In his homily, the Holy Father called on the church not to remain in a state of “blindness” to the issues in the church and the world, a blindness that can take the form of embracing worldliness, placing a premium on comfort or having a closed heart.

Members voted on each of the 155 paragraphs of the document, which made suggestions and requests to Pope Francis that included long-term projects, such as the hope that more lay people would be involved in the selection of bishops.

The Mass in St Peter’s Basilica on 21 October marked the beginning of the Synod’s last week of work at the Vatican, a week that was to be dedicated to discussing and amending a final document before putting it to a vote on 26 October.

The Ordinary Council, chaired by the Holy Father, will play a fundamental role in the implementation of the synodal process on synodality and the preparation of the next Synod.

By Justin McLellan ACBC President and Perth Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB speaks during a Mass with members of the Synod of Bishops in St Peter's Basilica on 30 September, 2024. Synod members participated in a two-day retreat at the Vatican before the opening of the second session of the synod. Photo: CNS/Lola Gomez. Synod members must imitate Jesus' patience and acceptance toward oth...

The Instrumentum laboris is not a magisterial document or a catechism, but a way to encourage prayer, dialogue, discernment and the “maturing of a consensus”, according to an explanatory paper.

Twenty-five dioceses and three Eastern Catholic Church eparchies submitted summaries of their consultation outcomes, while a further 13 organisations submitted summaries from the national consultation – culminating in the final report.

Each bishops conference was asked by the Vatican to provide parish priests with “significant experience in the perspective of a synodal Church”, while also ensuring the attendees are from “a variety of pastoral contexts”.

That Pope Francis did not wait until the end of the Second Assembly to convoke the study groups, “shows that he has a heart that listens; he listened and is acting,” Cardinal Mario Grech, Secretary-General of the Synod, told reporters on 14 March.

In a brief papal document released on 17 February, the Holy Father said that “these study groups are to be established by mutual agreement between the competent dicasteries of the Roman Curia and the General Secretariat of the Synod, which is entrusted with coordination.”