Perth Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB has this week been named together with six others to be members of the preparatory commission for the general assembly of the Synod of Bishops in October. Photo: Ron Tan/Archdiocese of Perth.
Secretary-General of the Synod Cardinal Mario Grech has named Perth Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB and six others to be members of the preparatory commission for the general assembly of the Synod of Bishops in October.
According to the apostolic constitution for the synods, the Secretary-General establishes the commission "for further exploration of the theme and for the redaction of any documents that may be issued prior to the Synod Assembly."
Bishop Daniel Flores of Brownsville, Texas, speaks during a 17 November 2021, session of the fall general assembly of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops in Baltimore. Photo: OSV News/CNS file, Bob Roller.
The names of the seven commission members were released by the Vatican Wednesday 15 March, the same day all seven were meeting with Cardinal Grech and with Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich of Luxembourg, General Relator of the upcoming synod.
The theme Pope Francis chose for the synod is: "For a Church that Journeys Together: Fellowship, Participation and Mission." It will meet at the Vatican from 4 to 29 October 2023.
A second assembly has been scheduled for October 2024.
Mercedarian Sister Shizue "Filo" Hirota from Tokyo, Japan, was the only woman named to the preparatory commission. She is a consultant for the Catholic Council for Justice and Peace of the Japanese bishops' conference of Japan.
Bishop Lucio A. Muandula of Xai-Xai meets with Pope Francis in September 2019. Photo: Vatican News
The other members are: Jesuit Father Giacomo Costa, who will serve as coordinator; Bishop Daniel E. Flores of Brownsville, Texas; Bishop Lucio A. Muandula of Xai-Xai, Mozambique; Father Dario Vitali, a professor of theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome; and Polish Msgr. Tomasz Trafny, a member of the synod secretariat staff, who will serve as secretary of the commission.