News Vatican Information Service May 16, 2014

SUMMARY:

- THE POPE PRESIDES AT THE MEETING OF THE 13TH ORDINARY COUNCIL OF THE SYNOD

- COMMUNIQUE FROM THE DIRECTOR OF THE HOLY SEE PRESS OFFICE

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THE POPE PRESIDES AT THE MEETING OF THE 13TH ORDINARY COUNCIL OF THE SYNOD

Vatican City, 16 May 2014 (VIS) – The Ordinary Council of the Synod of Bishops met on 13 and 14 May to examine the first draft of the “Instrumentum laboris” ahead of the Third Extraordinary General Asembly, to be held in October on the theme: “The Pastoral Challenges of the Family in the Context of Evangelisation”. The Pope presided at the Council meeting on Thursday 13 May.

The secretary general, Cardinal Lorenzo Baldisseri, greeted the Holy Father and thanked him for his letter of 14 April, in which he elevated the under-secretary, Msgr. Fabio Fabene, to the rank of bishop, with the aim of further reinforcing the affective and effective collegiality that is a constitutive part of the Synod of Bishops.

The draft “Instrumentum laboris” was studied and the suggestions that emerged during the discussions were incorporated. In addition, a new methodology was presented, which will be followed during the Extraordinary General Assembly.

The meetings of these two days were attended by the members of the Ordinary Council – including the Relator General, Cardinal Peter Erdo, and the special secretary, Bishop Bruno Forte – and Cardinals Andre Vingt-Trois, archbishop of Paris, and Raymundo Damasceno Assis, archbishop of Aparecida and president of the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil, who had been invited to participate in their roles as presidents delegate, along with Cardinal Antonio Tagle, at the Third Extraordinary General Assembly.

COMMUNIQUE FROM THE DIRECTOR OF THE HOLY SEE PRESS OFFICE

Vatican City, 16 May 2014 (VIS) – In the wake of the postponement of the Holy Father's morning commitments, the director of the Holy See Press Office, Fr. Federico Lombardi, S.J., made the following communication this morning: “The Pope celebrated Mass at the Domus Sanctae Marthae with the faithful this morning as usual, but has postponed the audiences scheduled for this morning due to a minor indisposition”.

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