Synod on Synodality

Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrão, President of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI) and the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC) has urged the Church to adopt a participatory and synodal approach to its mission.

Pope Francis has appointed members to the XVI Ordinary Council of the General Secretariat of the Synod, including Sister Simona Brambilla and María Lía Zervino, marking a historic shift as papal appointees are no longer required to be bishops on December 13, 2024.

Pope Francis welcomed the Holy Synod of the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church, marking their first visit to Rome and celebrating the ecumenical progress between the Catholic Church and this ancient Indian Christian tradition.

At the closing Mass of the Synod of Bishops, Pope Francis called on the Church to embody a spirit of active service, urging the faithful to become a “Church on her feet” that “gets its hands dirty” in responding to the world’s suffering.

The Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI) has announced that its upcoming Plenary Assembly, scheduled from January 28 to February 4, 2025, in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, will emphasize a participatory and synodal approach, aiming at greater inclusivity within the Church.

Pope Francis, in his address on the final day of the Synod, emphasized that the path to a "synodal Church" lies in listening deeply to the Holy Spirit.

Bishop Pablo Virgilio David from Kalookan, a prominent figure in the Philippine Catholic Church, has been elected to a 17-member council responsible for guiding the implementation of the synodality process and preparing for the next synod.

Two Asian cardinals recently discussed their experiences in engaging young people in parishes and spiritual life, emphasizing the significance of youth involvement and listening within the Church.

Urging the Synod on Synodality, Sister Nirmala Alex Maria Nazareth, AC (Apostolic Carmel), president of Catholic women religious in India, emphasized that the poor, migrants, and refugees "must always be very close to the Church.”

Reflecting on the faith and communion of Chinese Catholics, two Chinese bishops, Joseph Yang Yongqiang and Vincent Zhan Silu, extended their greetings to Pope Francis and other delegates at the ongoing Synod on Synodality, Vatican City, in October 2024.

As the Synod of Bishops progresses into its second session of the 16th Ordinary General Assembly, Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich, S.J., the Synod’s general rapporteur, delivered a significant presentation focused on the theme of “places,” which is central to Part III of the Instrumentum laboris.

In a heartfelt letter to Catholics in the Middle East, Pope Francis has offered a message of solidarity and hope amid the ongoing violence and suffering in the region.

Pope Francis addressed a profound and heartfelt message to the newly elevated Cardinals, emphasizing their call to embody compassion and mercy in a world ravaged by suffering and injustice.

On 11 October, in a profoundly symbolic ecumenical vigil commemorating the anniversary of the Second Vatican Council, Pope Francis gathered with Christian leaders from various denominations and believers from across the globe in Protomartyrs Square, an event rich in both historical and theological significance.

The Synodal Assembly on Thursday underscored a powerful message: every voice is important in the journey toward Christian unity.

Bishop Pablo Virgilio "Ambo" David of Kalookan had an unforgettable encounter with Pope Francis during an early arrival at the Synod Hall.

The ten Study Groups of the Synod on Synodality are open to contributions from all Catholics until June
2025.

A Catholic theologian underlined the duty of every faithful to attend to each other’s questions to find
renewed ways of being a Church.

At the opening of the second session of the 16th General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, Pope Francis underscored the importance of lay involvement in shaping a Church that is humble, inclusive, and guided by the Holy Spirit.

Father Timothy Radcliffe, Dominican Friar and former Master of the Order of Preachers, urged participants of the Synod to embrace cultural diversity as central to the Church’s mission during his meditation on “Resurrection Fishing” at the Synod Retreat.