Francesco has established the beginning of a journey that will lead to an assembly in three years, consolidating what has been accomplished so far, without convening a new Synod. The Jubilee of synodal teams and participation bodies has been announced for next October. Cardinal Grech emphasizes the importance of concrete exchanges between local Churches and within the Church as a whole.
By: Isabella Piro – Vatican News
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Not a new Synod, but an Ecclesial Assembly: that will be held in the Vatican in October 2028 and will be preceded by an accompanying journey. This was announced by Cardinal Mario Grech, the Secretary-General of the General Secretariat of the Synod, in a letter sent to all bishops, eparchs, patriarchs, and major archbishops of the Eastern Catholic Churches.
Implementing the Final Document of the 2024 Synod
The accompanying journey approved by the Pope on March 11 is related to the implementation phase of the Synod that concluded after a three-year journey in 2024. The theme was “For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, Mission.” As clarified by the Pontiff, the Final Document of the XVI General Assembly “is part of the ordinary magisterium of the successor of Peter” and thus requires acceptance. This entails, as explained by the cardinal, a commitment from “local Churches and groupings of Churches” to implement the indications of the Document through processes of “discernment and decision-making.”
Concrete Exchanges between Churches and within the Church
The implementation phase, according to Cardinal Grech, should not be seen as a mere “application of directives from above” but as a “process of reception” of the Final Document in a way that is “appropriate to local cultures and the needs of communities,” always aiming to make the exchange and dialogue “between Churches and within the Church as a whole” concrete.
Involving priests, deacons, consecrated individuals, and laity
Of “fundamental importance” for this implementation process is the renewed involvement of all those who contributed during the Synod, to ensure that the “listening of all Churches” and the discernment of their shepherds bear fruit. Thus, essential tools will be the “synodal teams composed of priests, deacons, consecrated men and women, lay men and women, accompanied by their bishop.” Therefore, these teams – as recommended by the Secretary-General – should be “valued” and, if necessary, “renewed, reactivated, and appropriately integrated.”
Working Groups and Canonical Commission
The entire process, as emphasized by the Secretary-General, includes “the results of the work of the study groups and the contributions of the Canonical Commission.” It is worth noting that the ten study groups were established by Pope Francis in March 2024 to examine issues that emerged during the first session of the XVI Synodal Assembly in 2023. The Canonical Commission, as indicated in the Instrumentum laboris of the second session of the Assembly, operational since 2023, was established “in agreement with the Dicastery for Legislative Texts, in service of the Synod.”
The Jubilee of Synodal Teams from October 24-26
Cardinal Grech then outlines the stages of the accompanying journey for the implementation phase of the Synod: starting with the announcement of the journey this March, followed by the publication of a specific Document in May detailing its specific progress. While the implementation processes continue in local Churches and their groupings, from October 24-26, the “Jubilee of synodal teams and participation bodies” is convened. This is an “important event,” explains the Secretary-General, emphasizing the commitment to a Church that is increasingly synodal in the horizon of hope that does not disappoint, celebrated with the ongoing Holy Year.
An Ecclesial Assembly in Three Years
Subsequently, between the first and second semesters of 2027, evaluation assemblies will take place in dioceses, eparchies, national and international Episcopal Conferences, Eastern hierarchical structures, and other groupings of Churches. The first and second semesters of 2028 are reserved for continental evaluation assemblies and the publication of the Instrumentum laboris of the assembly.
