SYNOD 2021 – 2024 • The General Secretariat of the Synod published on Thursday, October 27, the document for the new continental stage (January to March 2023) of the synodal process of the universal Church initiated by the Pope in 2021. — The text is the result of the summaries of the consultation of the People of God in the first stage of the synodal process and will be the basis of the work and “frame of reference” for “the period of listening, dialogue and discernment of the continental synodal
Read More SYNOD ON SYNODALITY – General Secretariat • This morning, at the end of the Sunday Angelus, the Holy Father announced that the upcoming 16th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops will be held in two moments, that is, in two sessions, spaced one year apart: the first from October 4 to 29, 2023, the second in October 2024. Pope Francis referred to the Apostolic Constitution Episcopalis Communio, which contemplates this possibility (cf. Article 3). — This decision stems from the desire that the theme of a Synodal Church,
Read More SYNOD ON SYNODALITY • “We are facing an unprecedented ecclesial dialogue in the history of the Church, not only because of the quantity of responses received or the number of people involved (some want to rely on numbers – which can only be approximate – which may seem limited), but also because of the quality of participation. The process of listening and discernment was certainly not perfect. We know that, but we also know that we are trying to be more and more the image of the synodal Church, we
Read More SYNOD ON SYNODALITY • On August 5, 2022, the German Bishops’ Conference published its report on the preparation of the 2023 World Synod of Bishops. The three-year global preparatory process for the Synod of Bishops, which opened in Rome in the fall of 2021, addressed the national level in the first phase. — The results of this diocesan synodal process are being pooled in the bishops’ conferences in these weeks and passed on to the Vatican. “In our journey towards a #ListeningChurch, we should take today’s reading as an opportunity
Read More Martin Schiffl, Austria • Thank you for the article “Shema, Israel – Hear Oh Israel, Listen, Schoenstatt and Schoenstatter”. I am especially happy about Pope Francis’ statement: The most important work of pastoral ministry is the “apostolate of the ear.” — Particularly last year, I have noticed the increasing importance of hearing, of truly listening. Here in Austria there is a big gap between the vaccinated and the unvaccinated. People are increasingly talking about a division in society. And from so much arguing, people overlook that the real problem is
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