In a letter from Cardinal Mario Grech to the world’s bishops, the General Secretary of the Synod of Bishops invites the faithful from all over the world to “in prayer for the XVI. “Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, which opens on October 4th at the Vatican.”
With the letter of September 14, 2023, the Secretary General reminds everyone that the Synodal Assembly is above all a spiritual event, “an event of prayer and listening to the Holy Spirit, who is the true protagonist of the event”. Without prayer there could be no synod, said the cardinal of the Maltese Curia. To facilitate participation and ask for prayerful support from members of the assembly of local congregations, the General Secretariat of the Synod prepared a “Solemn Blessing” to be said privately at the end of Sunday masses, together with the intercessory prayers.
Given the rich liturgical tradition of the Eastern Catholic Churches sui iuris, the letter was also addressed to the leaders of these churches, with the request to include a similar blessing and intercessions in their divine liturgies.
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Cardinal Grech’s appeal is part of a series of initiatives designed to recall the eminently spiritual character of the synodal assembly and to encourage the participation of the entire People of God through prayer. The actions also include the website (www.prayforthesynod.va), created in 2021 in collaboration with the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network and the UISG (International Union of Superiors General). The Ecumenical Prayer Vigil (www.together2023.net) on September 30, which will be broadcast live on the Vatican News channels (www.vaticannews.va) from 4:30 pm via live streaming, and the spiritual retreat for Members of the World Synod before the opening of the Assembly (October 1-3, 2023).
(Vatican news – MG)