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Friday, October 17, 2008

EIGHTEENTH GENERAL CONGREGATION

VATICAN CITY, 17 OCT 2008 (VIS) - This morning in the presence of the Holy Father, the Twelfth Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops celebrated its Eighteenth General Congregation, during which the language groups presented their reports.

  The president delegate on duty was Cardinal William Joseph Levada, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

  Extracts from some of the reports are given below:

FRENCH LANGUAGE GROUP C: ARCHBISHOP PIERRE-MARIE CARRE OF ALBI, FRANCE. "Biblical renewal in the Catholic Church is still recent. ... We must work harder to make this great text better known. Simple propositions are necessary so that the Bible becomes the spiritual nourishment of all the members of the Church. Here are our propositions: (1) A reading of the Scripture that starts in the family and continues in biblical evenings in the parish. ... (2) Teach a living listening of the Word of God. ... (3) Pedagogical means, online support (internet) to simplify the understanding of the more difficult biblical passages. (4) We hope for a revision of the lectionary. (5) We could recognise - institute - extraordinary ministers of the Word, ... catechists, readers, animators of grassroots communities. ... (6) Intrinsic tie between Eucharist and the Word, ... enhancing the roles of the servants of the Word (readers, cantors, preachers, etc.). ... (7) Spreading the Bible. Everything must be done to ensure the greatest number of languages for translations. ... (8) How to heal the relationship between exegetes and theologians? ... In the formation of priests, there should be several approaches to Scripture: 'lectio divina', exegesis. (9) World Congress on the Word of God. ... (10) Dialogue with the Jews ... could help to complete research into the life-context of the Bible, with a historical-critical approach. (11) The Holy Land, the Fifth Gospel. A pilgrimage in the footsteps of Christ and His Apostles allows a renewal in Faith. (12) Women, 'passers-on' of the Word. We hope that women, and especially mothers, may receive a formation appropriate to their role as 'passers-on' of the Word".

ENGLISH LANGUAGE GROUP A: ARCHBISHOP MARK COLERIDGE OF CANBERRA AND GOULBURN, AUSTRALIA. "There is a need for an inclusive and comprehensive pastoral plan which is based upon the Word of God. ... There is a need to provide the poor with what is their most basic right and need: the Word of God. ... That is why it is vital that the Bible be translated into as many languages as possible. There is a need to lead young people to know and love the Word of God so that they may assume their role as agents of mission, especially among their peers. There is a need to stress the essential evangelising mission of the laity by virtue of their Baptism. In particular, there is a need to focus on the family as the domestic Church. There is a need to stress that the life of the Church is mission and to empower as many people as possible to undertake mission without excessive fear as to whether they are fully equipped or not. There is a need for solid ongoing formation in the Word of God for all agents of mission, including the bishops. ... A suggestion at our first meeting was that it may be better if the small groups were to meet in continental rather than linguistic groupings, since then they would have more in common as the basis for discussion".

  This afternoon the Synod Fathers will again meet in language groups so as to complete the proposals to be placed before the Holy Father. At the end of the afternoon the finished proposals will be delivered to the Pope by the secretary general of the Synod.
SE/EIGHTEENTH CONGREGATION/...                VIS 20081017 (630)


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