The pope and the patriarch send delegations to each other’s churches each year for the celebrations of their patron saints’ feast days: the Vatican’s June 29 celebration of the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul and the patriarchate’s celebration of the feast of St. Andrew.
For 2022, instead of the traditional classroom-style seating in parallel rows, the format for the bishops’ meeting Nov. 14-17 was changed to feature round tables in which the bishops can see each other and more easily see the room and who is speaking.
While the Flemish-speaking bishops of Belgium have authorized the prayer, the Vatican said last year that the Church “does not have, and cannot have, the power to bless” same-sex unions.
Three concepts are central to the synodal journey, according to Cardinal-designate Robert W. McElroy.
Continuing the mission entrusted to him by Pope Francis, Cardinal Michael Czerny visited Slovakia and a Ukrainian border town to convey the pope’s closeness to victims of Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Through sharing the Catholic faith, exploring culture and praying with Scripture, those who attend this Zoom discussion group will foster cultural humility to engage with differences as disciples of Christ.
A synod calls on everyone to become experts in “the art of encounter” in a way that is uplifting and transformative, Pope Francis said, formally opening the process leading up to the assembly of the Synod of Bishops in 2023.
While a Synod of Bishops is not a parliament and its preparatory process is not “an opinion poll,” Pope Francis insisted that involving as many people as possible in the process and prayerfully listening to all of them is the only way to recognize the call of the Holy Spirit.
