Rome: The Vatican has announced a new Synod to discuss the jurisdiction and functioning of the Synods. The Vatican released the details of the General Synod Conference of Bishops, scheduled for October 2022. The theme of the Synod is ‘For the Synodal Church: Fellowship, Participation, and Mission’. The issue of jurisdiction of the Synod has been discussed in a series of forums on the Apostolic Mission of Pope Francis. The issue was also discussed in the Youth Synod of 2018.
The International Theological Commission’s definition of synodality is “the work of the Holy Spirit in the fellowship of the body of Christ and in the missionary journey of God’s people.” The term “synodality” refers to the decisions made by bishops, clergy, and laity on a variety of subjects, with the help of the Holy Spirit, emphasizing the calling of everyone. In November, Pope Francis told the Theological Commission, which is part of the Congregation for the Faith, that finality is the key to a future church.
The Synod is a discussion of bishops’ matters of theology and of paganism in order to pass on accurate information to the Pope. In 1965, Pope Paul VI began the Synod of Bishops to warm the relationship between the Pope and the bishops worldwide. There are three types of synods. The regular Synod meeting takes place every three years. The theme of the Synod’s resolution is decided by a vote of representatives from different continents. Fifteen regular Synod meetings have been held so far. In addition to the regular synod, there is also the extraordinary synod, the special synod.
