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The Second Extraordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, was held in Vatican City from 24 November to 8 December 1985 on the topic of The Twentieth Anniversary of the Conclusion of the
Second Vatican Council The Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, commonly known as the , or , was the 21st ecumenical council of the Roman Catholic Church. The council met in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome for four periods (or sessions), each lasting between 8 and ...
. The synod was a gathering of 165 bishops and other participants to celebrate, verify, and promote the council, also known as Vatican II. The participants evaluated the implementation of the changes heralded by Vatican II in the past, and discussed how best to apply them in the future. The bishops discussed topics including
secularism Secularism is the principle of seeking to conduct human affairs based on secular, naturalistic considerations. Secularism is most commonly defined as the separation of religion from civil affairs and the state, and may be broadened to a sim ...
,
evangelization In Christianity, evangelism (or witnessing) is the act of preaching the gospel with the intention of sharing the message and teachings of Jesus Christ. Christians who specialize in evangelism are often known as evangelists, whether they are ...
, the
universal call to holiness The universal call to holiness is a teaching of the Roman Catholic Church that all people are called to be holy, and is based on Matthew 5:48: "Be you therefore perfect, as also your heavenly Father is perfect" (). In the first book of the Bible, th ...
, formation of seminarians, catechism, liturgy, communion, the role of the laity, ecumenism, the
preferential option for the poor The option for the poor, or the preferential option for the poor, is one of the newer principles of the Catholic social teaching, as articulated in the latter half of the 20th century; it is also a theological emphasis in Methodism. The concept ...
, and Catholic social teaching. In the months leading up to it, it was widely expected that the synod would be a showdown between the conservative Cardinal
Joseph Ratzinger Pope Benedict XVI ( la, Benedictus XVI; it, Benedetto XVI; german: link=no, Benedikt XVI.; born Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger, , on 16 April 1927) is a retired prelate of the Catholic church who served as the head of the Church and the soverei ...
and more liberal prelates, like the American representative, Bishop James Malone. This led to some calling the event "Ratzinger's Synod." There was also speculation that the representatives of bishops' conferences would seek to gain more autonomy from the Vatican. In the synod's final report, Pope John Paul II included three of the suggestions of the bishops that he welcomed the most: the creation of a catechism of Catholic faith and morals, a study of the theological nature of bishops' conferences, and the publication of a new code of canon law for the
Eastern Catholic Churches The Eastern Catholic Churches or Oriental Catholic Churches, also called the Eastern-Rite Catholic Churches, Eastern Rite Catholicism, or simply the Eastern Churches, are 23 Eastern Christian autonomous ('' sui iuris'') particular churches of t ...
. The
Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches The ''Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches'' (CCEC; la, Codex Canonum Ecclesiarum Orientalium, abbreviated CCEO) is the title of the 1990 codification of the common portions of the canon law for the 23 Eastern Catholic Churches in the Catholic ...
was published in 1990. A notable result of the synod was the 1992 publication of the '' Catechism of the Catholic Church''.


Background

The synod was announced on the evening of 25 January 1985, the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul, by
Pope John Paul II Pope John Paul II ( la, Ioannes Paulus II; it, Giovanni Paolo II; pl, Jan Paweł II; born Karol Józef Wojtyła ; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 1978 until his ...
at the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls. In making the announcement, the pope said:
"This year is the twentieth anniversary of the conclusion of the
Second Vatican Council The Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, commonly known as the , or , was the 21st ecumenical council of the Roman Catholic Church. The council met in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome for four periods (or sessions), each lasting between 8 and ...
, whose first announcement, we well recall, was made by my predecessor John XXIII, of venerated memory, in this very basilica and on this same day, the 25th of January 1959."
The Pope said his goal was to "'to relive in some way that extraordinary atmosphere of ecclesiastical communion.'' In mid-March, Archbishop
Jan Pieter Schotte Jan Pieter Schotte (29 April 1928 – 10 January 2005) was a Belgian cardinal and an official of the Roman Curia. Biography He was born on 29 April 1928 in the town of Beveren-Leie (now a part of Waregem) in the province of West Flanders. He ...
, the Secretary General of the Synod of Bishops, sent a questionnaire to those attending the synod, including the presidents of episcopal conferences, and papal invitees. Cardinal
Godfried Danneels Godfried Maria Jules Danneels (4 June 1933 – 14 March 2019) was a Belgian cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as the Metropolitan Archbishop of Mechelen-Brussels and the chairman of the episcopal conference of his native country ...
was the relator of synod, and he read through the replies and created a summary.


Chronology


Opening

The synod opened with
Mass Mass is an intrinsic property of a body. It was traditionally believed to be related to the quantity of matter in a physical body, until the discovery of the atom and particle physics. It was found that different atoms and different eleme ...
in
St. Peter's Basilica The Papal Basilica of Saint Peter in the Vatican ( it, Basilica Papale di San Pietro in Vaticano), or simply Saint Peter's Basilica ( la, Basilica Sancti Petri), is a church built in the Renaissance style located in Vatican City, the papal e ...
on the morning of 24 November 1985, the
Feast of Christ the King The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, commonly referred to as the Feast of Christ the King, Christ the King Sunday or Reign of Christ Sunday, is a feast in the liturgical year which emphasises the true Christ the King, kin ...
. The pope and 165 bishops, all wearing
choir dress Choir dress is the traditional vesture of the clerics, seminarians and religious of Christian churches worn for public prayer and the administration of the sacraments except when celebrating or concelebrating the Eucharist. It differs fr ...
, processed through the basilica on the same path as during the opening ceremony of the first session of the Second Vatican Council. The bishops took their seats on elevated platforms facing the pope, amidst choirs singing liturgical music. In his homily, Pope John Paul II encouraged the bishops to revive the Spirit of Vatican II, saying:
"We start the synod process in this eucharistic celebration with the same willingness to listen to the Holy Spirit, with the same love for the Church, with the same gratitude to Divine Providence that were present in the council Fathers twenty years ago. During the next two weeks all the members of the synod, among whom there are many people who lived in the exceptional grace of the council, they will walk together with the council to revive the spiritual atmosphere of this great ecclesiastical event and to promote, in the light of key documents then issued and the experience gained over the next two decades, the full flowering of new life aroused by the Holy Spirit and ecumenical attention at this, for the greater glory of God and for the coming of his Kingdom."
Later in the homily, he expressed his desire for greater unity both within the Catholic Church and amongst all Christians, specifically acknowledging the presence of the observer-delegates from other denominations. After Mass, Pope John Paul II gave his inaugural address to open the synod. In the address, the pope presented a spiritual theme, but did not deliver specific instructions, appearing to give the bishops flexibility in choosing the synod's direction. He encouraged them to forge new "vistas" for the Church's mission. The pope said:
''In this time of ours, when from various sides the primacy of man is set up in opposition to the primacy of God, the Council in a convincing manner makes aware that the 'kingdom of man' can find its proper dimension only in the Kingdom of God."
Many bishops praised the pope's opening address, appreciating his commitment to the ideals of Vatican II and his hope for its continued realization. The American Cardinal
Joseph Bernardin Joseph Louis Bernardin (April 2, 1928 – November 14, 1996) was an American Cardinal of the Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Cincinnati from 1972 until 1982, and as Archbishop of Chicago from 1982 until his death in 1996 from ...
, described the speech as optimistic and encouraging, saying, "My hope is that the synod will motivate us all to continue this kind of reflection and evaluation." In addition to the pope's speech, Cardinal John Krol, one of three delegate-presidents, also gave an opening speech, described by one Catholic magazine as "magnificent." Cardinal Gabriel-Marie Garrone, the President of the
Pontifical Council for Culture The Pontifical Council for Culture ( la, Pontificium Consilium de Cultura) was a dicastery of the Roman Curia charged with fostering the relationship of the Catholic Church with different cultures. It was erected by Pope John Paul II on 20 May ...
, gave a reflective address discussed the Second Vatican Council. Following the opening ceremony, Pope John Paul II addressed the hundreds of young people who had gathered in
St. Peter's Square Saint Peter's Square ( la, Forum Sancti Petri, it, Piazza San Pietro ,) is a large plaza located directly in front of St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City, the papal enclave inside Rome, directly west of the neighborhood ( rione) of Borgo. B ...
, many of them congregated around a large wooden cross that the pope had gifted to the "youth of the world."


Sessions

The sessions of the synod, which lasted from November 24 to December 8, included eight minute-long addresses by the bishops during the first four days, followed by a series of small group sessions, and a general discussion during the final days. On 5 December, an Ecumenical Prayer Service was held, with Pope John Paul II presiding over it and the fraternal delegates, who represented non-Catholic groups, present. In a short homily, the pope mentioned the appropriateness of praying for unity with "our friends" the fraternal delegates. He spoke about the necessity for a personal relationship with Jesus Christ in reaching Christian unity.


Babi Burke incident

On 4 December, Babi Burke, a 44-year-old American nurse and mother of four from
Fort Lauderdale A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is also used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Latin ''fortis'' ("strong") and ''facere'' ...
,
Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
, staged a mock Mass in
St. Peter's Basilica The Papal Basilica of Saint Peter in the Vatican ( it, Basilica Papale di San Pietro in Vaticano), or simply Saint Peter's Basilica ( la, Basilica Sancti Petri), is a church built in the Renaissance style located in Vatican City, the papal e ...
to protest the Catholic Church's exclusion of women from the priesthood. Burke, wearing a draping black embroidered robe and a white woolen shawl, entered the basilica in the early afternoon with a small group of journalists and photographers. Carrying a lit alcohol lamp, she approached an altar under Bernini's baldachin, behind the main altar. At the altar, she removed her shawl and put on a priest's stole. She kissed the altar and blessed herself with the sign of the cross, and raised her arms in the gesture of fellowship. Burke proceeded to bless and consume a communion host and raise a silver
chalice A chalice (from Latin 'mug', borrowed from Ancient Greek () 'cup') or goblet is a footed cup intended to hold a drink. In religious practice, a chalice is often used for drinking during a ceremony or may carry a certain symbolic meaning. R ...
of
wine Wine is an alcoholic drink typically made from fermented grapes. Yeast consumes the sugar in the grapes and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide, releasing heat in the process. Different varieties of grapes and strains of yeasts are m ...
, drinking from it. The host had been brought with her from the U.S. As she mimicked the most sacred part of the Mass, two Vatican security guards ran towards her and removed her from the basilica, holding her arms. As she was led away, Burke exclaimed, "I am Catholic. I am a woman. I belong here." The whole incident lasted around five minutes. After being removed from the basilica, Burke was taken to the Vatican security headquarters. Following the incident, the chief Vatican spokesman, Joaquín Navarro-Valls, said that Burke had been released after questioning and no charges would be filed. The Rev. Carlo Caffarra, a spokesman for the synod, condemned the incident, saying, "Morally, it is a sacrilege because it is a serious disrespect of what is most holy in the Church, the sacrament of the eucharist, and it was carried out in a sacred place." Burke held a press conference on Saturday, 7 December, with Marie-Terese Soumoy, a Belgian former nun and a supporter of her cause. Both women were accredited as a reporters covering the synod, and were both members of the Center of Research and Action on Women and Religion. At the conference, Burke delivered a prepared statement, saying,
"This act represents the reality that our dear leaders must not keep us in bondage to the traditional practices and utterances from generation to generation. Presently, there are 165 men deciding on the future of the Church, yet there are no women with a vote at this synod."
Burke's colleague Soumoy then proceeded to speak, addressing the aftermath of the incident. She noted that the Vatican security guards has asked for her and Burke's identity papers and also confiscated film from a photographer who had taken pictures of the mock Mass. She also said that the questioning by the Vatican guards had not been rigorous. Soumoy stated that Burke did not desire priestly ordination herself, but was a "woman full of love" acting on behalf of other women who wish to become priests. A written statement, which had been distributed to journalists after the event, stated,
"This act is a declaration that one of the fruits of Vatican II are the many prepared women called to ordained priesthood. They must be recognized and called into service for their church... Sexism is a sacrilege to the Gospel of Christ... his actis a short prayer of profession for the love of God and the church."


Closing

On 8 December, Pope John Paul II gave his closing address and ended the synod. Delegate-president Cardinal John Krol also gave a closing address, described by one Catholic magazine as "magnficent."


Participants

There were over 165 participants in the synod, including cardinals, archbishops, and bishops (mostly heads of
episcopal conferences Episcopal may refer to: *Of or relating to a bishop, an overseer in the Christian church *Episcopate, the see of a bishop – a diocese *Episcopal Church (disambiguation), any church with "Episcopal" in its name ** Episcopal Church (United State ...
, 25 heads of the dicasteries of the Roman Curia, nine members of the Ordinary Council for the Secretariat, the Secretary General of the Synod, the Undersecretary, over a dozen members invited by Pope John Paul II, and 10 fraternal delegates. No women were invited to participate as voting members, though several of the observers were women. In addition to
Pope John Paul II Pope John Paul II ( la, Ioannes Paulus II; it, Giovanni Paolo II; pl, Jan Paweł II; born Karol Józef Wojtyła ; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 1978 until his ...
, who served as president of the synod, there were multiple other classes of participants. Archbishop
Jan Pieter Schotte Jan Pieter Schotte (29 April 1928 – 10 January 2005) was a Belgian cardinal and an official of the Roman Curia. Biography He was born on 29 April 1928 in the town of Beveren-Leie (now a part of Waregem) in the province of West Flanders. He ...
, CICM, served as Secretary General, Cardinal
Godfried Danneels Godfried Maria Jules Danneels (4 June 1933 – 14 March 2019) was a Belgian cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as the Metropolitan Archbishop of Mechelen-Brussels and the chairman of the episcopal conference of his native country ...
was the Relator General, and the Rev.
Walter Kasper Walter Kasper (born 5 March 1933) is a German Catholic cardinal and theologian. He is President Emeritus of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, having served as its president from 2001 to 2010. Early life Born in Heidenheim ...
was the Special Secretary. The delegate presidents were cardinals
John Krol John Joseph Krol (October 26, 1910 – March 3, 1996) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He was Archbishop of Philadelphia from 1961 to 1988, having previously served as an auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Cleveland (195 ...
,
Joseph Malula Joseph-Albert Malula (12 December 1917 – 14 June 1989) was a Congolese Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Kinshasa (name changed from Leopoldville in 1966) from 1964 until his death, and was elevated to the car ...
, and
Johannes Willebrands Johannes Gerardus Maria Willebrands (4 September 1909 in Bovenkarspel, North Holland – 1 August 2006) was a Dutch Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity from 1 ...
. Though the number of bishops was much smaller than at the Second Vatican Council, the press corps was significantly larger. Archbishop John Patrick Foley, the president of the Pontifical Commission for Social Communications, reported that in addition to the 200 regular accredited members of the Vatican press corps, 600 accreditations were issued for the synod, half of which were from the United States. Press briefings were given daily in different languages, and the English briefings were given by the Irish priest Diarmuid Martin. Martin, then part of Archbishop
Édouard Gagnon Édouard Gagnon, PSS, OC (15 January 1918 – 25 August 2007) was a Canadian Roman Catholic cardinal and President of the Pontifical Council for the Family for 16 years, from 1974 to 1990. He became a cardinal on 25 May 1985. Biography Édoua ...
's staff at the
Pontifical Council for the Family The Pontifical Council for the Family was a pontifical council of the Curia of the Roman Catholic Church from 1981 to 2016. It was established by Pope John Paul II on 9 May 1981 with his motu proprio ''Familia a Deo Instituta'', replacing the Com ...
, is today a cardinal and the Archbishop of Dublin.


See also

*
Third Extraordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops The Third Extraordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, the first of two synods popularly referred to as the Synod on the Family, was held in Vatican City on 5–19 October 2014 on the topic of Pastoral Challenges of the Family in th ...
* Joseph Ratzinger as Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Extraordinary General Assembly of the Synod, 2 Synod of bishops in the Catholic Church 1985 in Vatican City 20th-century Catholicism Pope John Paul II 1985 in Christianity Second Vatican Council