First meeting of XIV Ordinary Council of the Synod of Bishops
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis this week presided over the first meeting of the XIV Ordinary Council of the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops.
A statement released on Wednesday said the meeting, which took place from 18-19 April, began with a speech by the Secretary General of the Synod of Bishops, Cardinal Lorenzo Baldisseri. In his remarks, Cardinal Lorenzo Baldisseri thanked Pope Francis for his presence, as well as for the recent publication of the , Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation, Amoris Laetitia.
The Ordinary Council then considered the results of the consultation taken to identify the theme of the next Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops. The consultation included offices of the Roman Curia, Episcopal Conferences, the Eastern Churches, and the Union of Superiors General. After much discussion, a list of proposed topics was submitted to the Holy Father for his consideration.
Finally, the members of the Council discussed the revision of the Ordo of the Synod of Bishops. Bishop Fabio Fabene, the Under-Secretary of the Synod of Bishops, gave a report on the study seminar organized by the Secretariat following the speech given by Pope Francis on October 17, 2015.
From earlier group discussions on the matter, it emerged that synodality and collegiality must always be joined with the exercise of the ministry of the Bishop of Rome, in a way which fruitfully combines primacy, collegiality and synodality.