Preparations for the Synod on Youth

On 16 and 17 November 2017, the third Meeting of the XIV Ordinary Council of the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops took place, presided over by the Holy Father, Pope Francis.

The working session began with an intervention by the General Secretary of the Synod, His Eminence, Cardinal Lorenzo Baldisseri.  In his greetings, the Cardinal thanked the Holy Father for his presence and also for having convoked the Special Assembly for the Pan-Amazonian Region, which will take place in the month of November 2019.  The Secretary General then welcomed all the participants present for the meeting and traced the journey that has been travelled thus far since the completion of the XV General Ordinary Assembly until today, focusing on the Preparatory Document and the Questionnaire sent to all concerned Organizations, the opening of an online portal with a Questionnaire for young people, the activation of dedicated channels on various social networks and in relation to the International Seminar on the conditions facing youth which took place in September of this year.

Following the intervention of the Secretary General there was a discussion about the criteria for expanding the Instrumentum Laboris, so that all the various information gathered during the consultative phase can be included.

There then followed the communication of aspects pertaining to the work of the International Seminar.  In addition, some information was provided about responses received to the Questionnaire and the Preparatory Document which were circulated, as well as some preliminary data assembled from the online Questionnaire which is still open for further contributions.  In this regard, it was decided that the network would remain open for further contributions until 31 December 2017.

Among the activities being planned, special attention was given to the Pre-synodal meeting of young people which will take place in Rome, presided over by the Holy Father, from 19 to 24 March 2018.  In addition to young people who will be invited to attend, the Council approved the plan to enlarge the participation in this event by offering participation through various social networks.

Finally, the Members of the Ordinary Council discussed the theme of normative revisions to the Synod of Bishops.  In this regard, His Excellency, Fabio Fabene, Under-secretary of the Synod of Bishops explained the current work of the General Secretariat.  There then followed an involved exchange of opinions.

At the conclusion of the meeting, it was officially announced that the next Synodal Assembly will take place from 3 to 28 October 2018.  At the same time, the Holy Father announced the appointment of the Relator General for the upcoming Synod in the person of His Eminence, Cardinal Sérgio Da Rocha, and the appointment of the Special Secretaries in the person of Reverend Father Giacomo Costa, SJ and Reverend Father Rossano Sala, SDB.

At the conclusion of the working session, the Holy Father thanked the Members of the Council and the other participants for their contributions and for the spirit of fraternal communion that had been experienced during the meeting.