Archbishops Chaput and Kurtz Named Relators of Synod Small Groups

National Catholic Register ^ | 10/7/15 | Edward Pentin

[markomalley]

(snip)

At today’s press briefing, the Holy See Press Office announced that the synod fathers had elected moderators and relators for the 13 small groups of the synod, all determined by language. English-language moderators include Australian Cardinal George Pell and Canadian Cardinal Thomas Collins, while relators include Archbishop Charles Chaput of Philadelphia and Archbishop Joseph Kurtz, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. Some moderators for the other language groups include Cardinal Sarah of Guinea, Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco, head of the Italian bishops’ conference, and Cardinal Gerald Lacroix, primate of Canada.

The moderators conduct the discussions, keeping them focused and running smoothly, while the relators present at the end of each session a summary of the opinions expressed, both pro and con, prepare a report containing all the views expressed, and then give it to the assembly. Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi said details of which particular synod fathers are in which group will be announced in due course.

[markomalley]

The remainder of the article is a summary of the day's activities.

[Arthur McGowan]

It’s all meaningless. This is NOT a real synod. There will be a speech by the Pope at the end, and a bogus “document” by the Pope’s hand-picked pro-divorce, pro-gay committee. Followed by a meeting of the Pope and the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence.

Nothing that happens in the next three weeks makes ANY difference.

[livius]

There probably wasn’t much the pope could do to prevent this. The US English language group is overwhelmingly orthodox, except for the Pope’s last minute personal appointees.

[rollo tomasi]

This is just an exercise to see how far the powers that be can "bend" to the world. Everyone knows the "rules" that God has already established. Conforming to the world/the here and now is foolish.