Episcopalis communio

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The Apostolic Constitution Episcopalis communio (abbreviation EC; German : The Episcopal Community) was enacted on September 15, 2018 by Pope Francis and published on September 18, 2018. With it a new regulation for the preparation and implementation of plenary assemblies of the Synod of Bishops is enacted. It appears in good time before the Synod of Bishops in Rome , which is scheduled for October 3 to 28, 2018 .

General

As the General Secretary Cardinal Lorenzo Baldisseri emphasized at the presentation of the papal decree, it was a concern for Pope Francis from the beginning of his pontificate to make the synods of the bishops in Rome “less static” and instead “more dynamic”. Already on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Pope Paul VI. Founded Synod, Francis pleaded in 2015 for a connection between the Synod and the local churches . The constitution replaces the Motu proprio Apostolica sollicitudo of Pope Paul VI. from 1965 as well as additional provisions of Benedict XVI. from 2006.

features

The constitution stipulates that "regular surveys on the synod topic in all local churches in the world" will now take place before every bishops' meeting. In addition to the bishops, priests , religious and laypeople appointed by the Pope with voting rights are now to be given the opportunity to take a stand on the subject. Before the general assemblies, pre-synodal assemblies should be held so that the bishops' assemblies can orient themselves more closely to the life of the local churches. The results of the surveys and the preliminary assembly are to be incorporated into the Synod of Bishops as working documents. In addition to the three classic synodal assemblies, a synod of other types and related to specific topics can now be scheduled and carried out.

A basically the same procedure should apply to the results worked out at the bishops' meeting. The follow-up is concluded in a post-synodal final document, which is drawn up by a dedicated commission . This committee is elected by the synod participants and can be supplemented with members by the Pope. The post-synodal letter must be approved by a majority of the members and handed over to the Pope, who decides whether it will be published or not. After the promulgation of the document, it is considered PaPal teaching writing classified.

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