Special Assembly for the Middle East of the Synod of Bishops begins tomorrow

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News from the website of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem

lpj.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=759%3Ainauguration-de-lassemblee-speciale-pour-le-mo&catid=93%3Asynode-&Itemid=133&lang=en

Inauguration of the Special Assembly for the Middle East

At 9.30 this morning, 10 October 2010, XXVIII Sunday in ordinary time, in St. Peter’s Basilica, at the tomb of the Apostle Peter, the Holy Father Benedict XVI presided at the Solemn Concelebration of the Eucharist with the Synodal Fathers, for the Inauguration of the Special Assembly for the Middle East of the Synod of Bishops, to be held in the Synod Hall of the Vatican until 24 October 2010, on the theme: The Catholic Church in the Middle East:Communion and Witness. “Now the company of those who believed were of one heart and soul” (Acts 4:32).

The entrance into the Basilica began at 9.15 with the singing of the Laudes regiae. The Concelebrants, led by the Masters of Ceremony took their places around the Altar of Confession. Then Their Eminences and the Components of the Presidency of the Special Assembly for the Middle East of the Synod of Bishops joined the Holy Father in the entrance procession.

Concelebrating with the Pope were 177 Synod Fathers (19 Cardinals, 9 Patriarchs, 72 Archbishops, 67 Bishops and 10 Priests) and 69 Collaborators.

At the start of the Concelebration, during the Rite of the Aspergillum presided over by the Holy Father, the choir and assembly sang “Asperges me”.

The Presidents Delegate H. B. Card. Nasrallah Pierre SFEIR, Patriarch of Antioch of the Maronites, Bishop of Joubbé, Sarba and Jounieh of the Maronites (LEBANON), ad honorem, H. B. Card. Emmanuel III DELLY, Patriarch of Babylon of the Chaldeans (IRAQ) , ad honorem, H. Em. Card. Leonardo SANDRI, Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches (VATICAN CITY), H. B. Ignace Youssif III YOUNAN, Patriarch of Antioch of the Syrians (LEBANON); General Relator H. B. Antonios NAGUIB, Patriarch of Alexandria of the Copts (ARAB REPUBLIC OF EGYPT);General Secretary H. Exc. Mons. Nikola ETEROVIĆ, Titular Archbishop of Cibalae (VATICAN CITY); Special Secretary H. Exc. Mons. Joseph SOUEIF, Archbishop of Cyprus of the Maronites (CYPRUS) all joined at the Altar for the Eucharistic Prayer.

The first reading was in English, the responsorial Psalm in Italian and the second reading in French. The Gospel was proclaimed in Latin and in Greek. The Prayer of the Faithful was in English, Arabic, Turkish, Hebrew, Farsi. The songs “Ubi Caritas”, in Latin, and “Bread of Life”, in Arabic, accompanied the Offertory; “Beati Pacifici”, in Latin, and “My Soul Thirsts for You”, in Arabic, accompanied Communion. At the end of the celebration, the Marian antiphon “Ave Regina Caelorum” was sung.

During the Sacred Rite, after the proclamation of the Gospel, the Holy Father pronounced the following homily:

Homily of Benedict XVI for the Inauguration of the Special Assembly for the Middle East

Pictures:

From the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem - here

From the Syriac Catholic Archdiocese of Aleppo - here

Video:

The whole mass for the opening of the Synod from Benedictxvi.tv, 598 MB - benedictxvi.tv/video/2010/870-10-10-2010-HQ-Sinod-open-all.wmv
 
Additional links:
There is a nice picture on the blog of Luke Coppen at the Catholic Herald, showing some of the Synod Fathers: His Beatitude Moran Mor Baselios Cleemis, Archbishop and Catholicos of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church; His Beatitude Gregorios III, Patriarch of the Melkite Greek-Catholic Church; and His Beatitude Nerses Bedros XIX, Catholicos and Patriarch of the Armenian Catholic Church. The blog also has links to texts and commentaries…
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There is a booklet [pdf] with the liturgy of the Opening Mass available here.
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sound bite Discussions Begin at Middle East Synod

Independent Catholic News Middle East Synod underway 10/11/2010

The text of the presentation by the Secretary General of the Synod of Bishops H.E. Most Rev Nikola Eterović appears here

Also, Joan Lewis, EWTN’s Rome Bureau Chief has begun coverage on her blog Joan’s Rome. See “archives” in right margin for more recent blog entries.

Also here at the first General Congregation Vatican Information Service has extracts of the English translation of His Beatitude Antonios Naguib, Patriarch of Alexandria of the Copts, Egypt, relator general of the synod “Relatio ante disceptationem”, (report before the discussion) and daily reports from the General Congregation of the Special Assembly: Second General Congregation and Third General Congregation
Lots of pictures from the first day of the Synod, 11 October 2010:
syrcata.org/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=4316&lang=ara
syrcata.org/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=4317&lang=ara
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On National Catholic Reporter Index of stories from Synod of Bishops on the Middle East
 
Yesterday’s, 10/24, press release from the Synod.
Inter-ecclesial relations must be encouraged, not only among the Churches sui iuris in the Middle East, but also with the Eastern Churches and with the Latin Church in the Diaspora, in close unity with the Holy Father, the Holy See and the Pontifical Representatives. Our communion with the Churches of the West has deep historical roots. Europe owes its faith to the Eastern Churches (Acts 16:9-10). Monastic life in the West was inspired by monasticism in the Middle East. Today, the West welcomes and supports communities of immigrants from the Middle East, whether of old or recent date. We are most grateful to them. To achieve greater communion, the Latin clergy in the West need to be given a basic knowledge of the sacramental and ecclesial theology of the Eastern Churches and to make known to the Latin faithful the reality and the history of the Eastern Churches.
It is desirable also that the Patriarchs, as part of their identity as “Fathers and Heads” of Churches sui iuris, and who are part of the catholicity of the Catholic Church, be ipso facto members of the College that elects the Supreme Pontiff.
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Mass for the Conclusion of the Synod of Bishops
EWTN TV Sun. October 24 at 3:30 AM ET (12:30AM Pacific) Live, Encore - 12 noon ET

This is in a few hours.
 
Just to remind folks that Joan Lewis did a series of interviews during and after the Synod which are now airing. Today the second half aired of her interview with Fr. David Neuhaus, S.J., “the Patriarchal Vicar for Hebrew-speaking Catholics in Israel (as well as a few Russian speaking Catholics)”. That second interview isn’t archived yet but should be soon.

10/9/2010 Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Fouad Twal.
10/23/2010 His Excellency Allen H. Vigneron, Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Detroit, (He was one of two US Latin archbishops/bishops invited as observer/participants.
11/6/2010 Fr. David Neuhaus, S.J., the Patriarchal Vicar for Hebrew-speaking Catholics in Israel 10/30/2010 the Latin Auxiliary Bishop of Jeruslem, Msgr. William Shomali
 
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