Source: SIR
The second meeting of the pre-synodal Council for the Special Assembly of the Synod of Bishops for the Middle East was held in Rome on 24-25 November 2009. The news was released today by the Holy See Press Office which spoke of “a detailed and accurate discussion” that led to “the drafting of a text whose final version is to be ready soon”. “Participants at the meeting – reads the statement – have paid great attention to the deepening of communion in the Catholic Church and, in particular, in and between the Patriarchal Churches and the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, as well as in the Bishops’ Conferences of Middle East countries. It is extremely important to favour communion, which is real although not yet full, with other Churches and ecclesial communities”. In his speech, Mgr. Nikola Eteroviæ, Secretary-General of the Synod, focused on the theme of witness and evangelisation”.
“In our evangelising action”, explained Mgr. Eteroviæ, “we need to pass on to new generations the individual Churches’ great patrimony of faith and witness - a task that is entrusted to every ecclesial category”. The Members of the Council, including Cardinals Nasrallah Pierre Sfeir, Patriarch of Antioch for Maronites, Emmanuel III Delly, Patriarch of Babylon for Chaldeans, Ivan Dias, Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples, and Leonardo Sandri, Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, “have not omitted to discuss the relationships with Jews and Muslims, stressing above all the need for dialogue and collaboration in various social and cultural activities”. The Synod on “The Catholic Church in the Middle East: Communion and Witness. ‘The community of believers was of one heart and mind’ (Acts 4:32)” is to be held from 10 to 24 October 2010. It was agreed to hold next meeting on 23-24 April 2010.