We have spent Saturday and Monday at the Synod in our ‘circoli minori’ or small groups (one wag translated it as ‘minor circuses’). This is how it happens:
About 20 or so bishops, experts and young people from many different countries (who speak English of one kind or another), gather in a makeshift meeting room. We then talk through the articles of the Instrumentum Laboris – the working text – (the same wag translated this as ‘laborious instrument’).
The discussions have been rich and respectful and some real improvements have been proposed. Our proposals will have to be weighed with those of a dozen or so other language groups, redrafting carried out and, ultimately, voted upon by the whole Synod.
Cardinal Oswald Garcia is chairing our group and Archbishop Eamon Martin is secretary.
We had Sunday off. After Mass at Domus Australia I went for lunch at Dominican headquarters (Santa Sabina) and prayed in St Dominic’s room.
There are an unusual number of Dominicans at this Synod! The Master of the Order, Bruno Cadoré; Cardinal Christoph Schönborn of Vienna; Archbishop David Macaire of Martinique; myself and Bishop Jorge Saldías Pedraza of La Paz Bolivia.
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