At a briefing held in the Vatican Press Room on the afternoon of October 21, the topics discussed by the Synod of Bishops were announced: from the role of women to the protection of minors and vulnerable groups. That evening the Rosary was recited in St. Peter’s Square and prayed for peace.
(Vatican News) Tonight’s recitation of the Rosary in St. Peter’s Square is in the spirit of the Synod of Bishops, “especially for peace.” Paolo Ruffini, Prefect of the Dicastery for Communications and Chairman of the Information Committee of the Synod of Bishops, said this at a briefing on the afternoon of October 21.
The 15th conference was held on the afternoon of October 20. “Some testimonies from war or suffering areas, such as the Middle East, Ukraine, and the Amazon, were very powerful, touching, and profound.” On the morning of the 21st, 35 groups submitted reports on Part B3 of the “Working Document” to the church conference secretariat.
Ruffini: Communion with the Pope
Ruffini said that in his speech at the conference, he specifically talked about “the issue of distinguishing the decision-making relationship in the relationship between power and shared responsibility.” The meeting pointed out that the spirit of deliberation “does not eliminate but cooperates with power”, while mentioning that “authority is necessary” and “should not be afraid of seeking communication or disagreement.” Moving forward in dialogue, the Assembly noted, relies on the Holy Spirit, “who transforms places of battle into places of passage”.
The meeting also noted that it was important to listen to everyone. Listen first to “those who feel that they are not accepted by the Church or are not considered to belong to the Church,” for example, “immigrants of other religions,” the poor, the discriminated against, the disabled, and indigenous peoples. Speaking specifically about sexual minorities at the meeting, Ruffini said that in his speech he raised the obligation to accept and “resist any form of violence against them.” Another important point mentioned at the meeting was “communion with the Pope”: those who do not maintain basic communion with Peter are “injuring the Mystical Body of Christ, which is the Church.” Ruffini concluded by pointing out that in a world mired in polarization, xenophobia and war, communion is the best message that can be conveyed.
Pires: Mission in the digital age
Sheila Pires, Secretary of the Information Committee, continued at the briefing that among the topics discussed at the meeting, the role of women and female consecrated persons was also mentioned, especially the possibility of giving them a voice in decision-making.
Pires explained that clericalism has once again become the focus of reflection, and the suggestion is to implement continuous cultivation, so as to also face the problem of violations. The meeting emphasized the need to establish appropriate structures to combat violations. Everyone thanked the pope for introducing new structures to confront crimes of abuse. The meeting pointed out that it is important to promote the implementation of relevant measures at all levels to protect everyone, including adults and children.
Mission in the digital age was another theme raised at the meeting. In his speech, he pointed out that the digital age is by no means virtual because it involves people’s real life. The Secretary of the Information Committee concluded that a common thread in the speeches at the Assembly was the reaffirmation of the Church’s mission to serve the poor, recognizing that the Lord will judge us in the future according to how we love the humblest and not according to how much knowledge we have accumulated.
Sharing by invitees
Several Synod participants were invited to speak at the briefing. Cardinal Pedro Ricardo Barreto Jimeno, Archbishop of Huancayo, Peru and Chairman of the Amazon Church Network, talked about his experience of seeking common ground in differences; Essen, Germany Bishop Franz-Josef Overbeck talked about the experience of fellow Catholics in Germany: repentance and reformation.
In his speech, Bishop Jean-Marc Eychenne of the Diocese of Grenoble, France, shared his experience in southern Toulouse, calling that fringe area the “Amazon of France”; General President of the Carmelite Apostolic Sisters of India, Sister Maria Nirmalini, president of the Indian Religious Association, stressed that the Indian consecrated life accompanied her in prayer during this “beautiful experience and wonderful journey” to the Synod.
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2023-10-21 18:58:25
