Synod study groups open to contributions until June 2025

The ten Study Groups of the Synod on Synodality are open to contributions from all Catholics until June 2025.

According to Cardinal Mario Grech, Secretary General of the Synod, these groups are called to foster effective participation not just within its members but also to “remain open to a wider participation: that of the entire people of God.”

“It will be possible for everyone... to send contributions, observations, [and] proposals,” said the cardinal.

“Pastors and church leaders, but also above all, every believer, men or women, every group, organization, movement, community, will be able to participate with their own contribution,” he also said.

Cardinal Grech explained that the General Secretariat of the Synod will collect these materials and transmit them “from time to time” to the Study Groups concerned.

These groups are tasked to do in-depth studies on the ten most important themes that emerged during the Synod’s first session in October 2023.

Pope Francis has indicated the ten themes to be explored by the Study Groups, namely:

1. Some aspects of the relationship between the Eastern Catholic Churches and the Latin Church (SR 6)

2. Listening to the Cry of the Poor (SR 4 and 16)

3. The mission in the digital environment (SR 17)

4. The revision of the Ratio Fundamentalis Institutionis Sacerdotalis in a missionary synodal perspective (SR 11)

5. Some theological and canonical matters regarding specific ministerial forms (SR 8 and 9)

6. The revision, in a synodal missionary perspective, of the documents touching on the relationship between Bishops, consecrated life, and ecclesial associations (SR 10)

7. Some aspects of the person and ministry of the Bishop (criteria for selecting candidates for Episcopacy, judicial function of the Bishops, nature and course of ad limina Apostolorum visits) from a missionary synodal perspective (SR 12 and 13)

8. The role of Papal Representatives in a missionary synodal perspective (SR 13)

9. Theological criteria and synodal methodologies for shared discernment of controversial doctrinal, pastoral, and ethical issues (SR 15)

10. The reception of the fruits of the ecumenical journey in ecclesial practices (SR 7)

The pope decided to make the Study Groups open for contributions until June of next year due to the lack of time to finalize their findings in time for the Synod’s conclusion this October.

However, he has tasked them to offer initial accounts of their activities during the second session, which is now available on the Synod website.