, Oct.3, 2005. More than 250 bishops, cardinals, heads of religious orders and others from about 118 countries will take part in the Synod of Bishops.

Pope Benedict XVI delivers his speech during the first day of a three-week meeting of the world's bishops at the Vatican Monday, Oct.3, 2005. More than 250 bishops, cardinals, heads of religious orders and others from about 118 countries will take part in the Synod of Bishops

Bishops listen to Pope Benedict XVI as he delivers his speech during the opening session of the synod of the bishops in Paul VI hall at the Vatican October 3, 2005. Pope Benedict, opening the first major Church meeting since his election with a solemn mass on Sunday, said that trying to keep God out of public life was 'not tolerance but hypocrisy.'

[NYer]

Rocco Palmo has a mole amongst the bishops and plans to keep bloggers 'informed'. You can check out today's report at WITL . Perhaps it's this one :-)