What is happening at the Synod?

The first week of the Synod was dedicated to listening as the majority of the participants spoke about the different regions, the important subjects and the challenges facing the Church in the Middle East. The second week is mostly dedicated to discussions in small groups and in the plenary assembly in order to formulate two different texts:

1.      The final message of the Synod that will be addressed principally to the Catholic faithful in the Middle East without ignoring the other Christians, Muslims, Jews and the civil and political authorities. A first version was already read in the plenary assembly and is now being corrected.

2.      A list of proposals that will be transmitted to the Pope at the end of the Synod and which will help him to formulate the exhortation that he will address to the Catholic Church in the Middle East. The proposals are formulated in small work groups in which all the Synod participants take part. The discussion in the small groups is based primarily on the long Post Synodal summary that was formulated by the team leading the Synod discussions and which was read to the plenary by Coptic Patriarch Antonios Naguib and Maronite Archbishop Joseph Soueif.

It is clear that the main subjects that have been expressed are related to the life of the Church: the unity of the Catholic Churches, Eastern rites and Latin rite, the renewal of faith and prayer life, the emigration of Christians who are leaving the Middle East, the pastoral care of the millions of Christians who are coming to the Middle East as migrant workers, the attempts to promote unity with the other Christian Churches, relations with Jews and with Muslims, Christian engagement in political and civil life, etc.

The last session will be held on Saturday, October 23, followed by a lunch for all the participants with the Holy Father. The solemn mass to conclude the work of the Synod will be celebrated on Sunday, October 24, in the morning.