Pope Appoints Members and Experts for October Synod

(06 Sept 08 - RV) Following Pope Benedict’s approval, on Saturday, the Secretary General of the Synod of Bishops published the list of members, auditors and experts who will take part in Octobers Ordinary General Synod of Bishops on the theme “The Word of God in the Life and Mission of the Church”.

The synod’s underlying purpose and primary goal is to set forth the intrinsic connection between the Eucharist and the Word of God.

To that ends the Holy Father has approved 32 members of the Synod drawn from across the global church , including Card. George PELL, Archbishop of Sydney Australia; Archbishop José LAI HUNG-SENG, of Macau China; Fr. Adolfo NICOLÁS, Superior General of the Jesuits; and Fr. Julián CARRÓN, President of Communion and Liberation.

The primary task of the 32 members is to guide the course of the Synod through its three weeks of reflections on the relationship between scripture, the faithful and their mission. During the morning and evening sessions they will present accounts from their local ecclesial realities, the result of years of preparation and consultations within the parishes and diocese under their tutelage.

But even though the synod is called a synod of Bishops, leaders of lay communities and ecclesial movements as well as religious superiors and Catholic University Professors have also been invited to attend and contribute their expertise and experience to the working sessions.

The Holy Father has approved 41 experts and 37 auditors altogether. These include notable figures from the worldwide church who have greatly contributed to furthering its mission and scholars who have dedicated their life to the study of the Word on God.

Figures such as Prof. Carl Albert ANDERSON, Supreme Knight of the Order of the Knights of Columbus; Prof. Rafael CHAINARONG MONTHIENVICHIENCHAI, Vice Canceller of St. John’s University, Bangkok Thailand; Sr. Sara BUTLER, Prof. of Dogmatic Theology at St. Joseph’s Seminary, New York, Prof. Andrea RICCARDI, Founder of the St. Egidio community; and Maria VOCE, President of the Focolari movement.


The 12th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops will be held in the Vatican October 5-26, 2008.