The General Secretariat of the Synod has convened the XVI Ordinary Council to advance the implementation of the final document of the Synod on Synodality and to organize new international meetings scheduled for 2026 and 2028.
Synod Council Meeting
The meeting took place on April 17 in online format and was chaired by Cardinal Mario Grech, Secretary General of the Synod. The session began with a prayer led by Undersecretary Nathalie Becquart.
During the meeting, the current status of the implementation phase of the final document of the Synod was addressed, as well as the work of the study groups, whose final reports are in the process of being published.
Preparation of New Continental Assemblies
Among the decisions adopted, the convening of a preparatory meeting to be held from June 23 to 25, 2026, stands out, aimed at organizing the continental evaluation assemblies scheduled for 2028.
Representatives from the Eastern Patriarchates, those responsible for international episcopal conferences, and the presidents of the episcopal conferences of the United States and Canada, accompanied by their synodal teams, are invited to this meeting.
Pope Leo XIV will participate in a specific working session within this meeting.
World Meeting on the Family in October
In addition, the Vatican has announced a meeting to take place from October 7 to 14, 2026, in which the presidents of episcopal conferences from around the world will participate to reflect on the family in light of the apostolic exhortation Amoris laetitia.
This convening was previously announced by Pope Leo XIV on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the document.
The objective, as indicated, is to advance in a joint discernment on the evangelization of families in the current context.
The organization of this meeting has been entrusted to the Dicastery for the Laity, the Family and Life, with methodological support from the Synod Secretariat.
A Consultative Process, Not a New Synodal Assembly
From the General Secretariat, it has been emphasized that this October meeting will not constitute a new synodal assembly, but rather a consultative meeting of the Pope with those responsible for the episcopal conferences and the Eastern Churches.
Progress on the Implementation Document
During the session, Jesuit Giacomo Costa presented a proposed document to guide the implementation phase of the Synod, especially regarding the organization of future evaluation assemblies.
The Council debated the text and approved its general structure.
The definitive version will be reviewed in the coming weeks and is expected to be published before the summer, as a complement to the guidelines already disseminated in 2025.