Synod´s Proposals in Line with Magisterium, Report Says

VATICAN CITY, NOV. 15, 2001 (Zenit.org).- The final proposals of the recent Synod of Bishops seem to be well within the bounds of Church teaching, an Italian news agency reported.

The 67 proposals, or propositions, are the synod´s conclusions presented to John Paul II. The four-week assembly, which closed Oct. 27, focused on the role of the bishop in the Church.

The Holy Father will prepare a postsynodal exhortation, the synod´s final document.

To help ensure the Pope´s freedom of action, the synod does not publish its proposals. But in recent years the proposals have been published by Adista, a news agency dedicated to anti-magisterium voices.

"None of the current 67 proposals that have survived can disturb anyone," Adista reported. "Virtually nothing is said that has not already been affirmed by the long theory of documents of the Catholic magisterium."

The agency, which is translating the proposals from Latin, plans to publish them Nov. 19.

In the meantime, it revealed the content of the proposals it considers most controversial -- on collegiality, papal primacy and the Roman Curia. All of the proposals reflect the most innovative pronouncements of John Paul II´s pontificate.

Proposal 24 includes some of the synod speeches which requested a change in methodology so that "these assemblies will become a better instrument of collegiality."

"The Synod Fathers respectfully suggest to the Supreme Pontiff that he consider the opportunity to convoke an extraordinary Assembly of the Synod of Bishops for this purpose," the proposal explains, according to Adista.

"Any possible renewal of the method must be motivated by the desire to increase the spiritual dimension of these assemblies," it continues. "For this reason, special time must be dedicated to prayer and reflection."

Proposal 25, which concentrates on relations between bishops and the Roman Curia, encourages dialogue.

"It is hoped that Bishops and representatives of Episcopal Conferences will reflect with the Roman organizations and consider proposals and problems that might arise in given situations," the proposal says. "For their part, organizations of the Roman Curia should frequently listen to the Bishops of the different regions, in order to serve the good of the Church together."

In Proposal 59, the synod fathers "thank the Pope and his collaborators for the numerous and important initiatives of ecumenical dialogue and search for unity."

Likewise, they support John Paul II´s call to find formulas for exercise of papal primacy that are acceptable to non-Catholic Christians without neglecting the will of Christ.