According to the General Secretary’s Office of the Synod, 253 participants will be present for the extraordinary Synod on the family which will take place in the Vatican on October 5-19. Among those taking part there will be 14 married couples.

The term ‘synod’ is derived from two Greek words: ‘syn’ meaning ‘with’ or ‘together’ and ‘hodos’ meaning ‘street’ or ‘way’. So, ‘synod’ means ‘walking together’.

The 253 participants will reflect on “the pastoral challenges facing the family in the context of evangelisation”. This will be the third extraordinary Synod after those of 1969 and 1985.

For two whole weeks the participants will reflect on the working ‘document’ that was sent out to all Catholic bishops of the world and concluded last June. The general secretary of the Synod, Cardinal Lorenzo Baldisseri, said that the purpose of the Synod was to convey to the modern world the beauty and values of the family which emerge from the Gospel of Jesus Christ, who dissolves fear and sustains hope.

The Synod will follow a new internal methodology to encourage a more dynamic participation of the Synodal Fathers. Notwithstanding this, no final document is expected this year.

Next year, on October 4-25, the 14th general ordinary Synod will take place on the theme: “Jesus Christ reveals the mystery and vocation of the family”. Of course, this ordinary Synod will continue and finalise the works of this year’s extraordinary one. Then and only then will one expect to see some pastoral changes with regard to the family.

In the meantime we are asked to earnestly pray so that all participants will be enlightened by the Holy Spirit on what pastoral measures should be confirmed, discarded, renewed or introduced.

No basic change in the traditional doctrine on the family is envisaged.