By Vatican News
A meeting was held late on Tuesday morning with representatives of the groups set up by the Pope to address issues that emerged during the First Session of the 16th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops. According to a statement following the meeting, each coordinator presented an update on their group’s work, focusing on the methodology used, those involved, the expected timeline for submitting reports, challenges encountered, and any outstanding questions. The meeting opened with a prayer for the Pope’s recovery.
Update from each coordinator
Each coordinator then took turns presenting their group’s progress, outlining the methodology used, the people and organisations involved, the expected timeframe for submitting their final report, the difficulties they had encountered, and any open questions still to be addressed. The statement notes that this was a “rich sharing time, particularly useful for those study groups dealing with ‘transversal’ issues”.
After each coordinator had spoken, Fr Giacomo Costa, SJ, a consultant to the General Secretariat, provided “guidance to ensure consistency in the drafting and submission of reports.”
Support from the Canonical Commission
The coordinators were informed that the Canonical Commission is available to assist them, particularly on issues with a legal or canonical dimension. Cardinal Mario Grech reminded participants of the importance of considering external contributions, which can still be submitted via email (synodus@synod.va) to the General Secretariat until Mar 31 2025. As previously announced at the opening of the Second Session of the 16th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, any new contributions received will be promptly forwarded to the relevant Study Groups.
The Study Groups
The ten Study Groups were established following the First Session of the 16th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, during which significant issues concerning the life and mission of the Church from a synodal perspective were identified. The Assembly reached broad consensus on these matters, which, given their importance, require reflection at the level of the universal Church and a more in-depth study.
The Study Groups were set up in March 2024 in response to Pope Francis’ Chirograph on collaboration between the Dicasteries of the Roman Curia and the General Secretariat of the Synod, as well as his letter to Cardinal Mario Grech. In this letter, the Pope entrusted Cardinal Grech with overseeing the Study Groups’ work “in a truly synodal spirit” and asked the General Secretariat to “draw up a working outline defining the groups’ mandate in light of my instructions.” – Vatican News
