Synod council hopes to have preparatory document ready by January

Published: 2006-10-24

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Although the next world Synod of Bishops meeting is two years away, an international group of cardinals and bishops hopes to have its preparatory document ready by the end of January. In early October, the Vatican announced that Pope Benedict XVI had set the synod for Oct. 5-26, 2008, and had chosen the theme, "The Word of God in the Life and Mission of the Church." Members of the synod council, who are either elected by their brother bishops or appointed by the pope, met Oct. 10-11 at the Vatican to begin preparing for the 2008 meeting. They came up with a general plan for the "lineamenta," or outline, and questionnaire that will be sent to bishops' conferences throughout the world for comment. The responses will be used to draft the synod's working document. An Oct. 24 Vatican statement said council members urged special attention to "the word of God in liturgy, in preaching, in catechesis, in theology, spirituality," public and private meditation, inculturation and ecumenism.

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