Source: http://www.clsadb.com/document/399ea925-e9bc-4926-86d6-671835876787
Timestamp: 2019-04-20 19:09:27+00:00

Document:
Pope Francis, apostolic constitution on the synod of bishops Episcopalis communio, 15 September 2018.
For over fifty years, the Synod Assemblies have proved a valuable instrument of shared knowledge among the Bishops, of common prayer, honest exchange, deepening of Christian doctrine, reform of ecclesiastical structures and promotion of pastoral activity throughout the world. In this way, not only have these Assemblies served as a privileged locus of interpretation and reception of the rich conciliar Magisterium, but they have also given a significant impetus to subsequent papal Magisterium.
In the course of the conciliar discussions, alongside the doctrine on episcopal collegiality, the request also emerged several times for some Bishops to be associated with the universal ministry of the Roman Pontiff via a permanent central body, distinct from the dicasteries of the Roman Curia; it was hoped that this body, beyond the solemn and extraordinary form of the Ecumenical Council, would manifest the solicitude of the College of Bishops for the needs of the People of God and for communion among all the Churches.
4. When instituting the Synod as a “special permanent council of sacred Pastors,” Paul VI knew that “like every human institution, [it] could be further improved with the passage of time.”14 Its later development has been fed on the one hand by ongoing reception of the fruitful conciliar teaching on episcopal collegiality and on the other hand by the experience of the numerous Synodal Assemblies held in Rome since 1967, when the Ordo Synodi Episcoporum was first published.
Likewise, after the promulgation of the Code of Canon Law and the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches, which made the Synod of Bishops part of universal law,15 the Synod continued to gradually evolve, until the latest edition of the Ordo Synodi was promulgated by Benedict XVI on 29 September 2006. In particular, the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops, consisting of the General Secretary and a special Council of Bishops, was instituted and gradually strengthened in its proper functions, so that the structural stability of the Synod might be better maintained during the periods between the various Synodal Assemblies.
5. For these reasons, since the beginning of my Petrine ministry, I have paid special attention to the Synod of Bishops, confident that it can experience “further development so as to do even more to promote dialogue and cooperation among Bishops themselves and between them and the Bishop of Rome.”17 Underpinning this work of renewal must be the firm conviction that all Bishops are appointed for the service of the holy People of God, to whom they themselves belong through the sacrament of Baptism.
Finally, the Synod Assembly itself must be followed by the implementation phase, so as to initiate the reception of the Synod’s conclusions in all the local Churches, once they have been accepted by the Roman Pontiff in the manner he judges most appropriate. Here it must be remembered that “cultures are in fact quite diverse, and every general principle … needs to be inculturated, if it is to be respected and applied.”31 In this way, it can be seen that the synodal process not only has its point of departure but also its point of arrival in the People of God, upon whom the gifts of grace bestowed by the Holy Spirit through the gathering of Bishops in Assembly must be poured out.
8. The Synod of Bishops, which is “in some manner the image” of an Ecumenical Council and reflects its “spirit and method,”32 is composed of Bishops. Nevertheless, as also happened at the Council,33 certain others who are not Bishops may be summoned to the Synod Assembly; their role is determined in each case by the Roman Pontiff. In this connection, special consideration must be given to the contribution that can be offered by members of Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life.
Besides the members, certain invited guests without voting rights may attend the Synod Assembly. These include Experts (Periti), who help with the redaction of documents; Auditors (Auditores), who have particular competence regarding the issues under discussion; Fraternal Delegates from Churches and Ecclesial Communities not yet in full communion with the Catholic Church. To these may be added further special guests (Invitati Speciales), chosen because of their acknowledged authority.
The Synod of Bishops meets in various types of gathering.34 If circumstances so suggest, a single Synodal Assembly may be spread over more than one session. Each Assembly, whatever its format, is an important opportunity for collective listening to what the Holy Spirit “is saying to the churches” (Rev 2:7). In the course of the synodal deliberations, then, particular importance should be attached to liturgical celebrations and other forms of common prayer, so as to invoke the gifts of discernment and harmony upon the members of the assembly. It is also right and just, following an ancient synodal tradition, that the Book of the Gospels be solemnly enthroned at the start of each day, symbolically reminding all the participants of the need for docility to the divine word, which is the “word of truth” (Col 1:5).
9. The General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops — consisting of the General Secretary, who chairs it, the Undersecretary, who assists the General Secretary in all his activities, and some special Councils of Bishops — is chiefly concerned with implementation of the preceding Synodal Assembly and preparation for the following one. In the phase preceding the Assembly, it chooses the themes to be discussed in the Synod Assembly from those proposed by the episcopate, it sees to their precise determination in relation to the needs of the People of God, and it initiates the consultative process and the drafting of the preparatory documents, incorporating the results of the consultation. In the phase following the Assembly, on the other hand, together with the competent dicastery of the Roman Curia, it sees to the implementation of the synodal recommendations approved by the Roman Pontiff.
Among the Councils that make up the General Secretariat, giving it its particular structure, special mention should be made of the Ordinary Council, consisting for the most part of diocesan Bishops elected by the Fathers of the Ordinary General Assembly. Ever since it was instituted in 1971 for the preparation and implementation of the Ordinary General Assembly, it has amply demonstrated its usefulness, responding as it were to the desire of the Council Fathers who asked for some Bishops to be co-opted from among those with pastoral responsibilities in various parts of the world, as long-term collaborators of the Roman Pontiff in his ministry as Universal Pastor. In addition to the Ordinary Council, other Councils may be set up within the General Secretariat, so as to prepare and implement Synodal Assemblies other than the Ordinary General Assembly.
At the same time, the General Secretariat is at the constant disposal of the Roman Pontiff for whatever he may wish to ask of it, so as to avail himself of the sure counsel of Bishops in daily contact with the People of God, even outside the context of synodal gatherings.
10. Another fruit of the Synod of Bishops is that it highlights more and more the profound communion that exists in Christ’s Church both between the Pastors and the faithful (every ordained minister being a baptized person among other baptized persons, established by God to feed his flock), and also between the Bishops and the Roman Pontiff, the Pope being a “Bishop among Bishops, called at the same time — as Successor of Peter — to lead the Church of Rome which presides in charity over all the Churches.”35 This prevents any one subject from existing independently of the other.
§1. The Synod of Bishops is directly subject to the Roman Pontiff, who is its President.
3° in Special Assembly, when matters are discussed which pertain principally to one or more particular geographical areas.
§3. If he considers it opportune, especially for reasons of an ecumenical nature, the Roman Pontiff may summon a synodal Assembly according to other formats established by himself.
§1. The members of the Synod Assemblies are those listed in canon 346 of the Code of Canon Law.
§2. According to the theme and the circumstances, certain others who are not Bishops may be summoned to the Synod Assembly; their role is determined in each case by the Roman Pontiff.
§3. The designation of members and other participants for each Assembly takes place according to the norms of particular law.
§1. According to the theme and the circumstances, the Synod Assembly may be conducted in separate periods, held at different times, at the discretion of the Roman Pontiff.
§2. During the time between periods, the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops, together with the General Relator and the Special Secretary of the Assembly, has the task of promoting further reflection on the theme or on some aspects of particular importance that emerge from the work of the Assembly.
§3. The members and other participants remain in office uninterruptedly until the closure of the Synod Assembly.
Each Synod Assembly unfolds in a series of phases: the preparatory phase, the discussion phase and the implementation phase.
§1. The preparatory phase begins when the Roman Pontiff officially opens the Synod Assembly, assigning one or more themes to it.
§2. Coordinated by the General Secretariat of the Synod, the preparatory phase has at its purpose the consultation of the People of God on the theme of the Synod Assembly.
§1. The consultation of the People of God takes place in the particular Churches, through the Synods of Bishops of the Patriarchal Churches and the Major Archbishoprics, the Councils of Hierarchs and the Assemblies of Hierarchs of the Churches sui iuris and through the Episcopal Conferences.
In each particular Church, the Bishops carry out the consultation of the People of God by recourse to the participatory bodies provided for by the law, without excluding other methods that they deem appropriate.
§2. The Unions, the Federations and the male and female Conferences of Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life consult the Major Superiors, who in their turn may approach their own Councils and other members of the Institutes and Societies in question.
§3. In the same way, the Associations of the Faithful recognized by the Holy See consult their own members.
§4. The dicasteries of the Roman Curia offer their contribution, taking account of their respective particular areas of competence.
§5. The General Secretariat of the Synod may identify other forms of consultation of the People of God.
§1. Each particular Church sends its own contribution to the Synod of Bishops of the Patriarchal Churches and the Major Archbishoprics, or to the Council of Hierarchs or the Assembly of Hierarchs of the Churches sui iuris, or to the Episcopal Conference of its own territory.
The aforementioned bodies, in their turn, transmit a résumé of the texts they receive to the General Secretariat of the Synod.
The Union of (male) Superiors General and the International Union of (female) Superiors General do likewise with the contributions prepared by the Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life.
The dicasteries of the Roman Curia transmit their contributions directly to the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops.
§2. The right of the faithful, individually or in association with others, to submit their contributions directly to the General Secretariat of the Synod, remains intact.
§1. According to the theme and the circumstances, the General Secretariat of the Synod may propose the convocation of a Pre-Synodal Meeting, with the participation of some members of the faithful chosen by the Secretariat, so that they too, in their diverse circumstances, may offer their contribution to the Synod Assembly.
Certain others may also be invited.
§2. Such a Meeting may be held at regional level, involving the Synods of Bishops of the Patriarchal Churches and Major Archbishoprics, the Councils of Hierarchs and the Assemblies of Hierarchs of the Churches sui iuris and the Episcopal Conferences of the territory concerned, as well as the respective International Meetings of Episcopal Conferences, so as to take account of the particular historical, cultural and ecclesial features of the various geographical areas.
Institutes of Higher Education, especially those that possess special competence with regard to the theme of the Synod Assembly or specific questions related to it, may offer studies either on their own initiative or at the request of the Synods of Bishops of the Patriarchal Churches and Major Archbishoprics, of the Councils of Hierarchs and Assemblies of Hierarchs of the Churches sui iurisand of the Episcopal Conferences, or at the request of the General Secretariat of the Synod.
These studies may always be transmitted to the General Secretariat of the Synod.
§1. For further exploration of the theme and for the redaction of any documents that may be issued prior to the Synod Assembly, the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops may avail itself of a Preparatory Commission, made up of experts.
§2. This Commission is appointed by the General Secretary of the Synod, who chairs it.
3° one or more Special Secretaries, who assist the Relator General in all his activities.
2° Auditors, who contribute to the work of the Assembly by virtue of their experience and knowledge.
3° Fraternal Delegates, who represent the Churches and the Ecclesial Communities not yet in full communion with the Catholic Church.
§2. In particular circumstances certain Special Guests may be designated, who are recognized as particular authorities on the theme of the Synod Assembly, without enjoying voting rights.
The Synod Assembly begins and ends with a Mass celebrated by the Roman Pontiff, in which the members and the other participants in the Assembly take part according to their various circumstances.
The Synod Assembly gathers in plenary sessions, called General Congregations, in which the members, the Experts, the Auditors, the Fraternal Delegates and the Special Guests take part, or else in meetings of Small Groups, in which the participants in the Assembly are grouped together according to the norms of particular law.
§1. In the General Congregations the members make their interventions according to particular law.
§2. Periodically, a free exchange of views takes place among the members on the matters under discussion.
§3. The Auditors, Fraternal Delegates and Special Guests may also be invited to speak on the theme of the Synod Assembly.
According to the theme and the circumstances and respecting particular law, some Study Commissions may be established, consisting of members and other participants in the Synod Assembly.
§1. The conclusions of the Assembly are brought together in a Final Document.
§2. For the redaction of the Final Document, a special Commission is set up, consisting of the Relator General, who chairs the Commission, the General Secretary, the Special Secretary and some members elected by the Synod Assembly taking due account of the various regions, as well as others appointed by the Roman Pontiff.
§3. The Final Document is submitted for the approval of the members, in accordance with particular law, with a view to obtaining moral unanimity insofar as this is possible.
§1. Once the approval of the members has been obtained, the Final Document of the Assembly is presented to the Roman Pontiff, who decides on its publication.
If it is expressly approved by the Roman Pontiff, the Final Document participates in the ordinary Magisterium of the Successor of Peter.
§2. If the Roman Pontiff has granted deliberative power to the Synod Assembly, according to the norm of canon 343 of the Code of Canon Law, the Final Document participates in the ordinary Magisterium of the Successor of Peter once it has been ratified and promulgated by him.
In this case, the Final Document is published with the signature of the Roman Pontiff together with that of the members.
§1. The diocesan or eparchial Bishops see to the reception and implementation of the conclusions of the Synod Assembly, once they have been accepted by the Roman Pontiff, with the help of the participatory bodies provided for by law.
§2. The Synods of Bishops of the Patriarchal Churches and Major Archbishoprics, the Councils of Hierarchs and the Assemblies of Hierarchs of the Churches sui iuris and the Episcopal Conferences coordinate the implementation of the aforementioned conclusions in their territory, and to this end they may set up common initiatives.
§1. Together with the competent dicastery of the Roman Curia, as well as other dicasteries interested in various ways according to the theme and the circumstances, the General Secretariat of the Synod for its part promotes the implementation of the synodal recommendations approved by the Roman Pontiff.
§2. The General Secretariat may commission studies and other suitable initiatives for this purpose.
§3. In particular circumstances, the General Secretariat, by mandate of the Roman Pontiff, may issue documents regarding implementation, having heard the view of the competent dicastery.
§1. According to the theme and the circumstances, the General Secretariat of the Synod may have recourse to a Commission for implementation, consisting of experts.
§2. The General Secretary of the Synod appoints its members, having heard the Head of the competent dicastery of the Roman Curia, and chairs it.
§3. The Commission assists the General Secretariat in fulfilling the task outlined in art. 20 §1 by means of dedicated studies.
§1. The General Secretariat is a permanent institution at the service of the Synod of Bishops, directly subject to the Roman Pontiff.
§2. It consists of the General Secretary, the Undersecretary, who assists the General Secretary in all his activities, the Ordinary Council, and also, if they have been established, the Councils mentioned in art. 25.
§3. The General Secretary and the Undersecretary are appointed by the Roman Pontiff and are members of the Synod Assembly.
§4. The General Secretariat avails itself of an appropriate number of officials and consultors for the performance of its duties.
§1. The General Secretariat is has competence for the preparation and implementation of the Synod Assemblies, and also for other questions that the Roman Pontiff may wish to put before it for the good of the universal Church.
§2. To this end, it cooperates with the Synods of Bishops of the Patriarchal Churches and Major Archbishoprics, the Councils of Hierarchs and the Assemblies of Hierarchs of the Churches sui iuris and the Episcopal Conferences, as well as the dicasteries of the Roman Curia.
§1. The Ordinary Council of the General Secretariat is competent for the preparation and implementation of the Ordinary General Assembly.
§2. It consists for the most part of diocesan Bishops, elected by the Ordinary General Assembly to represent the different geographical areas according to the norm of particular law, among whom is one of the Heads or Eparchial Bishops of the Eastern Catholic Churches; it also includes the Head of the dicastery of the Roman Curia that has competence for the theme of the Synod established by the Roman Pontiff as well as certain Bishops appointed by the Roman Pontiff.
§3. The members of the Ordinary Council take up office at the conclusion of the Ordinary General Assembly that elects them, they are members of the following Ordinary General Assembly and their mandate ceases at the conclusion of the latter.
§1. The Councils of the General Secretariat for the preparation of the Extraordinary General Assembly and of the Special Assembly consist of members appointed by the Roman Pontiff.
§2. The members of these Councils take part in the Synod Assembly according to particular law and their mandate ceases at the conclusion of the latter.
§3. The Councils of the General Secretariat for the implementation of the Extraordinary General Assembly and the Special Assembly consist largely of members elected by the Synod Assembly according to the norm of particular law, but with the addition of further members appointed by the Roman Pontiff.
§4. Such Councils remain in office for five years from the closure of the Synod Assembly, unless the Roman Pontiff disposes otherwise.
In accordance with the spirit and the norms of the present Apostolic Constitution, the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops will issue an Instruction on the conduct of the Synodal Assemblies and on the activity of the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops, and regulations for each Synod Assembly.
3. The Ordo Synodi Episcoporum of 29 September 2006, including the Adnexum de modo procedendi in Circulis minoribus.
I establish that what has been set forth in this Apostolic Constitution is fully effective from the day of its publication in L’Osservatore Romano, anything to the contrary notwithstanding, even if worthy of special mention, and that it be published in the official Commentary Acta Apostolicae Sedis.
I invite everyone to receive the provisions of this Apostolic Constitution readily and wholeheartedly, through the help of the Virgin Mary, Queen of Apostles and Mother of the Church.
Given in Rome, at Saint Peter’s, on 15 September 2018, the sixth year of my Pontificate.
1 Cf. Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Decree on the Pastoral Office of Bishops Christus Dominus (28 October 1965), 5.
2 Ibid.; cf. Saint John Paul II, Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Pastores Gregis (16 October 2003), 58.
3 Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium (24 November 2013), 1.
6 Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Decree on the Missionary Activity of the Church Ad Gentes (7 October 1965), 29; cf. ID., Dogmatic Constitution on the Church Lumen Gentium (21 November 1964), 23.
8 Cf. ibid., 21-22; Christus Dominus, 4.
9 Cf. Lumen Gentium, 23; Christus Dominus, 3.
10 Cf. Lumen Gentium, 22; Christus Dominus, 4; Codex Iuris Canonici (25 January 1983), can. 337, §§1-2; Codex Canonum Ecclesiarum Orientalium (18 October 1990), can. 50, §§1-2.
11 Cf. Codex Iuris Canonici, can. 337, §3; Codex Canonum Ecclesiarum Orientalium, can. 50, §3.
15 Cf. Codex Iuris Canonici, can. 342-348; Codex Canonum Ecclesiarum Orientalium, can. 46.
16 Homily at the Mass for the Closing of the VI Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops (29 October 1983).
17 Address to Members of the XIII Ordinary Council of the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops (13 June 2013).
19 Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Pastores Gregis, 28.
20 Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, 119.
22 Address to the Participants in the Symposium for New Bishops promoted by the Congregation for Bishops and by the Congregation for Eastern Churches (19 September 2013). Cf. Evangelii Gaudium, 31.
23 Address at the Vigil of Prayer in preparation for the Synod on the Family (4 October 2014).
24 Address on the Fiftieth Anniversary of the Synod of Bishops (17 October 2015).
26 Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Pastores Gregis, 58.
27 Address on the Fiftieth Anniversary of the Synod of Bishops. Cf. Evangelii Gaudium, 31.
28 Address on the Fiftieth Anniversary of the Synod of Bishops.
29 Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Pastores Gregis, 58.
30 John Paul II, Address to the Council of the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops (30 April 1983).
31 Closing Address of the XIV Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops (24 October 2015).
32 Paul VI, Address for the start of the sessions of the I Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops (30 September 1967).
33 Cf. Codex Iuris Canonici, can. 339, §2; Codex Canonum Ecclesiarum Orientalium, can. 52, §2.
34 Cf. Codex Iuris Canonici, can. 346.
35 Address on the Fiftieth Anniversary of the Synod of Bishops.
38 Codex Iuris Canonici, can. 333, §2; cf. Codex Canonum Ecclesiarum Orientalium, can. 45, §2; Pastores Gregis, 58.
39 Letter to the General Secretary of the Synod of Bishops on the occasion of the elevation of the Undersecretary to the episcopal dignity (1 April 2014).
41 Encyclical Letter Ut Unum Sint (25 May 1995), 95.

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