Unity and identity: Synod aims to bolster Middle East church presence

(October 02, 2010) The Vatican is setting the stage for another Synod of Bishops in mid-October, this one aimed at turning a spotlight on the Christian communities of the Middle East. Synods are typically drawn-out affairs, requiring several years of planning and more years of follow-up. But there's a greater sense of urgency about this synod: Pope Benedict XVI convened it rather unexpectedly a year ago, after church leaders from the region, particularly Iraq, requested the special assembly. The problems of the minority Christian churches in the Middle East are well-known. A short list would include the massive emigration of Christians, political and military conflict, economic hardship, travel restrictions, discrimination and interreligious tensions, especially in predominantly Muslim countries. The pope decided a synod was needed when he visited the Holy Land last year. The papal visit briefly turned the church's attention to the daily struggles of Christian communities there; now the pope wants to bring those struggles to the heart of the universal church for more systematic discussion. The synod will be held from October 10 to 24 and focus on the theme, "The Catholic Church in the Middle East: Communion and Witness: 'Now the company of those who believed were of one heart and soul.'" The quotation comes from the Acts of the Apostles, and reflects the unity of the early church -- something that plays into the agenda of this assembly.