Vatican Synod Update
News release
Meeting of the XVI Ordinary Council
Vatican, 7 April 2025
The third meeting of the XVI Ordinary Council of the General Secretariat of the Synod took place in the afternoon of Monday 7 April.
The focus of the meeting was the Process of accompaniment and evaluation of the implementation phase of the Synod: a ‘work plan’ that the Council submitted to the Holy Father the day after their last meeting (10.02.2025) and that Pope Francis approved in mid-March (cf. press release of 15.03.2025).
After a moment of prayer led by Fr. Matteo Ferrari, OSB Cam, during which the participants also prayed for the Holy Father’s health, the Council members began a reflection in view of the Support Document for the implementation phase, which is scheduled to be published at the end of May 2025. Activities related to the Jubilee of the Synodal Teams (24-26 October 2025) was another topic discussed.
The meeting was led by Cardinal Mario Grech, Secretary General of the General Secretariat of the Synod.
During the meeting, participants congratulated Cardinal Jean-Marc Aveline on his recent appointment as President of the French Bishops’ Conference.
The next meeting of the Ordinary Council will take place in the second half of May to discuss the draft Support Document.
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