Briefing on Synod of Bishops (to the media)

VATICAN CITY, OCT. 2, 2005 (Zenit.org).- Here is a translation of the briefing read in Italian to reporters on Saturday by Archbishop Nikola Eterovic, secretary-general of the Synod of Bishops. The synod was opened today by Benedict XVI.

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The 11th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, on the topic "The Eucharist: Source and Summit of the Life and Mission of the Church," begins tomorrow Oct. 2. The Synod of Bishops begins with the Holy Mass, presided over by His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI and concelebrated by about 350 Synodal Fathers and other participants in the synodal assembly.

It is significant that the Synod of Bishops, whose theme is the Eucharist, begins with the celebration of the holy Mass. With this gesture the Synodal Fathers, elected within the episcopate of the Catholic Church and, therefore, of the people of God spread throughout the world, give praise to God the Father, who is in heaven, invoking the grace of the Holy Spirit, the gift of the Lord Jesus Christ, risen and present amidst His people, especially in the sacrament of the Eucharist. It is in this perspective of faith, hope and Eucharistic love that the synodal works will be carried out.

The celebration of the 11th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops takes place on the 40th anniversary of its establishment, on Sept. 15, 1965, by the Servant of God Pope Paul VI with "motu proprio" "Apostolica Sollicitudo." Therefore, it should not be a surprise that during the next assembly a session will be dedicated to the commemoration of such an important ecclesial event. The Synod of Bishops, one of the promising fruits of the Second Vatican Council, has demonstrated itself during the last four decades, to be a very worthy instrument for exercising episcopal collegiality and deepening ecclesial communions.

The nature and finality of the Synod of Bishops were clearly indicated in the aforementioned apostolic letter "Apostolica Sollicitudo." Then these characteristics were collected and expressed in legal terms in canons 342-348 of the Code of Canon Law. Perhaps it is not superfluous to recall that, in addition to strengthening the bonds of mutual union between the Bishops among themselves and with the Holy Father, Bishop of Rome, one of the aims of the Synod together with the council is to help the Roman Pontiff in safeguarding and increasing faith and customs in the observance and consolidation of ecclesiastic discipline. In addition, it is the task of the Synod to study the problems concerning the activity of the Church in the world and to follow with special solicitude the missionary activity of the Church.

Since its establishment 40 years ago, the Synod of Bishops has contributed considerably toward promoting synodality in the Catholic Church, connected to issues of fundamental importance for the life of the community of the faithful, which mostly correspond to the topics of the individual synodal assemblies. In this work, the ordinary, extraordinary and special councils of the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops played a special role with numerous meetings for preparation and application, in close union with the Holy Father, Head of the episcopal body and President of the Synod of Bishops. The privileged expression of this synodality, characterized in its collegial dimension, was seen during 20 synodal assemblies, of which 10 were ordinary ones, two extraordinary, and eight special ones. With the next 11th Ordinary General Assembly, the synodal assemblies will reach number 21. Considering the period of 40 years of its existence, it means that a Synod of Bishops has taken place every 19 months.

Some Data Regarding the Next Synodal Assembly

Two-hundred fifty-six Synodal Fathers from 118 nations will take part in the next Synod of Bishops. This is the highest number of participants in a synodal assembly. For instance, 247 Synodal Fathers took part in the synod of 2001.

Of these 256 Synodal Fathers, 177 were elected, 39 will participate "ex officio," and 40 are appointed by the Holy Father. Among these, also, there are 55 cardinals, eight patriarchs, 82 archbishops, 123 bishops, 36 presidents of episcopal conferences and 12 religious.

The Synodal Fathers come from all the continents and, in particular, 50 from Africa, 59 from America, 44 from Asia, 95 from Europe and eight from Oceania.

Then there are also 32 experts and 27 auditors from the five continents. A valuable contribution toward the progress of the work is also offered by the assistants and translators in the 6 languages of the Synod: Latin, Italian, French, Spanish, English and German.

Twelve Churches and ecclesial communities have been invited to send their representatives to the Synod of Bishops, of which up to now 10 have given the name of their representative. The fraternal delegates participate in the work; may intervene but they cannot vote. This prerogative belongs to the 256 Synodal Fathers.

In the preparation of the Synodal Assembly, a lot of work, often in a silent and abnegated way, was done by members of the General Secretariat, a small but dynamic and available team to whom go my most sincere thanks.

Novelties in Synodal Methodology

It is easy to perceive from the work calendar that 23 General Congregations and seven sessions for the Working Groups have been scheduled.

The Holy Father Benedict XVI willingly approved some novelties to the synodal methodology whose aim is to make the synodal meeting more agile, more participative, and therefore more collegial.

Considering the Synod will last three and not four weeks, and the number of participants is rather high, it has been necessary to reduce the time of the interventions of the Synodal Fathers from 8 to 6 minutes, as also the number of the sessions of the Working Groups.

The Synodal Fathers are kindly invited to follow a certain order in taking the floor following the four parts of the "instrumentum laboris." This suggestion, which is already present in the "Ordo Synodi," should facilitate the concentration on the reflection which will have a privileged moment during the free discussions in the Synodal Hall, at the end of the daily general congregations, which is from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.

To favor greater participation, the Synodal Fathers will elect eight members to the "Commission for the Message," which will be approved by the assembly and published at the end of the work. Some four other members will be appointed by the Holy Father.

For practical reasons, electronic voting for decisions of minor importance will be carried out "ad experimentum."

The Synod Hall has been modernized, in particular, with improvements to the lighting, air conditioning and video-services.

These are some methodological innovations, which can be included well in the history of the synodal establishment. In fact, during these 40 years, the method of the synodal work has undergone various amendments oriented in the last analysis to favor deepening episcopal collegiality, by offering valid advice to the Holy Father in his role as Petrine Primate for the good of the universal Church.

It is probable that no Synodal Assembly has ever been celebrated like the next one, in an environment of such fervent prayer and religious participation of millions of faithful, who in this Year of the Eucharist, invoke from the Lord the grace to find the One they have already encountered in the celebration of the holy Mass, memorial of the passion, death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus, re-presentation of his sacrifice, as personal and communitarian sharing in the banquet of the eschatological wedding of the immolated Lamb.

This environment of religious expectation and participation offers the grounded hope that the choral prayer of the Church will be received by the One and Triune God and that one can expect from the Synod of Bishops, a renewed impulse in the proclamation of the Gospel, the good news for contemporary man, new evangelization centered on the Eucharistic mystery whose consequences will favor a rebirth of the life of faith, of hope, and of charity, so that those faithful, open to the inspiration of the Holy Spirit will commit themselves to translate with adequate charitable creativity, in many works of human promotion.

Date: 2005-10-02

Prayer for the Synod

"Send Forth Your Spirit of Love and Truth"

VATICAN CITY, OCT. 2, 2005 (Zenit.org).- Here is the prayer published by the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops at the start of the assembly which will focus on the Eucharist.

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Prayers 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.

Date: 2005-10-02

Why the Synod of Bishops Came About

An Extension of Conciliar Collegiality

VATICAN CITY, OCT. 2, 2005 (Zenit.org).- The Synod of Bishops as an institution was a response to the desire of the Second Vatican Council fathers to keep alive the positive spirit of the conciliar experience.

A synod, a Greek word meaning "coming together," is a religious meeting or assembly at which bishops, representing the Catholic episcopate, have the task of helping the Pope in the governing the universal Church by rendering their counsel.

The idea of the Synod of Bishops grew from a need to provide the bishops with a way to assist the Pope in his governing of the universal Church.

Pope Paul VI, while he was still archbishop of Milan, in a talk commemorating the death of John XXIII, 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."

As Pope Paul VI, he then established the Synod of Bishops at the end of Vatican II.

Church's well-being

Announcing the news to the council fathers, the Pope said: "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."

The Synod of Bishops was officially instituted Sept. 15, 1965.

The principal characteristic of the synod is service to the communion and collegiality of the world's bishops with the Holy Father.

The Synod of Bishops has a permanent General Secretariat located in Rome, but is not part of the Roman Curia. It is subject directly and solely to the Holy Father.

Though the institution of the synod is permanent in character, its actual functioning and concrete collaboration are not. That is, the synod meets and operates only when the Pope considers it necessary or opportune to consult the episcopate.

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