In a surprising move at the conclusion of the Synod on Syno-dality on Saturday evening, Pope Francis ratified the final report, approved its immediate publica-tion, and said he will not publish a separate postsynodal document.
The Pope is permitted in canon law to ratify the final document of a Synod of Bishops, giving more power to the assem-bly’s “guidelines” something that has never been done before.
“I want, in this way, to re-cognize the value of the comple-ted synodal journey, which throu-gh this document I hand over to the holy faithful people of God,” the Pope said in a livestreamed address to synod participants in the Vatican’s Paul VI Hall on Oct. 26. “That is why I do not intend to publish an apostolic exhortation; what we have appr-oved is enough,” he said. “There are already very concrete indi-cations in the document that can be a guide for the mission of the Churches, on the different conti-nents, in the different contexts: that is why I am making it immediately available to every-one, that is why I said it should be published.”
In 2018, Pope Francis decre-ed in the apostolic constitution Episcopalis Communiothat re-formed the Synod of Bishops that the pope has the authority to approve and promulgate the final document, at which time it parti-cipates “in the ordinary magiste-rium.” The authority is also stipulated in Canon 343 of the Code of Canon Law. ”
What Pope Francis said after approving the document is in compliance with what is provided by Episcopalis Communio,” Fr Riccardo Battocchio, the synod’s special secretary, affirmed at a press conference presenting the final document Oct. 26.
Spanish bishops speak out after leaks of their meeting with Leo XIV
The executive committee of the Spanish Bishops’ Conference, (CEE, by its Spanish acronym) meeting in Madrid this week, issued an official statement regarding the leaks
