“The main hero of the Synod is not us, but the Holy Spirit,” emphasized Pope Francis, opening the XVI Regular General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, which began on the evening of October 4 in the Paul VI Hall and will continue until October 29. During the address, the Holy Father encouraged five times to read the texts of St. Basil, which were distributed to the participants.
Silvija Krivteža – Vatican
At the beginning of the address, Pope Francis warmly greeted the 464 participants of the synod – cardinals, bishops, priests, consecrated persons and lay people – and reminded that the Church has not always been ready to talk about synodality, but now this topic is becoming more and more relevant for the bishops and the people of God all over the world. “It is not easy, but it is beautiful,” the Pope admitted.
Francis suggested reading a collection of theological texts on the Holy Spirit, which will help you to make the synodal journey, because the Holy Spirit is the main mover of the life of the Church. He is the one who leads the Church forward, He leads us by the hand and gives us comfort.
The Bishop of Rome urged the participants to “work for harmony in diversity”, noting that harmony always leaves room for “nuances”, without which the assembly would lose its specificity. Any specifics “must be included in the symphony of the Church,” but “it is the work of the Holy Spirit, not our efforts.”
Pope Francis warned against empty talk and a wrong, worldly approach to the synodal work, saying that the synod is not a parliament, not the United Nations, it is “not a meeting on the topics of the Church’s pastoral work” and “not a meeting of friends that deals with some immediate issues”. The Synod is a “journey of the Holy Spirit”.
Synod of Bishops
After praising the media workers for their high-quality work, the Holy Father also acknowledged that sometimes the media pay attention to only a few issues, and encouraged journalists to talk about the priority interests of the Church – careful listening. “Everyone must freely express his opinion,” the Pope said, noting that it is the Holy Spirit – “the composer of the history of salvation” – who strengthens the members of the general assembly in faith.
At the end of the speech, the Bishop of Rome emphasized once again that the synodal period should take place in the sign of listening. “The Church has taken a ‘break’, just as the apostles took a break after Good Friday. On Holy Saturday, they locked themselves in the House of the Last Supper out of fear, but we for a different reason. It is the pause of the whole Church that is listening now, and it is the most important message. Thank you for your work, thank you for what you do. I suggest you read the works of Saint Basil the Great if you have the chance, they will help you a lot. Thank you.”
Synod of Bishops
2023-10-06 07:53:12
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