(''Episcopal Communion'') is an

apostolic constitution An apostolic constitution () is the most solemn form of legislation issued by the Pope.New Commentary on the Code of Canon Law, pg. 57, footnote 36. By their nature, apostolic constitutions are addressed to the public. Generic constitutions use ...

promulgated by

Pope Francis Pope Francis (born Jorge Mario Bergoglio; 17 December 1936 – 21 April 2025) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 13 March 2013 until Death and funeral of Pope Francis, his death in 2025. He was the fi ...

on September 15, 2018. It takes note of the various organizations used during the previous Synod of Bishops, and defines that its final document "participates in the ordinary magisterium." __TOC__

Background and publication

is presented as the logical implementation of the apostolic exhortation ''Evangelii gaudium'', Francis' programmatic letter for his pontificate, where Francis expressed his intention "to profoundly reshape all the ecclesial structures, so that they become more missionary". The synod of bishops must be a means of collegiality and "always become more and more an adequate channel for the evangelization of the present world more than for self-preservation." Francis had previously held synods on the family (

2014 The year 2014 was marked by the surge of the Western African Ebola epidemic, West African Ebola epidemic, which began in 2013, becoming the List of Ebola outbreaks, most widespread outbreak of the Ebola, Ebola virus in human history, resul ...

2015 2015 was designated by the United Nations as: * International Year of Light * International Year of Soil __TOC__ Events January * January 1 – Lithuania officially adopts the euro as its currency, replacing the litas, and becomes ...

) and on

youth Youth is the time of life when one is young. The word, youth, can also mean the time between childhood and adulthood (Maturity (psychological), maturity), but it can also refer to one's peak, in terms of health or the period of life known as bei ...

(2018), and promulgated after the regional synod on the Pan-Amazon region (2019). Some analysts surmise that the greatest achievement of Francis' papacy may be his creation of a more synodal Catholic church, where synods serve as a platform for open and energetic debate. was signed on September 15 by Pope Francis and promulgated three days later. According to Cardinal Lorenzo Baldisseri, this date recalls the creation of the Synod of Bishops in 1965 by

Pope Paul VI Pope Paul VI (born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini; 26 September 18976 August 1978) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 21 June 1963 until his death on 6 August 1978. Succeeding John XXII ...

Content

According to the secretary of the synod council Fabio Fabene, one of the main characteristics of synods under Francis is "to listen as much as possible to reality and people," with in particular the organization of preliminary inquiries. The new constitution provides for the laity to send their contributions directly to the synod's secretary general. The document also specifies the work which must be carried out after the synod, and provides for the possibility of a pre-synodal meeting as for the synod of bishops on Young People, Faith, and Vocational Discernment. The constitution states that "If the Roman Pontiff has granted deliberative power to the Synod Assembly, ..the Final Document participates in the Ordinary

Magisterium The magisterium of the Catholic Church is the church's authority or office to give authentic interpretation of the word of God, "whether in its written form or in the form of Tradition". According to the 1992 ''Catechism of the Catholic Church'' ...

of the Successor of Peter once it has been ratified and promulgated by him."

References

External links

* {{Pope Francis, state=collapsed Apostolic constitutions of Pope Francis Synod of bishops in the Catholic Church Second Vatican Council