By JOHN L. ALLEN JR.
Rome
A Synod of Bishops can be said to unfold in three basic stages: a tidal wave of speeches during the first week and a half; reflection in small groups; and the sausage-grinding of approving propositions for the pope and a concluding message to the world.
The Synod of Bishops on the Bible is currently reaching the end of that first phase, and while no major disagreements have emerged, a few basic themes seem clear:
Interview with Bishop Gerald Kicanas
October 13, 2008
Bishop Gerald Kicanas of Tucson, Arizona, serves as Vice-President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. This is the first Synod of Bishops for Kicanas, 67, and it hasn?t exactly been a walk in the park. Aside from the normal tedium of listening to hundreds of speeches, Kicanas is also suffering from a cold, and his beloved Chicago White Sox made an early exit from the baseball playoffs.
By JOHN L. ALLEN JR.
Rome
In Washington, the pace always picks up when Congress is in session, or when the Supreme Court is hearing cases. In a similar fashion, the church?s stars always come out to shine in Rome whenever the Synod of Bishops is in town.
Around the edges of the Oct. 5-26 Synod of Bishops, it seems that just about everyone in the Catholic world who has something to say is finding a way to say it.
Interview with Cardinal Daniel DiNardo
October 12, 2008
Cardinal Daniel DiNardo of Galveston-Houston, Texas, is the only Catholic cardinal in America?s Bible Belt, which gives him a unique perspective during this Synod of Bishops on the ?The Word of God in the Life and Mission of the Church.? On Sunday, DiNardo celebrated Mass at his titular church, St. Eusebius, and later in the afternoon he sat down for an interview at the North American College.
By JOHN L. ALLEN JR.
Rome
Violence against Christians worldwide, in hotspots ranging from Iraq to India, has emerged as a key concern during the Synod of Bishops on the Bible meeting Oct. 5-26 in the Vatican.
This morning, Pope Benedict XVI canonized four new saints, including the first-ever saint from India: St. Alphonsa of the Immaculate Conception (1910-1946), a Poor Clare sister whose given name was Anna Muttahupadathu. The canonization threw a spotlight on the current drama in India, concentrated especially in the eastern state of Orissa, where dozens of Christians have been killed and tens of thousands driven from their homes in violence fomented by Hindu radicals.
By JOHN L. ALLEN JR.
Rome
While American bishops are usually circumspect about declaring their electoral preferences, at least one African prelate currently attending the Synod of Bishops in Rome feels no such scruples. Archbishop John Onaiyekan of Abuja, Nigeria, said today he would ?obviously? vote for Barak Obama if he could cast a ballot on Nov. 4.
Known as a strong advocate for social justice, Onaiyekan said Obama?s pro-choice record wouldn?t stop him from voting for the Democrat.
Interview with Archbishop John Onaiyekan of Abuja, Nigeria
October 11, 2008
Archbishop John Onaiyekan of Abuja, Nigeria, is a past president of the African bishops? conference and is widely considered a leading spokesperson for Catholicism in Africa. During the current Synod of Bishops on the Bible, Onaiyekan was tapped to deliver the continental report on behalf of the African bishops.
By JOHN L. ALLEN JR.
Rome
It?s long been an established conviction among synod-watchers that the most interesting speeches during these gatherings, more often than not, come from the heads of religious orders.
Perhaps that?s because the speeches are less solo performances than a reflection of the wisdom of an entire community, or perhaps it?s because most superiors are elected to fixed terms and are conscious they may not have this opportunity again. It may even be because serving as a superior these days requires continual travel around the world, so they?ve got long hours to fill on airplanes polishing their texts.
By JOHN L. ALLEN JR.
Rome
So far in the Synod of Bishops on the Bible, all sorts of arguments have been advanced as to why promotion of scripture is important: Because it?s the living Word of God, because it?s a touchstone of Christian identity, because it provides natural common ground within the divided Christian family.
Quietly, however, another argument of a far more practical order has arisen. In many parts of the world, there simply aren?t enough priests to make the Eucharist available on a regular basis, and therefore Liturgies of the Word, focused on the Bible, become the crucible in which day-to-day, week-to-week Catholic life is actually forged.
Interview with Archbishop Donald Wuerl
October 10, 2008
Archbishop Donald Wuerl of Washington, D.C. is an old Rome hand. He earned a doctorate in theology from the Angelicum in 1974, and later returned to Rome as secretary to Cardinal John Wright, who served as Prefect of the Vatican?s Congregation for Clergy from 1969 to 1979. This is Wuerl?s fourth Synod of Bishops, though his first as the Archbishop of Washington; he succeeded Cardinal Theodore McCarrick in the nation?s capital in June 2006.