Synod of Synodality: These are those in charge of writing the final document

The Vatican has shared the final list with the names that make up the commission to draft the final document of the Synod of Synodality, which will be presented to Pope Francis at the end of the assembly that takes place this October in Rome.

While the result of the first session of the Synod, held in October 2023, offered a document called “synthesis report”, after this last stage a final document will be drafted.

The commission is made up of a president, 3 secretaries, 7 members representing each continent and 3 of pontifical appointment. In total, there are 12 men and 2 women.

The president

The president of the commission is the Jesuit Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich, General Relator of the Synod of Synodality.

The general rapporteur of a synod is in charge of presenting the theme of the synod at the beginning of the assembly, explaining the working document, pointing out the points for dialogue and supervising the preparation of the final document.

It should be remembered that in August 2022, the Archbishop of Luxembourg also clarified that he believes “firmly in the tradition of the Church”, while stating that “the important thing in this process is not to change the doctrine.”

Later in October 2023 stated that the freedom and openness experienced during the meeting will help the Church “to change in the future.”

The secretaries

Also included is the Italian Bishop Riccardo Battocchio, Special Secretary of the Synod of Synodality, who during the press conference after the opening of this October’s assembly stated that “now is not the time” to make a decision on the female diaconate. , but he emphasized that “it is good to delve deeper” into the topic.

Another person in charge of drafting the document will be, as expected, Cardinal Mario Grech, Secretary General of the General Secretariat of the Synod and former president of the Episcopal Conference of Malta.

In June of this year he warned that “there is a fear” that the study documents for the Synod of Synodality “will not be taken seriously or that ideologies and pressure groups of the faithful will take advantage of the synodal path to impose their own agenda.” ”.

On several occasions he has defended that the Synod on Synodality “is not about this or that issue, but about synodality, about how to be a missionary Church on the way. All theological questions and pastoral proposals for change have this objective.”

Also serving as secretary is Fr. Giacomo Costa, Special Secretary of the Synod of Synodality, president of the San Fedele Cultural Foundation of Milan and national spiritual companion of the Christian Workers Associations of Italy.

Representatives of the different continents

Representing Africa is Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo Besungu, president of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM), known for his firm rejection of the blessing of homosexual couples on the African continent after the publication of Confidence supplicants.

Central and South America includes Cardinal Luis José Rueda Aparicio, Archbishop of Bogotá and Primate of Colombia, who in statements to ACI Prensa assured that “we should not fear the Synod.”

Catherine Clifford, professor and vice-dean of the Faculty of Theology at Saint Paul University in Ottawa, will participate in the drafting of the document on behalf of North America.

Clifford came to assert that issues such as “the expansion” of the role of women or the ordination of married men, “in order for them to change, the style of government of the Church must change.”

The representative of Asia will be Father Clarence Davedassan, who in October last year pointed out that “synodality for Asia is more than the Church existing for itself, but for the good of all.”

From Europe, Cardinal Jean-Marc Aveline, Archbishop of Marseille (France), has been chosen, who was already part of the commission for last year’s summary report along with the 4 aforementioned secretaries and Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo.

The representative of the Eastern Catholic Churches and the Middle East is the Maronite bishop of Lebanon Bishop Mounir Khairallah.

During a press conference at the Vatican Press Office on October 5, the prelate attributed the escalation of the war in the Holy Land to the “interests” of world powers.

For Oceania there is Bishop Shane Anthony Mackinlay, Bishop of Sandhurst (Australia), who express that he was “glad that the female diaconate is going to be discussed” because “there was very broad representation asking for that issue in the two-year consultation process.”

Members by pontifical appointment

Among the pontifical appointments is the Italian Fr. Giuseppe Bonfrate, ordinary professor at the Pontifical Gregorian University.

Also included is Cardinal Filipe Neri Antonio Sebastiao Do Rosario, Patriarch of the East Indies and Archbishop of Goa and Damão. He was created cardinal by Pope Francis in the August 2022 consistory.

Finally, Sister Leticia Salazar, of the Order of the Company of Our Lady and chancellor in the Diocese of San Bernardino (United States).