In October, Pope Francis will host the second and final gathering of the 16th General Ordinary Assembly of the Synod of Bishops (2-27 October) in the Vatican. To guide this process, the Vatican published Instrumentum Laboris, a working document which originated from over 100 reports provided to the General Secretariat of the Synod.
When presenting the Instrumentum Laboris at a press conference on 9 July, Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich SJ said, “All these reports show a living Church and a movement. What stands out most when reading not only the reports… is that the synod, the synodal process, has been and still is a time of grace that is already bearing numerous fruits in the life of the Church.”
In welcoming the document Archbishop Eamon Martin, President of the Bishops’ Conference said, “I invite all those who have an interest in the ongoing synodal process to read and reflect on the Instrumentum Laboris. The synodal method of Conversations in the Spirit has already been raising important issues for the Church in Ireland going forward and will continue to provide an impetus for lively and prayer driven discussion at parish, diocesan and national level. I also ask for prayers for Bishop Brendan Leahy and Bishop Alan McGuckian, who will be travelling to Rome as delegates from the Bishops’ Conference here in Ireland.”
The full document and related resources can be found here.
Further information on both the Universal Synod and the Irish Synodal Pathway can be found here
