Synod: a European map of the “listening” stage. Syntheses of the Bishops’ Conferences expected to be sent to Rome by August 15th now published or being prepared

The secretariats of the Bishops’ Conferences are busy finishing the local stage of the synodal pathway established by Pope Francis and producing the Syntheses that shall be sent to Rome after a time of listening to and exchanging views with the local communities. Some countries have already published their national reports, for instance Lithuania, which posted the whole report on the website of the Bishops’ Conference on July 14th. A “Synthesis of national reports” and the bishops’ reflection on such materials, called “Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37,4), was posted on the website of the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales yesterday, instead. As early as July 6th, the Bishops of Belgium posted on their website the Synthesis they had prepared for the secretariat of the Synod. As to the Nordic countries, the Bishops’ Conference must first meet in Hildesheim in early September to take stock of the consultations that took place in the 5 countries that belong to the Conference. The Danish diocese has reported that the coordination team for the synodal consultations is finishing the Synthesis “of the many answers provided by communities, groups and individuals”, which will be sent to Bishop Czeslaw Kozon on August 15th. A public Zoom meeting will be held on August 9th to inform the parties concerned of what come to the fore in the diocese.
In the Netherlands, the dioceses had published their reports on the website of the Bishops’ Conference in early June; the national Synthesis will soon be ready too, and it will be sent to the Secretariat of the Synod and published in Dutch and English.
The archdiocese of Moscow shared the fruits of its consultations in early July. The reports of the other three dioceses of the Federation will be required too, before a national Synthesis can be drawn up.
France sent and published its report weeks ago, and so did Spain. In Portugal, it is in these days that the dioceses are sending their reports to the synodal team, established by the Bishops at the June plenary meeting, which will have to draft a national Synthesis to be sent to Rome by August 15th.
Ireland instead ended its consultation process with a meeting of synodal delegates on June 18th, and now the national committee is busy drawing up the final report, which, as stated on the Bishops’ website, will not only be published and sent to Rome but will also be a “resource to continue the synodal dialogue in the future. Switzerland and Austria have completed their pathway with a national synodal meeting, and the final version of the report is now expected to come out soon.
Valentina Bombelli