The apostolic nuncio in Israel and the apostolic delegate for Jerusalem and   
   Palestine presented reports n the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and on the   
   presence of Christians in the Holy Land. A solution to the Israeli-Palestinian   
   conflict is crucial for the stabilisation of the Middle East and for peace in   
   the region. Indeed, after many years it remains unresolved, with the very   
   grave regional and global consequences this implies. In this regard, the Holy   
   Father's pilgrimage to the Holy Land and the subsequent prayer meeting in the   
   Vatican opened up hopes for peace. The recent conflict in Gaza recalls that   
   the situation is serious and difficult, but it is necessary to renew   
   diplomatic efforts for a just and lasting solution that respects the rights of   
   both parties to the conflict.   
    After a moment of dialogue, the Secretary of the Pontifical Council for   
   Promoting Christian Unity provided information on the relationship between the   
   Catholic Church and other Churches and Christian confessions in the Middle   
   East.   
    In the afternoon, two reports will be heard on the role of the Church in   
   relation to the refugee crisis and in the promotion of justice and peace,   
   presented by the Secretary of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of   
   Migrants and Itinerant Peoples and the Prefect of the Pontifical Council   
   "Justice and Peace". After a lengthy dialogue, the afternoon session will   
   conclude with Vespers and a fraternal dinner at the Domus Sanctae Marthae.   
    Tomorrow, the final day of the meeting, Holy Mass will be celebrated in the   
   Pauline Chapel of the Apostolic Palace, presided by the Cardinal Secretary of   
   State, followed by an exchange of ideas in relation to the conclusions and   
   working guidelines emerging from these days of study and reflection.   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    Cardinal Baldisseri on the Synod on the Family   
    Vatican City, 3 October 2014 (VIS) - A press conference was held this morning   
   in the Holy See Press Office during which Cardinal Lorenzo Baldisseri,   
   secretary general of the Synod of Bishops, outlined the structure of the   
   Extraordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops on the Family, to be   
   inaugurated by the Pope during a solemn mass in St. Peter's Basilica next   
   Sunday.   
    The Cardinal explained that among the 191 Synod Fathers there will be 61   
   Cardinals, one Cardinal Patriarch, 7 Patriarchs, one major archbishop, 67   
   metropolitan archbishops, 47 bishops, one auxiliary bishop, 1 priest and 6   
   religious. There will also be 16 experts, 38 auditors and 8 fraternal   
   delegates. He also remarked that since this assembly will consider the theme   
   of the family, special emphasis has been given to married couples, parents and   
   family heads, a total of 12 persons; there is also one married couple within   
   the group of experts.   
    He went on to speak about the characteristics of the upcoming Synod, which   
   show the Holy Father's wish to "undertake an innovative and original Synodal   
   path, structured in two phases: the current Extraordinary Assembly, on the   
   theme 'Pastoral challenges to the family in the context of evangelisation',   
   and next year's Ordinary Assembly, which will take as its theme 'The vocation   
   and the mission of the family in the Church and in the contemporary world'".   
   Cardinal Baldisseri noted that during the preparatory phase, "there resounded   
   the voice of all of the People of God", from bishops to lay faithful who were   
   able to express their opinions through the questionnaire linked to the   
   preparatory document distributed by the Episcopal Conferences. "The large   
   number of responses is due on the one hand to the theme of the Synod, which   
   regards the life of the community, families and people and reflects the   
   pastoral care that the bishops have always had in relation to the family. On   
   the other hand, the breadth of the material that was submitted is without   
   doubt an indication of the frankness and freeness with which the consultation   
   was carried out. This broad-ranging freedom of expression will also   
   characterise the Synod Assembly, which will certainly take place in an   
   atmosphere of respect for every position, with mutual charity and with a   
   genuinely constructive approach".   
    He continued, "other new elements will affect the organisation of the work of   
   the Synod, and therefore relate to the internal methodology of the Assembly.   
   First, the Relatio ante disceptationem will include various novelties, and the   
   Secretariat General asked the Synod fathers to transmit their contributions in   
   advance, indicating the issue on which they intended to speak during the   
   Assembly, respecting the order of themes. These texts were taken into   
   consideration during the drafting of the Relatio ante disceptationem, which   
   proved useful in organising the thematic agenda. In this way, the so-called   
   Relatio becomes reference point which may be worked upon during the   
   interventions in the Assembly".   
    Secondly, during the debate in the Synod Hall, which will take place during   
   the first week, beginning with the Second General Congregation, the thematic   
   order established following the Instrumentum laboris will be followed. Each   
   general Congregation will open with the announcement of the theme by the   
   president delegate, followed by an intervention by a married couple of   
   Auditors, who will offer the Synod Fathers their testimony of family life,   
   contributing to the enrichment of the debate on pastoral action.   
    Thirdly, during the "Relatio post disceptationem" issued at the end of the   
   first week will provide the basis for the work of the second week by the   
   so-called "small groups", when the Fathers prepare the final document, the   
   "Relatio Synodi", to be submitted to the Holy Father.   
    "There will also be novelties regarding the means of communication",   
   continued Cardinal Baldisseri. "Each day there will be a Briefing in the Holy   
   See Press Office, with the collaboration of the Press Secretaries and the   
   participation of various Synod Fathers. The Press Office Bulletin will contain   
   information regarding the day's work. Furthermore, there will be a Twitter   
   service to transmit brief summaries of the most important news in real time.   
    "The work of the Synod Fathers will be accompanied by the prayer of the   
   people of God", concluded Cardinal Baldisseri. In Rome, in the Salus Populi   
   Romani chapel in the Basilica of St. Mary Major, a bishop or a cardinal will   
   celebrate a Holy Mass for the family. The presence of the relics of the   
   Blessed couple Zelie and Louis Martin, and their daughter St. Therese of the   
   Child Jesus, are significant, as are those of the Blessed couple Luigi and   
   Maria Beltrame Quattrocchi. Throughout the world, prayers will be offered in   
   shrines, especially those dedicated to the Holy Family, in monasteries, in   
   communities of consecrated life, in dioceses and in parishes".   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    Audiences   
    Vatican City, 2014 (VIS) - Today the Holy Father received in audience   
   Cardinal Jaime Lucas Ortega y Alamino, archbishop of San Cristobal de La   
   Habana, Cuba.   
    In the afternoon of Thursday, 2 October, the Holy Father received in audience:   
    - Cardinal Mauro Piacenza, apostolic penitentiary;   
    - Bishop Hugo Nicolas Barbaro of San Roque of Presidencia Roque Saenz Pena,   
   Argentina; and   
    - Bishop Fernando Martin Croxatto, auxiliary of Comodoro Rivadavia, Argentina.   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
   For more information and to search for documents refer to the site:   
   www.visnews.org and www.vatican.va   
      
   Copyright (VIS):  the news contained in the services of the Vatican   
   Information Service may be reproduced wholly or partially by quoting   
   the source:  V. I. S. - Vatican Information Service.   
   http://www.vatican.va/news_services/press/vis/vis_en.html   
      
   --- MPost/386 v1.21   
    * Origin: Sursum Corda! BBS=Huntsville AL=bbs.sursum-corda.com (1:396/45)