Synod Fathers Meet in Language Groups

Vatican Information Service

Saturday, October 15, 2005

VATICAN CITY — Friday and Saturday morning, the language groups will continue their work in preparing and approving the texts to be presented tomorrow afternoon in the Synod Hall. In the meantime, various in scriptis (written, not spoken) discourses by some of the Synod Fathers have been made public. Given below are excerpts from three of those in scriptis discourses:

BISHOP IAN MURRAY OF ARGYLL AND THE ISLES, SCOTLAND. "Liturgy is a key instrument of evangelization and must be celebrated in a language which draws the faithful into the heart of the mystery of faith. Texts should transcend the vagaries of linguistic fads. Local languages present particular difficulties, as in my own diocese with Scots Gaelic. In situations like this, local conferences of bishops should be given the authority to produce and approve such liturgical texts. Migrants from European countries require the services of chaplains of their own language who will accompany them."

ARCHBISHOP LIBORIUS NDUMBUKUTI NASHENDA O.M.I., OF WINDHOEK, NAMIBIA. "The theology of the Eucharist touches almost every major area of theology. From Vatican Council II forward, all major themes have been treated. Thus, any document forthcoming from the Synod of Bishops should provide a balanced, interrelated treatment of the theme. It would be a mistake to produce a document which treats only some of the themes as a corrective to certain perceived abuses. The document should rather offer pastoral suggestions responding to the needs of people on the ground who are deprived of the gift of the Eucharist (for example, divorced persons receiving holy communion, to mention but one such situation). We should, at all costs, avoid producing a disciplinary document, or one perceived to concentrate on rubrics without a firm underpinning of theology. ... We Synod Fathers should all be aware that the document we produce is to be a part of the trilogy on the Eucharist produced recently. First, the letter of our late Holy Father, Mane nobiscum Domine; then the reflection issued by the Congregation for Divine Worship; and now the Synodal reflection."

ARCHBISHOP FELIX ALABA ADEOSIN JOB OF IBADAN, NIGERIA. "I wish to address this assembly on the pastoral care of immigrants. .