Deja vu: First week of synod follows patterns from past

Published: 2005-10-07

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The first week of this fall's Synod of Bishops followed a long-standing tradition: Bishops from all over the world gave speeches all over the map, while the media focused on a few hot-button issues. The press tended to view the Oct. 2-23 assembly as a showdown debate on married priests, eucharistic sharing, Catholic politicians and Communion for divorced Catholics. The actual content of the first 30 hours and 250,000 words of synod discussion included those topics, but was less dramatic than the headlines. The bishops, in fact, ranged far and wide in choosing subjects for their six-minute speeches on "The Eucharist: Source and Summit of the Life and Mission of the Church." The topics included the quality of televised Masses, the shortage of priests, Communion in the hand versus Communion on the tongue, ministry to the sick, the Eucharist's connection to social justice and environmental issues, liturgical translations, Mass prayers with a missionary theme, the dehumanization of secular culture, priestly celibacy, the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist and the proper place of eucharistic adoration. And all that came in the synod's first two days.

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