WelCom November 2024
After three years of discussion, debate and, at times, division, the concluding act of Pope Francis’ Synod of Bishops on Synodality took place in October (2–27).
A total of 368 participants gathered for the second and final Roman assembly in order to continue the work of the Synod on Synodality around the theme ‘For a Synodal Church: communion, participation and mission’.
This year’s session differed from the previous meeting because many of the more highly charged issues discussed in last year’s assembly (such as polygamous families and women in the diaconate) were handed over to study groups to address. That meant the focus of the second session was on synodality in the Church.
As during the first session of the Synod last year, the Synod began with a retreat led by Dominican Father Timothy Radcliffe and Benedictine Mother Ignazia Angelini. The retreat included a penitential liturgy, in which, among other things, victims of abuse, of war and of indifference to migrants offered testimony.
Of the 368 Synod participants, 272 were bishops and the rest were a mix of priests, deacons, male and female religious and laity. There were also eight papally nominated ‘special guests,’ and 16 representatives from other churches.
The schedule provided for a rotation among plenary sessions and exchanges within 36 smaller working groups, organised into five round tables by language: two in English, one in Italian, one in French, one in Spanish and one in Portuguese.
The Synod will come up with a final document as a way of submitting its suggestions to the Pope, who will then decide how to present the results to the Church and the wider world.
Source: Crux