Synod study groups suggest changes for ad limina visits

The second part of the Final Report of Study Group No. 7 on certain aspects of the figure and ministry of the bishop from a synodal and missionary perspective was released by the General Secretariat of the Synod of September 8. The first part was released in May.

The report’s proposals situate the ad limina visit that bishops make periodically within the “framework of the ordinary dialogue between the local churches and the Apostolic See, and concern its preparation, conduct and follow-up”.

It is envisaged that the visits become “an instrument at the service of the missionary conversion of ordinary pastoral life” and not be limited to matters of administration.

The report favoured the involvement of the people of a diocese in the preparation of the preliminary report before the visit. The document also considered it desirable that a diocesan delegation accompany the bishop during the ad limina visit.

Each diocesan bishop, together with any faithful who accompanied him to Rome, would give an account of its outcomes to the local church, the report envisaged.

In Rome, priority should be given to care for the spiritual dimension. The report recommended that the bishops be divided into smaller groups and that sufficient time be allowed for the visit. The dialogue during the visit, understood as an “exchange of gifts” and conducted in a collegial spirit, should be frank, cordial and not one-directional, enabling both the riches and the needs of the local churches to emerge and fostering the circulation of good practices.

Also published on September 8 was the final report of Study Group No. 6 on “The revision, in a synodal and missionary perspective, of the documents touching on the relationship between bishops, consecrated life and ecclesial communities”.

The 69-page report offers proposals in three areas: “relations between bishops and consecrated life”, “collaboration between episcopal conferences and conferences of major superiors”, and “relations between ecclesial associations and local churches”.

Both reports focus on what the Synod has termed “differentiated co-responsibility”.

Among the recommendations from Group 6 was that ad limina visits be prepared jointly by both episcopal conferences and conferences of major superiors, so that the dialogue with the Apostolic See may reflect the entire ecclesial reality of a given territory.

FULL STORY

Synod: Reports published on relations between bishops, consecrated life, and ad limina visits (Vatican News)

Synod study groups offer proposals for ad limina visits; relations between bishops, religious superiors (Catholic World News)