(October 25, 2010) The next Synod of Bishops will be held in 2012 in the Vatican
to discuss the issue of re-evangelization. Pope Benedict XVI made the announcement
on Sunday as he concluded the Special Assembly of the Synod of Bishops for the Middle
East with a Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica. The Pope also referred to it later at
the midday ‘Angelus’ Marian prayer, the Synod will be on the theme: "The New Evangelization
for the Transmission of the Christian Faith." The pontiff recently created a new
Vatican office, the Pontifical Council for the New Evangelization, to revive Christianity
in Europe, part of his efforts to counter secular trends in traditionally Christian
countries. Recalling that Oct. 24 was also the Church’s annual Mission Sunday, the
Pope noted that like the Middle East Synod, this year’s Mission Sunday also focussed
on ecclesial communion. "Both invite us to look upon the Church as a mystery of communion
that, by its nature, is destined for the whole person, and to all people," he said.
"The missionary task," he explained, "is not to bring about revolution in the world
but to transfigure it, drawing power from Jesus Christ…to form ourselves in his school
and live more and more consciously united to him, Master and Lord.”