Pope Francis announced yesterday that the Synod of Bishops on Synodality will be extended by a year, with the assembly meetings to be held in Rome over two sessions in October 2023 and October 2024.
Pope Francis explained that he made the decision to hold the scheduled October 2023 assembly over two sessions with a year in between “in order to have a more relaxed period of discernment”.
“The fruits of the synodal process under way are many, but so that they might come to full maturity, it is necessary not to be in a rush,” he said.
Pope Francis explained that he made the decision to hold the scheduled October 2023 assembly over two sessions with a year in between “in order to have a more relaxed period of discernment”.
“The fruits of the synodal process under way are many, but so that they might come to full maturity, it is necessary not to be in a rush,” he said.
“I trust that this decision will promote the understanding of synodality as a constitutive dimension of the Church and help everyone to live it as the journey of brothers and sisters who proclaim the joy of the Gospel.” .
The two sessions of the XVI Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops will take place on October 4-29, 2023, and in October 2024, bringing together bishops from across the world to discuss and prepare a document to counsel the Pope.
Pope Francis launched the Synod on Synodality in October 2021 as a worldwide undertaking during which Catholics were encouraged to submit feedback to their local dioceses.
The Church’s massive multi-year synodal process has been divided into stages. The initial diocesan listening phase concluded with the participation of 112 out of 114 of the world’s Catholic bishops’ conferences, according to the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops.
The second, continental phase is taking place from September 2022 to March 2023. In this stage, Continental Synodal Assemblies will be convened between January and March of next year.
The final, universal phase will begin with the XVI Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops at the Vatican in October 2023 and continue in October 2024.
FULL STORY
Pope Francis announces decision to extend Synod on Synodality to 2024 (By Courtney Mares, CNA)
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