‘Word of God’ to be focus of document for bishop’s synod

Vatican City, Jun 12, 2008 / 14:30 pm

Today the secretary general of the Synod of Bishops, Archbishop Nikola Eterovic, presented the “Instrumentum laboris” (working document) to be used by prelates at the Twelfth Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, which will be held October 5 – 26.  The document focuses on the ‘Word of God’ and the life it brings to the Church.

Archbishop Eterovic explained that the assembly, with the theme, "The Word of God in the Life and the Mission of the Church,” will focus on two main points.  “The first is the previous Synod on the Eucharist, and the second is the Pauline Year which will begin on June 28." 

The Pauline year will undoubtedly “arouse a renewed missionary drive in the Church, for the benefit of all humanity. The center of such dynamism remains the Sunday celebration of the Eucharist," he said.

The working document introduced by Archbishop Eterovic is divided into three parts: (1) The Mystery of God Who Speaks to Us; (2) The Word of God in the Life of the Church; (3) The Word of God in the Mission of the Church.

The first section begins by exploring the term ‘Word of God’ before reflecting on its relationship with “Tradition, Scripture and the Magisterium.” 

The document goes on to explain how the Word of God participates in the life of the Church.  “The ministry of the Word, which has various modes of expression, finds a privileged place in liturgical celebrations.”

The archbishop said that the second section also emphasizes the necessity “to exercise particular care over the liturgy of the Word, the readings, the homily and the prayer of the faithful, which are essential parts of the Mass."

Archbishop Eterovic then examined part three which begins by reiterating “the Church's mission to proclaim the Word of God” through the process of “evangelization and catechesis." The section then goes on to explain the importance of the Word of God for inter-religious dialogue, especially Islam.  "Sacred Scripture is an important bond of unity with other Christians.  There exists a special relationship uniting Christians and Jews, with whom they share a large part of Scripture."