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October 22nd: Bishops Mull Over Propositions, Meditate on Bible
According to media reports, an initial draft of 53 proposals has been synthesized from a total of 254 submitted propositions. Canada’s Archbishop Prendergast told Catholic News Service (CNS) that the drafts included proposals to promote closer collaboration between biblical scholars and theologians, improve homilies, promote “lectio divina,” strengthen relationships with the Jewish people and support translation and distribution of bibles. Today, the bishops are discussing the proposals in small groups and adding amendments before the final list is proposed and voted on Saturday, October 25. On Friday, they will vote on the final version of the synod message to Catholics around the world.
Archbishop Prendergast also told CNS that his French-speaking language group decided to begin their sessions with 30 minutes of “lectio divina” a process of meditating on scripture and sharing what it means to each. Surprisingly, this seems to be a new experience for many bishops. Said Prendergast: "It was a very interesting experience for me. Bishops find themselves listening to the Word of God and called to conversion... One bishop actually said he might have to change how he relates to some aspects of his ministry.”
This called to mind a “Prayer for Bishops” I wrote while on retreat this past summer. The prayer was inspired by Australian Bishop Geoffrey Robinson, who recently toured the US speaking about his very hopeful book: Confronting Power and Sex in the Catholic Church: Reclaiming the Spirit of Jesus. Robinson shared with us the many challenges faced by bishops both from below and from above. Here is a link to the prayer if you are interested. (Prayer cards are also available at the FutureChurch office)
Eastern Orthodox Patriarch Addresses Synod. For the first time in history, a leader of the world’s Eastern Orthodox Catholics addressed the synod of bishops at a vespers service held in the Sistine Chapel last Sunday. The Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, Bartholomew I, expressed hope for a “closer and deeper” relationship and eventual “restoration of our full communion.” Aside from his beautifully wrought reflections on issues related to peace, justice and the environment, the Patriarch spoke forthrightly about the value of “synodality” in the Orthodox Church. His words are significant insofar as they point to governance issues that, if resolved, could change how the Roman Catholic Church governs and lead to reunification with the East:
It is well known that the Orthodox Church attaches to the Synodical system fundamental ecclesiological importance. Together with primacy, synodality constitutes the backbone of the Church's government and organization. As our Joint International Commission on theTheological Dialogue between our Churches expressed it in the Ravenna document, this interdependence between synodality and primacy runs through all the levels of the Church's life: local, regional and universal. Therefore, in having today the privilege to address Your Synod our hopes are raised that the day will come when our two Churches will fully converge on the role of primacy and synodality in the Church's life, to which the Commission is devoting its study at the present time.
According to Catholic News Service, Pope Benedict XVI responded to Patriarch Bartholomew’s 25 minute speech by noting that the church fathers he named are revered theologians in both the East and the West. "If we have fathers in common, how can we not be brothers?” said Benedict. “This was a joyful experience of unity -- perhaps not full, but true and deep." For the full text of Patriarch Bartholomew’s speech, click here...
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