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Pope Leo offers encouragement to Synod continental leaders
Pope Leo XIV meets with leaders of the Synod continental bodies as they reflect on the implementation of the Synod on Synodality and the path toward the 2028 Ecclesial Assembly.
Vatican News
Pope Leo XIV met privately with the heads of the Synod continental bodies on Thursday, at the conclusion of three days of work dedicated to the implementation phase of the Synod.
Held on June 23-25, the meeting brought together representatives from Latin America, Africa, Asia, Europe, Oceania, the Middle East, and North America, accompanied by the coordinators of the continental synodal teams.
Cardinal Mario Grech, Secretary General of the Synod, described the encounter with the Pope as “a strong sign of support and encouragement” for participants as they continue their work “for the synodal conversion of the Church.”
Opening the meeting on Tuesday, Cardinal Grech offered a brief assessment of the journey toward the 2028 Ecclesial Assembly, recalling the unique nature of the current process.
According to a press release, the Cardinal noted the many initiatives already undertaken by local Churches to involve the faithful, including schools of synodality, formation programmes, symposia, conferences, and processes of listening and discernment.
His greeting was preceded by an extended time of prayer led by Sister Nathalie Becquart, XMCJ, Undersecretary of the Synod.
Listening and discernment
The following days were dedicated to listening and discernment in this “new” synodal time.
The implementation phase, centred on the Final Document of the XVI Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, is not a simple repetition of the pre-assembly process, noted the press release.
Rather, it is a new process in which local communities are called to translate the recommendations of the synodal document into their own contexts.
Participants shared the main developments in the implementation of the Final Document across the continents, including significant experiences, difficulties, open questions, and pastoral priorities.
Toward the 2028 Ecclesial Assembly
At the heart of the meeting was a reflection on the document presented by Fr. Giacomo Costa, SJ, Consultor of the General Secretariat of the Synod.
The text outlines the path toward the Ecclesial Assembly of October 2028 in four progressive stages.
The first stage, “Remembering,” will take place in the first half of 2027, with evaluation assemblies in dioceses and eparchies.
The second, “Interpreting,” is planned for the second half of 2027, through assemblies of Bishops’ Conferences, whether national or regional.
The third, “Orienting,” will take place in the first four months of 2028, with continental assemblies that will produce a perspective report.
The final stage, “Celebrating,” will culminate in October 2028 with an Ecclesial Assembly of the whole Church in the Vatican, together with the Holy Father.
Participants stressed that the role of continental bodies and their teams is above all one of accompaniment, not supervision. Their task is to promote an exchange of gifts among local Churches in a spirit of true subsidiarity.
They also emphasized that the assemblies, from those of the local Churches to the Ecclesial Assembly of 2028, are not an endpoint in the Church’s journey of synodal conversion, but a time of celebration and discernment in order to understand how to continue.
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