October 8, 2013: The Holy Father Francis on Tuesday announced the Third Extraordinary
General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, to be held in the Vatican, 5 to 19 October
2014, with the Theme: The Pastoral Challenges of the Family in the Context of Evangelization.
The previous two extraordinary General Synods were held in 1969, on the theme
"Cooperation between the Holy See and the Episcopal Conferences" (11 to 28 October
1969) and in 1985, on the theme "20th Anniversary of the conclusion of
the Second Vatican Council". Both assemblies were held to two years after their ordinary
general synods: that of '67 took charge of "The preservation and strengthening of
the Catholic faith, its integrity, its force, its development, its doctrinal consistency
and historic ", while the Synod 83 looked at the theme of" Penance and reconciliation
in the Mission of the Church ". The next Extraordinary General Synod will be held
two years after the last Ordinary General Meeting of Bishops, held in October 2012
on the theme "The New Evangelization in the transmission of the Christian faith."