News from the Holy See News from the Holy See
Christus Rex Information ServiceVATICAN CITY, JUL 18, 1996 (VIS) - Cardinal Secretary of State Angelo Sodano sent the following telegram of condolences today in the name of the Holy Father to Cardinal John O'Connor, archbishop of New York, upon learning of the victims of the air disaster which occurred near that city last night:
"Deeply saddened by news of the tragic air disaster near New York City the Holy Father commends the victims to the to the loving mercy of Almighty God and asks you to convey his heartfelt condolences to their families and to all who mourn their loss. With fervent prayers for their consolation and strength he invokes the Lord's blessings of peace upon them and upon all who generously offer them support and assistance during their time of need."
VATICAN CITY, JUL 18, 1996 (VIS) - The 9th Ordinary Council of the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops held its fourth meeting on June 25 and 26 under the presidency of Secretary General Cardinal Jan P. Schotte, C.I.C.M., according to a communique released today.
Participants included Cardinals Joseph Louis Bernardin, archbishop of Chicago, U.S.A.; Carlo Maria Martini, archbishop of Milan, Italy; Paulos Tzadua, archbishop of Addis Abeba, Ethiopia; Edward Bede Clancy, archbishop of Sydney, Australia; and Eduardo Martinez Somalo, prefect of the Congregation for the Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life; and Patriarch Michel Sabbah of Jerusalem of the Latins. Also present were six archbishops and four staff members of the secretariat.
The council, said the communique, "examined information and data concerning the reception of the Postsynodal Apostolic Exhortation 'Vita Consecrata,' issued by the Holy Father John Paul II following the 9th Ordinary General Assembly."
It also heard a report from Cardinal Roger Etchegaray, invited to the meeting as the president of the Committee of the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000, who spoke on the preparation of the Jubilee in view of the various synods scheduled for the period preceding the Year 2000.
The council then dedicated attention to the five future synods: four special assemblies for America, Asia, Oceania and Europe, and the 10th ordinary general assembly. Discussion focussed on the theme of this 10th assembly, for which consultations have nearly concluded.
The fifth meeting of the council is set for November 4-6, 1996.
VATICAN CITY, JUL 18, 1996 (VIS) - The Synod of Bishops was created by Pope Paul VI in response to the wishes of the Fathers of Vatican Council II to maintain the positive and collegial spirit engendered by the Council. It was formally instituted on September 15, 1965, during the last session, with the Motu proprio "Apostolica Sollicitudo."
With its root in two Greek words - "syn" meaning together, and "hodos" meaning road or way, a synod is thus a "coming together," a meeting or assembly at which bishops and the Holy Father gather to discuss problems or issues relative to the universal Church or, on occasion, to particular Churches.
The synod is normally a consultative body but the Holy Father may confer deliberative powers on it. Its structure and organization are regulated by Canons 342-348, which describe it as "directly under the authority of the Roman Pontiff whose duty it is" to convoke a synod, assign the agenda, designate members or ratify those already elected and, when he desires, preside over the assembly.
The synod holds three types of sessions: general ordinary sessions deal with matters concerning the entire Church; general extraordinary sessions deal with matters "which require a speedy solution"; special sessions are called to handle matters regarding specific Churches or regions.
The first secretary general of the Synod of Bishops was Archbishop Wladyslaw Rubin, whom Pope John Paul II made a cardinal in 1979. The First General Assembly was held from September 29 to October 29, 1967. On March 23, 1970, Paul VI created a permanent general secretariat in the Synod of Bishops.
The Holy Father is the president of the Synod of Bishops. Cardinal Jan Pieter Schotte, C.I.C.M., is the current secretary general. He is assisted by the Ordinary Council of the General Secretariat, which is composed of 7 cardinals, the patriarch of Jerusalem of the Latins and 7 archbishops and bishops, as well as by 7 staff members. In addition there is a 12-member Special Council for Africa.
Following is a list of all synods held to date.
1. 9-29-1967 to 10-29-1967
Theme: Revision of the Code of Canon Law.
Conclusive documents:
Institution of the International Theological Commission.
Ratio Fundamentalis Institutionis Sacerdotalis.
2. 9-30-1971 to 11-6-1971
Themes: Ministerial priesthood. Justice in the world.
Final documents:
Document on justice in the world.
Document on ministerial priesthood.
3. 9-27-1974 to 10-26-1974
Theme: The evangelization of the contemporary world.
Final documents:
Declaration of the Synod Fathers.
Apostolic Exhortation "Evangelii Nuntiandi," Paul VI.
4. 9-30-1977 to 10-29-1977
Theme: Catechesis in our time, especially of children and youth.
Final document:
Apostolic Exhortation "Catechesi Tradendae," John Paul II.
5. 9-26-1980 to 10-25-1980
Theme: The Christian family.
Final document:
Apostolic Exhortation "Familiaris Consortio," John Paul II.
6. 9-29-1983 to 10-20-1983
Theme: Reconciliation and penitence in the pastoral mission of the Church.
Final document:
Apostolic Exhortation "Reconciliatio et Paenitentia," John Paul II.
7. 10-1-1987 to 10-30-1987
Theme: Vocation and mission of the laity in the Church and in the world twenty
years after the Second Vatican Council.
Final document:
Apostolic Exhortation "Christifideles Laici," John Paul II.
8. 10-1-1990 to 10-28-1990
Theme: Formation of priests in today's society.
Final document:
Apostolic Exhortation "Pastores dabo vobis," John Paul II.
9. 10-2-1995 to 10-29-1995
Theme: "Consecrated life and its role in the Church and in the world."
Final document:
Apostolic Exhortation "Vita Consecrata," John Paul II.
1. 9-11-1968 to 10-28-1968
Theme: Cooperation of episcopal conferences with the Holy See and with each
other.
Final documents:
Message to priests.
Final declaration.
2. 11-25-1985 to 12-8-1985
Theme: Commemoration, evaluation and promotion of Ecumenical Vatican Council
II on the 20th anniversary of its conclusion.
Final documents:
Message to Christians.
Final report of the Synod.
SPECIAL SYNODS
1. Particular Synod of Bishops of the Netherlands.
1-14-1980 to 1-31-1980
Theme: The pastoral ministry of the Church in the Netherlands in present-day
circumstances.
Final document:
Final document of the particular Synod.
2. Special Assembly for Europe
11-28-1991 to 12-14-1991
Theme: "We are witnesses to Christ who has freed us."
3. Special Assembly for Africa of the Synod of Bishops
4-10-1994 to 5-8-1994
Theme: "Africa and her evangelizing mission toward the year 2000: you will be
my witnesses (Acts 1:8)."
Final documents:
Apostolic exhortation "Ecclesia in Africa," John Paul II.
4. Special Assembly for Lebanon of the Synod of Bishops
11-26-1995 to 12-14-1995
Theme: "Christ is our hope: renewed by his Spirit, in solidarity, we give
witness to his love."
VATICAN CITY, JUL 18, 1996 (VIS) - The Holy Father has given his consent to the disposition approved at the Patriarchal Maronite Synod held in Bkerke, Lebanon, from June 3 to 8 and presided by His Beatitude Patriarch Nasrallah Pierre Sfeir, to elevate to archieparchy of Haifa of the Maronites and of the Holy Land the territory in Israel that was under the jurisdiction of the archieparchy of Tyr in Lebanon.
The Holy Father, following the dispositions taken by this Patriarchal Synod, likewise gave his consent to the following nominations, made canonically during this synod:
- Election of Msgr. Tanios El Khoury, of the eparchal clergy of Saida, as
bishop of the same diocese of Saida of the Maronites, Lebanon.
- Election of Msgr. Paul Nabil Sayah, of the archieparchy of Antelias, as first
archbishop of Haifa of the Maronites, Israel, and the Holy Land.
Bishop-elect El Khoury was born in Saghbine, Lebanon, in 1930 and was ordained a priest in 1958. Archbishop-elect Sayah was born in Ain El- Kharroubeh, Lebanon, in 1939 and was ordained a priest in 1967. He is currently adjunct secretary of the Council of Churches of the Middle East and secretary of the Faith and Unity Section of this same council.
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