The next Assembly

This morning, the Vatican Press Office announced that the Holy Father, Pope Francis has called for an Extra-ordinary Assembly of the Synod of Bishops to be held at the Vatican next year - from October 5-19, 2014.

The theme for next year's Synod will be The Pastoral Challenges of the Family in the Context of Evangelization.

Father Frederico Lombardi, SJ, Director of the Vatican Press Office told journalists this morning that this call for an Extra-ordinary Synod on the subject of the pastoral care of the family is most important.  This is the way in which the Pope intends to pursue the path of reflection on this subject in the community of the Church, with the responsible participation of the bishops from various parts of the world.

It is just and proper that the Church, the pastoral family, is moving communally in reflection and prayer toward the important stage of establishing common pastoral guidelines under the leadership of the Pope and the bishops.  The call for this Extraordinary Synod clearly indicates the path that lies ahead.

In this context, relying on pastoral solutions proposed by individuals or agencies may risk appearing or leading to confusion.  It is good that we should emphasize the importance of embarking on this journey together, in full communion with the Church community.