The heads of the Church’s continental bodies have gathered in Rome this week for three days of meetings dedicated to the next phase of the Synod on Synodality. Source: Vatican News.
The meetings bring together representatives of continental ecclesial organisations from Latin America, Africa, Asia, Europe, Oceania, the Middle East, and North America, accompanied by coordinators of the continental synodal teams.
According to a media release from the General Secretariat of the Synod yesterday, the gathering is a continuation of the Synod on Synodality’s implementation phase, which followed the final assembly of the Synod in October 2024.
Participants are meeting in light of the recent publication of the document Towards the Assemblies 2027–2028: Stages, criteria, and tools for Preparation, which is intended to guide the next stages of the synodal journey.
The General Secretariat said meetings would focus on listening to “the principal developments in the implementation of the Final Document of the XVI Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops,” while fostering the exchange of experiences from different regions of the world and identifying “common dynamics and issues requiring further shared reflection.”
Part of the program is dedicated to accompanying local churches and regional groupings as they continue to implement the synodal process. Particular attention will also be given to the role of communication in supporting that work.
The final day of discussions will focus on the continental assemblies, described in the press release as “one stage in the broader journey of ecclesial assemblies that will culminate in the Assembly of October 2028”.
Participants will reflect on questions surrounding participation and representation, expected outcomes, and the role of the General Secretariat in accompanying the process.
Pope Leo XIV is scheduled to meet the participants at the headquarters of the General Secretariat of the Synod on Thursday at the meeting’s conclusion.
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Church leaders gather in Rome to prepare for Synod Assemblies of 2027-2028 (Vatican News)
