Synod: Ten 'firsts' at the Synod of Bishops
By JOHN L. ALLEN JR.
Rome
By the standards of a church with over 2,000 years of history, the Synod of Bishops was essentially born yesterday. It was founded in 1965 by Pope Paul VI at the close of the Second Vatican Council (1962-65), as a means of giving bishops around the world a voice in the governance of the universal church.
Since the synod is a relatively recent arrival, it?s probably not surprising that it continues to break new ground. Even so, the edition which meets Oct. 5-26 in Rome, with the theme of ?The Word of God in the Life and Mission of the Church,? is distinctive for at least ten ?firsts? it will occasion: