SYNOD: 253 BISHOPS FROM AROUND THE WORLD BUT NONE FROM CHINA

AsiaNews.it
10/03/2008 17:53
Italy

VATICAN

Sunday the Synod Assembly opens in the sign of the Pauline Year. The
Ecumenical Patriarch, and for the first time, a rabbi are expected
to address the gathering. Forty-one Synod Fathers are from Asia.

Vatican City (AsiaNews) – The 12th General Assembly of the Synod of
Bishops opens this Sunday with a solemn Mass celebrated by Benedict
XVI. Dedicated to "The Word of God in the Life and the Mission of
the Church", it brings together 253 bishops from the Churches of the
world, except those from Communist China, Vatican Press Office Head Fr
Federico Lombardi said today at a press conference. "It was clear that
there would be no agreement [with Beijing] and they [Chinese bishops]
won’t come," he said "because the conditions weren’t there."

There will be however, as delegates directly appointed by Benedict
XVI, Card Joseph Zen Ze-kiun, archbishop of Hong Kong, Mgr José
Lai Hung-seng, archbishop of Macau as well as a Taiwanese bishop,
Mgr Peter Liu Cheng-chung.

The bishops will take part in activities scheduled to last until
26 October "to reflect", said Archbishop Nikola Eterovic, secretary
general of the Synod of Bishops, "on the Word of God, on its central
role in the life of the Church and on its dynamism which encourages
Christians in mission to announce in words and deeds the Good News
and the presence in our midst of the Risen Lord Jesus."

For the first time the Synod will open in the St. Paul’s
Outside-the-Walls Basilica, not in the Vatican, because of the ongoing
Pauline Year. and this will not be the only reference to the Apostle
to the Nations.

In the Synod Hall on 18 October, the Holy Father Benedict XVI and the
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I will preside at first Vespers. Each
will then pronounce an address on the subject of the Word of God,
with particular reference to the Pauline Year.

This will be the first time the Ecumenical Patriarch addresses the
Synod Fathers. "He will bring the greetings of Orthodox Churches
that the Apostle to the Nations founded before going to Rome where
he suffered martyrdom," Archbishop Eterovic said.

The Synod will be ecumenically important for fraternal delegates from
ten Churches and ecclesial communities will attend.

Representatives of the Ecumenical Patriarchate will be present along
with others from the Patriarchates of Moscow, Serbia and Romania, from
the Orthodox Church of Greece and the Armenian Apostolic Church, as
well as from the Anglican Communion, the World Lutheran Federation, the
Church of the Disciples of Christ and the World Council of Churches.

The Synod Fathers will represent 13 sui iuris Eastern Catholic
Churches, 113 Bishops’ conferences, 25 dicasteries of the Roman Curia
and the Union of Superiors General.

Of the 253 Synod Fathers 51 are from Africa, 62 from America, 41 from
Asia, 90 from Europe and 9 from Oceania. Of these 173 were elected
(72.3 per cent), 38 participate ex officio (15 per cent), 32 were
appointed by the Pope (12.6 per cent) and 10 were elected by the
Union of Superiors General (4 per cent).

Forty-one experts and 37 auditors from 21 and 26 countries respectively
will also be in attendance, including six women experts and 19 women
auditors, one more than the men.

The Synod Three will also receive three special papal guests. The
first one is Chief Rabbi Shear Yashuv Cohen of Haifa, Israel, who on
6 October will address the assembly on how the Jewish people reads
and interprets Sacred Scripture. As such it will be the first time
that a rabbi, and a non-Christian, has addressed the Synod Fathers.

The other special guests are Rev A Miller Milloy, secretary general
of the United Bible Societies, and Frère Alois, prior of the Taizé
Community.

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