From the Synod — October 9, 2008

 

Walking over to the Pope Paul VI Hall each morning is always an adventure. The North American College, where our delegation is staying, is located about four blocks from the Vatican. You walk through a garage that takes you down from the Gianicolo Hill on which the College is situated.

 

On the way, you often run into pilgrim groups following their guides. The guides are holding umbrellas or sticks with bandanas tied to them high above their heads as a way to keep their groups together. Some of the pilgrims are English speaking, and you hear many other languages as well. The pilgrims are always scrabbling to stay together and to not get lost.

 

St. Peter’s Square and the Basilica are major destinations for visitors to Rome. Catholics and non-Catholics marvel at the majesty and beauty – the graciousness of the colonnades, the fountains, the incredible history.

 

As you turn toward St. Peter’s, there are always several women and even children begging, a reminder of the Scripture passage that refers to those begging at the gate. Several times in the Synod so far, bishops in their interventions have held up the poor as those for whom the Word holds special meaning.

 

The Word moves us to see the poor, hear their cry and respond to them in love. How many saints have heard the Word and turned their lives around, giving themselves over to working among the poor – Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta perhaps the most striking example. She lived for others, especially those in need. Her care grew out of her deep love of the Lord grounded in the Word.

 

From the Synod — October 8, 2008

 

Before going over to the Synod Hall for our morning session, I was reading in Bishop Henry Granjon’s diary about his pastoral visit to southwest New Mexico in 1902. Father Greg Adolf, pastor of St. Andrew the Apostle Parish in Sierra Vista had given the diary to me on the occasion of the dedication of our new Archives.

 

Bishop Granjon had come to our Diocese as a young priest from France and became the second Bishop of Tucson. It was a delight reading his account of his ministry. He spoke with pride about his people. His descriptions of the land, starkly beautiful in its barren remoteness, reminded me of where I have come to feel at home – in our Sonoran Desert.

 

A bishop becomes one with his people and the place he is called to serve. I can see that here at the Synod as bishops talk about their particular local Church and the preoccupations they have with serving the pastoral the needs of their people. That was certainly true of Bishop Granjon, and it is still true today.

 

At the Synod – October 7th

 

Today is the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary. Cardinal Francis George, O.M.I., Archbishop Donald Wuerl, Monsignor David Malloy, general secretary of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, and Father Daniel Flens, secretary to Cardinal George, and I began the day with Mass in a small chapel here at the North American College. I sense in myself a greater attentiveness to the reading of the Scriptures. It is so easy to become distracted and not to really hear the Word when it is read at Mass. .

The Gospel today speaks of Mary receiving the Word in her womb. She is a real model and example for us to take the Word into our hearts.

In our distracted and distracting world, listening comes with difficulty. Just as we often do not listen to one another, we can find it hard to listen to God’s Word when read. One bishop here has reflected on how important it is to form hearers of the Word and have an open disposition to hear God’s Word. A good thought and good challenge for our pastors: How can we help people have the right disposition at Mass to hear the Word?

 

We began today’s session by listening to those bishops who want to speak for the five minutes allotted to them. The names of those who would speak in the morning session were announced. Mine was the last name announced.

 

The First Day of the Synod – October 6, 2008

 

A light drizzle accompanied our walk to the Synod Hall this morning. Bishops and cardinals, 253 in all, gradually filled the hall taking, their assigned seats. There are delegates from every continent: 51 from Africa, 62 from America, 90 from Europe, 41 from Asia, and 9 from Oceania. Also present are a number of periti (scholars) and observers. Ten representatives from various faiths are present as well, all who believe in God’s Word and its importance in our lives. Although of different faiths, we share regard for the Word.

Our Synod workday starts at 9 a.m., with a break at 12:30 p.m. We resume at 4:30 p.m., and the day concludes at 7 p.m.

After we were settled, our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, entered and took his place at the center of the dais with Cardinal William Levada, Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith on his right and Archbishop Nikola Etrovic, General Secretary of the Council of the Synod on his left.

We prayed the Liturgy of the Hours in Latin, beginning with the beautiful, lyrical Veni Creator Spiritus, calling on the Spirit to guide our assembly. Two lighted candles solemnly led the Word into the community, from which Cardinal Levada proclaimed the reading for the day.

It struck me how important it is to give proper reverence to the Book as it is brought in procession at the beginning of the Eucharist Celebration. How the Gospel procession can communicate to the people the special place and importance the Word has in the celebration. How important it is to emphasize for lectors the privilege of reading the Word at Mass.

Pope Benedict Opens the Synod

After a quick breakfast, we went off to the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls for the opening Mass of the Synod, celebrated by Pope Benedict. The Mass was held at this historic church to recognize, in this Pauline Year, the great missionary disciple who spread God’s word from Antioch to Derbe, to Troas to Corinth and throughout the Areopagus.

A magnificent statue of St. Paul stands at the entrance to the Basilica. As you enter, you see frescoes from Paul’s life, including depictions of his sudden encounter with Christ on the road his mission to the Gentiles and the wonders he worked in Christ’s name.

It is thought that the Basilica is on the site where St. Paul was martyred and buried. It would be fitting that the great missionary who evangelized so many would rest at an important crossroads where the Basilica now stands. The Basilica was destroyed by fire in the 119th century and had to be rebuilt. What a marvelous edifice it is!

Arriving in Rome

I arrived in Rome one half hour early. My luggage was second to slide out onto the carousel – a miracle. As I was walking to the exit of the baggage area, I noticed Cardinal Daniel DiNardo of the Archdiocese of Houston. He was waiting for his luggage. I decided to wait with him. We waited and waited. It never came. Apparently, it was sent to London by mistake. Travel seldom comes easy.

The accommodations at the North American College (NAC) for our U.S. delegation to the Synod are located a block from the Vatican and could not be more comfortable. Msgr. James Checchio, the Rector, and the faculty and students are most gracious and hospitable. I can see the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica from my room. But, I already miss the sahuaro and prickly pear of Arizona.

There are 208 seminarians from around 80 dioceses in the U.S. and a few seminarians from Australia studying at the NAC. Their classes start next week. They have been on retreat, and some newcomers are studying Italian to get ready for classes.

Hoping to avoid jet lag, I found my way to the gym for some exercise. Msgr. Daniel Mueggenborg, vice rector of the NAC, was next to me on the elliptical machine. Felt good to work out after being cooped up in an airplane for so long.

From the Synod to the States

On October 6, 2008, Pope Benedict XVI opened the Twelfth Ordinary Synod of Bishops at the Church of Saint Paul Outside the Walls.  The theme of this synod is “The Word of God in the Life and Mission of the Church.”

In his homily at the opening Mass, Pope Benedict said:

Only the Word of God can change the depths of man’s heart, and so it is important that with it both individual believers and the community enter into an ever-growing intimacy. The Synodal Assembly will direct its attention to this truth which is fundamental to the life and the mission of the Church. Nourishing herself with the Word of God is for her the first and fundamental responsibility.”

 

From now through the conclusion of the Synod on October 26th, the USCCB will bring you reports from the Synod authored by the Most Reverend Gerald F. Kicanas, Bishop of Tucson.  Bishop Kicanas is the Vice President of the USCCB and a delegate to the Synod.