Synod of Bishops in the Catholic Church: Difference between revisions

From the beginning of his papacy, [[Pope Francis]] expressed his desire to strengthen the [[Collegiality in the Catholic Church|collegial]] aspects of the Church's governance,<ref>{{Cite news|url= https://www.ncronline.org/news/vatican/pope-says-structures-collaboration-collegiality-need-strengthening |title=Pope says structures for collaboration, collegiality need strengthening|date=13 June 2013|work=National Catholic Reporter|access-date=5 June 2017}}</ref> and he argued for more recognition of charismatic gifts in the Church.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://zenit.org/articles/popes-address-to-congregation-for-doctrine-of-the-faith/| title=Pope's Address to Congregation for Doctrine of the Faith |work=Zenit|access-date=5 June 2017}}</ref> He has held major synods on the topics of [[Third Extraordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops|the family]] (2014), on [[Fifteenth Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops|youth]] (2018), and on the Church in the [[Synod of Bishops for the Pan-Amazon region|Pan-Amazon region]] (2019). On September 15, 2018, Francis approved the new apostolic constitution ''[[:fr:Episcopalis communio|]]''Episcopalis communio'']] (Episcopal Communion).<ref name="sept15" /><ref name="sept18">{{cite news | url = https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/39398/pope-francis-approves-new-constitution-for-synod-of-bishops-79689 | access-date = 21 May 2019 | title =Pope Francis approves new constitution for Synod of Bishops| publisher = Catholic News Agency | date= 18 September 2018 | first = Hannah | last = Brockhaus}}</ref> The constitution states that the Synod's final document, if approved by the members with "moral unanimity" and, if the Pope has "granted deliberative power to the Synod Assembly", it becomes part of the Ordinary [[Magisterium]] of Catholic teaching "once it has been ratified and promulgated by him".{{Sfn | Francis | 2018 | loc = Art. 18}} The new constitution also provides for the laity to send their contributions directly to the synod's secretary general.{{Sfn | Francis | 2018 | loc = Art. 7}}<ref name="sept18" /> Some analysts surmise that the greatest achievement of Francis' papacy may be his creation of a more synodal Catholic church, where synods serve as a platform for open and energetic debate.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/pope-francis-everyman-pontiff-profile-200101104012522.html|title=Pope Francis, everyman pontiff: Profile|last=Mitchell|first=Charlotte|website=www.aljazeera.com|access-date=2020-02-05}}</ref>

|1990 || VIII || The Formation of Priests in Circumstances of the Present Day || ''[[Pastores dabo vobis]]'' (apostolic exhortation)<ref>{{Citation | author = Pope John Paul II | date = 25 March 1992 | url = https://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/apost_exhortations/documents/hf_jp-ii_exh_25031992_pastores-dabo-vobis_en.html | title = Pastores dabo vobis | type = Apostolic exhortation | place = Rome |publisher = Libreria Editrice Vaticana}}</ref>

|2012 || XIII || [[New evangelization|The New Evangelization for the Transmission of the Christian Faith]] || ''[[Evangelii gaudium]]'' (apostolic exhortation)<ref>{{Citation | author = Pope Francis| author-link = Pope Francis | date = 24 November 2013 | url = http://m.vatican.va/content/francescomobile/en/apost_exhortations/documents/papa-francesco_esortazione-ap_20131124_evangelii-gaudium.html | title = Evangelii gaudium | type = Apostolic exhortation | place = Rome |publisher = Libreria Editrice Vaticana}}</ref>

|2015 || XIV || [[Fourteenth Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops|The Vocation and Mission of the Family in the Church and in the Contemporary World]] || * ''Relatio Synodi''<ref>{{cite document web| url = https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/synod/documents/rc_synod_doc_20151026_relazione-finale-xiv-assemblea_en.html |title= Relatio Synodi of the XIV Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops: "The Vocation and Mission of the Family in the Church and in the Contemporary World"}}</ref>

|''2023''2021-24 || ''XVI'' || [[Sixteenth Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops|For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation and Mission]] ||

|1969 || I || [[First Extraordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops|Cooperation between the Holy See and the Episcopal Conferences]]<ref name = "Extraordinary2014" /> ||

|1985 || II || [[Second Extraordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops|The Twentieth Anniversary of the Conclusion of the Second Vatican Council]]<ref name="Extraordinary2014" /> || {{Citation | url = https://www.ewtn.com/library/CURIA/SYNFINAL.HTM | title = The Church, in the Word of God, Celebrates the Mysteries of Christ for the Salvation of the World | place = Rome}}

|2019|| [[Synod of Bishops for the Pan-Amazon region|Pan-Amazon region]]<ref>{{cite news | access-date = 18 October 2017 | date=15 October 2017 | work = CRUX | url = https://cruxnow.com/vatican/2017/10/15/pope-announces-synod-bishops-pan-amazon-region/ | first = Inés | last = San Martín | title=Pope announces Synod of Bishops for Pan-Amazon region}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url = https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/37007/pope-announces-special-2019-synod-of-bishops-on-south-american-countries-21122region | agency= Catholic News Agency| access-date = 18 October 2017 | date=15 October 2017| title= Pope announces special 2019 Synod of Bishops on South American region | first= Hannah | last= Brockhaus}}</ref>|| Francis, Pope (2 February 2020), ''[http://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/apost_exhortations/documents/papa-francesco_esortazione-ap_20200202_querida-amazonia.html Querida Amazonia]'' (Apostolic exhortation), Rome: Libreria Editrice Vaticana

*[[College of Bishops]]