Synod: Work begins for the Instrumentum laboris 2

By Vatican News

With the document Around October 2024 sent last December to all the bishops of the world, the General Secretariat of the Synod asked local Churches and groups of Churches to deepen certain aspects of the Summary report which are fundamental to the theme of the Synod, based on a guiding question of the entire synodal process: “HOW to be a synodal Church on mission?'

During these months, the different local Churches carried out their work by sending their contribution through the Episcopal Conferences, the Eastern Catholic Churches and the International Meetings of Episcopal Conferences.

Cardinal Grech: The synodal Church, a living reality

“I am particularly impressed to see the involvement of the entire ecclesial community in this long process of discernment,” declares Cardinal Mario Grech, Secretary General of the General Secretariat of the Synod. “In addition to the reflections arising from Summary report of the First session, the material received often adds real testimonies of how particular Churches not only understand synodality, but also how they already put this style into practice. The synodal Church is not a dream to be realized, but already a living reality which generates creativity and new relational models within the same local community or between different Churches or groups of Churches.

Contributions from the USG/UISG and priests

The General Secretariat of the Synod also received contributions from the USG-UISG and a considerable number of comments from international realities, university faculties, associations of the faithful or individual communities and individuals. Another important source of reflection will be the reports presented by the priests during the three days of work of the recent International Meeting for Parishes for the Synod.

From Tuesday June 4, 2024, the group of theologians, experts in various disciplines (dogmatic theology, ecclesiology, pastoral theology, canon law, etc.), will analyze all this material. “We leave nothing to chance. Each document must be read carefully with the goal that at the end of this meeting, the group presents a text that reflects the work, questions and received ideas of the base,” says Cardinal Grech.

First analysis

For his part, Father Giacomo Costa SJ, Special Secretary of the XVIth Assembly, specifies: “It is not yet a question of writing the Work instrument for the Second Session of the Synod on Synodality, but rather to carry out an initial analysis of the reports and good practices implemented by local communities, and to a common discernment, on theological questions and reflections in order to prepare the ground for the actual writing of the Work instrument'.

The work of this international team, which takes place behind closed doors, began with a half-day spiritual retreat and will continue until June 13. The days will be punctuated by different moments of work (individual, group, plenary). The daily celebration of the Eucharist and moments of personal prayer will ensure that the work takes place in the climate necessary for discernment.

The next steps

THE Work instrument The drafting process will continue with other stages: once the structure of the future document has been identified through the articulation of the material received from the theologians, the Ordinary Council will carry out a first discernment of what has been written. Next come the stages of drafting the document itself followed by extensive verification; then the Ordinary Council of the General Secretariat approves the document to be submitted to the Holy Father for his final approval.

The text should be published by the first decade of July. Information on this will be provided in due course.