Formed In Faith

Cardinal Daniel DiNardo of Galveston-Houston, left, and Archbishop Joseph Kurtz of Louisville, Ky., on Monday at the bishops’ annual fall general assembly Baltimore (CNS/Bob Roller)

The Extraordinary Synod of 2014 – on the challenges of marriage and family life today — ended on October 18 in Rome, about three weeks ago. Major commentaries, assorted strong and different opinions, and widespread media reports prove that this synod of bishops was extra-ordinary in numerous ways.
On this blog, OLFE recently noted the Synod’s accomplishments:
https://formedinfaith.wordpress.com/2014/10/20/five-things-the-synod-just-did/
This week the entire body of U.S. Catholic Bishops (USCCB) will meet in Baltimore. The Most Reverend Joseph Kurtz, the Archbishop of Louisville, and the President of the Conference, will chair the conference.
Speeches and analyses will touch on pressing issues and themes such as the new evangelization, religious freedom, God’s forgiveness and mercy, the “culture of encounter,” Catholic education, the Latino presence in the U.S. Church, some revised liturgical rituals, and other matters.
As noted in National Catholic Reporter, the American bishops also intend to engage the wider Catholic community in reflection and dialogue on last month’s Vatican gathering. How they will proceed with that engagement remains an open question.
On Monday, Archbishop Kurtz delivered the President’s opening address.
An NCR on-scene reporter, Vinnie Rotondaro, said “He quoted Pope Francis four times, citing the Holy Father’s call for the church to ‘go out into the streets’ and encouraging bishops to be ‘joyful messengers of challenging proposals.’ He referred to children as ‘gifts.’ He mentioned the . . . ‘good work’ of Catholic Relief Services and the Church’s ‘schools, hospitals, and social service ministries’.”
The Archbishop added that the USCCB is still waiting for a final, approved English translation of the Synod’s relatio document. This will summarize the discussions in Rome and serve as a guide for a global, Catholic discussion on family issues until Fall 2015.
Cardinal Donald Wuerl of Washington D.C., another attendee at the Synod, met the media at a USCCB press conference after Archbishop Kurtz’s address.
“The next step is to receive . . . instructions from the Synod office,” Cardinal Wuerl noted. “We will be meeting in two weeks’ time to work out some sort of process” for getting laity involved in post-synodal dialogue
Cardinal Wuerl then reiterated the concept of “meeting people where they are” in the world.
“The next step is going to be the actual process, actually engaging all of our Catholic faithful,” the Cardinal concluded.

Archbishop Kurtz’s Presidential Address — November 10, 2014

http://www.usccb.org/about/leadership/usccb-general-assembly/2014-november-meeting/usccb-general-assembly-2014-november-presidential-address.cfm
USCCB November 2014 General Assembly Presidential Address

USCCB November 2014 General Assembly Presidential A…
Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz, Archbishop of Louisville President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Address to the USCCB General Assembly on Nov…

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“Listening, accompanying, respecting, valuing, discerning, welcoming, dialogue are words repeated throughout the new document being discussed by the synod of bishops in Rome this week.  Words of condemnation and marginalization were avoided….”

Click the link below for more of the article from Thomas Reese.

http://ncronline.org/blogs/ncr-today/synod-document-offers-new-style-being-church

http://ncronline.org/news/vatican/synod-releases-document-new-tone-calling-mercy-listening

Archbishop Joseph Kurtz serving as (one of) two moderators of the first round of discussions.

http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/americans-help-moderate-synod-discussions-87525/

http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/to-archbishop-kurtz-synod-a-confidence-builder-for-married-couples-98270/

http://www.thebostonpilot.com/article.asp?ID=172243

http://www.news.va/en/news/synod-on-family-midterm-report-presented-2015-syno