Vatican Synod Council praises Jubilee of Synodal Teams; highlights papal dialogue, sets priorities for 2028 Ecclesial Assembly.
Newsroom (01/11/2025, Gaudium Press )The XVI Ordinary Council of the General Secretariat of the Synod convened on the afternoon of Sunday, October 26, 2025, at the Secretariat’s headquarters, marking the close of the Jubilee of Synodal Teams and Participatory Bodies. All council members attended in person except Cardinal Luis José Rueda Aparicio, Archbishop of Bogotá, Colombia, who participated virtually.
Cardinal Mario Grech, Secretary General, presided over the session, which began with prayer and meditation on the day’s Gospel, led by Fr. Matteo Ferrari, OSB Cam.
Positive Assessment of Jubilee Highlights Fraternal Dialogue and Papal Engagement
The council’s deliberations opened with a structured evaluation of the Jubilee, employing the “conversation in the Spirit” methodology. Participants deemed the event highly fruitful, praising both its substantive content and format, which blended plenary sessions with small-group discussions in linguistic clusters. This approach promoted shared prayer, interpersonal dialogue, and formative reflections.
A standout moment was the dialogue with Pope Leo XIV, where continental representatives outlined advances, obstacles, and local initiatives toward building a synodal Church. Delegates posed context-specific questions to the Pope, who listened attentively—seated at the same table, noting responses, and replying directly—embodying the synodal ethos he advocated.
Despite a demanding schedule, attendees experienced a profound atmosphere of fraternity and mutual listening, deepened by spiritual encounters, conversation in the Spirit, and a culminating pilgrimage through the Holy Door. The council lauded formative elements, including Friday’s presentations by three speakers, and emphasized integrating synodality-themed workshops with experiential sharing.
The council highlighted the magisterial weight of Pope Leo XIV’s homily at the Jubilee’s closing Mass on October 26, noting it as part of an emerging corpus of papal teaching on synodality. Areas for improvement were identified, alongside gratitude to the Secretariat’s modest staff for their efforts.
Enthusiasm from participant testimonies and incoming messages to the Secretariat underscored the Jubilee’s impact on mutual enrichment, experience-sharing, testimonies, collaborative work, and communal discernment.
Council Identifies Priorities for Ongoing Synodal Journey
Building on a Saturday morning dialogue (October 25) between Secretariat leaders, most council members, bishops, and synodal team coordinators, the council reviewed implementation successes and challenges.
Drawing from plenary inputs and participant exchanges, the council pinpointed key priorities for synodal teams: fostering synodal spirituality formation; connecting listening to the People of God with pastoral and operational discernment; addressing cultural contexts and evangelization; supporting those facing fears or disappointments in the process; enhancing priest and deacon formation and valuation; compiling and disseminating global best practices; deepening theological themes; and emphasizing synodality’s pastoral and missionary aspects.
Council members exchanged diocesan and episcopal conference experiences, challenges, and initiatives, enriching a collective perspective on the synodal path.
The council tasked the General Secretariat with crafting an operational framework to incorporate emerging needs and themes, aiding individuals and groups in maintaining focus on synodality en route to the 2028 Ecclesial Assembly.
The session adjourned on the afternoon of Monday, October 27.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from https://www.synod.va/
Related Images:
