The full opening statement from the Synod meeting this morning

Full Text of Cardinal Baldisseri's Opening Report for the Synod

"I pray that this synodal Assembly might be the privileged place of this synodal collegiality, which proclaims the Gospel by walking, and that it might be imbued with a new openness to the Spirit."

    

Vatican City, October 06, 2014 (Zenit.org)        

Here below is a translation of the report of the secretary general of the Synod of Bishops, Cardinal Lorenzo Baldisseri, given at the First Congregation this morning.

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INTRODUCTION
Most Holy Father,
Eminences and Excellences, Synod Fathers,
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
With great honor and excitement, I address, for the first time as General Secretary, the Third Extraordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, after my appointment on 21 September 2013. I would like to express my gratitude to Your Holiness for having convened, at the beginning of your pontificate, this Assembly, which is a particularly high manifestation of episcopal collegiality, to treat the topic: The Pastoral Challenges of the Family in the Context of Evangelization.
In your first homily in the Sistine Chapel (14 March 2013), Your Holiness, giving an indication of the spirit of your pontificate, spoke three words: “walk”, “build” and “profess”, giving the first place to “walking”. To walk together is indeed “syn-odos”, “Synodus”. The Church, the community of believers in Christ, is walking towards the house of the Father, a missionary Church in the streets of the world who proclaims and professes faith in Jesus Christ, as an institution and in the various charisms and ministries which express through communion a Gospel way of life and witness.
Your Holiness, I would also like to express gratitude for the good news and grace, joyously welcomed and received by the synod fathers and the whole Church, of the beatification of Pope Paul VI, which will be celebrated next Sunday, October 19, at the conclusion of this Extraordinary General Assembly. This event is a significant part of this Assembly, which gathers synod members from around the world and a part of the broader movement of communion which in these days is expressed by a number of initiatives of prayer for the success of the Synod.
Beatifying Pope Paul VI in conjunction with the synod is not only an important sign of collegiality and synodality but reflects the appropriateness of this action, because, after almost 50 years, the same Pope who led, concluded and implemented the Second Vatican Council, also established the Synod of Bishops and guided it in its initial years. Next year, in 2015, gathered once again in synod, we will have the joy of celebrating these two anniversaries.
I now wish to address the 253 participants in this synodal assembly, presided over by the Supreme Pontiff, Pope Francis, Head of the Episcopal College and Pastor of the Universal Church, and extend to you a warm and heartfelt welcome.
I greet the synod fathers from the five continents who are the heads of the 13 synods of bishops of the Eastern Catholic Churches sui iuris, the presidents of the 114 episcopal conferences and the 3 representatives of the Union of Superiors General. Fraternal greetings also to the 26 Heads of the Departments of the Roman Curia, the 15 members of the Thirteenth Ordinary Council and the 26 members appointed by the Pope.
I extend a special greeting to the 8 fraternal delegates, representing Churches and ecclesial communities which, with the Catholic Church, share in the Church’s concern and work towards effective action on behalf of the family.
Furthermore, I cordially greet the 16 experts and 38 auditors, women and men, chosen from among a great number of specialists and persons involved in family ministry. I want you to know that your expertise, your personal witness and that of your communities enrich the synod’s work.
I extend my cordial greetings to the press liaisons, the assistants, translators, technical personnel and, in particular, His Excellency, the Undersecretary, recently raised to the episcopate and to the collaborators of the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops. I am grateful for your generous and valuable contribution in preparation for this synod assembly.


Read it all:   http://www.zenit.org/en/articles/full-text-of-cardinal-baldisseri-s-opening-report-for-the-synod