The Bible Day & Night
Posted by Rebecca Teti in News on Monday, October 06, 2008 8:00 AM
RAI, the Italian TV network, is broadcasting the Bible—in its entirety—all week long.
Benedict XVI did his part, reading from Genesis yesterday evening to kick off the event. Here’s a livestream link .
During remarks at yesterday’s Angelus, the pope said the Biblethon is a fitting counterpart to the Synod on the Word of God, which Rachel writes about below.
Still feeling a little fuzzy on what a Synod might be? Archbishop Donald Wuerl of Washington, one of four American bishops participating, penned a nice column explaining.
At the conclusion of the Second Vatican Council, Pope Paul VI in consultation with the bishops from around the world decided that it would be very helpful to him and to all of the Church if from time to time, on a regular basis, some bishops would be called to Rome to meet with the Pope to discuss important issues affecting the Church and to offer guidance on those matters. Hence the synod, a meeting of a select number of bishops, was born.
There are several differences between the council and a synod. The council is much larger and prepares documents and teaches. A synod discusses matters and presents to the Pope its reflections. In the past the Pope has taken those reflections and then prepared his own document in the form of an encyclical or exhortation based on the conclusions of the synod.
In his homily for the Synod’s inaugural mass, the Pope said
if the proclamation of the Gospel constitutes her reason for being and her mission, it is indispensable that the Church know and live that which she proclaims so that her preaching is credible, despite the weaknesses and poverty of the human beings who constitute her.
Here’s a prayer the Vatican released for the success of the Synod:
Lord Jesus Christ, whom the Father has commanded us to listen as his beloved Son, shed your light upon your Church, so that she might have nothing more holy than to listen to your voice and follow you. You are the Supreme Shepherd and Ruler of Souls. Look then upon the Pastors of your Church gathered in these days with the Successor of St. Peter in synod assembly. We implore you to sanctify them in truth and confirm them in faith and love.
Lord Jesus Christ, send forth your Spirit of love and truth on the bishops in synod and on all who assist them in fulfilling their task. Make them more faithful to what the Spirit is saying to the Churches; stir their souls and teach them truth by that same Holy Spirit. Through their work, may the faithful of their Churches be purified and strengthened in spirit, so that they might greater follow the Gospel through which you accomplished salvation and they might make of themselves a living offering to the heavenly Father.
May Mary, the Most Holy Mother of God and Mother of the Church, assist the Bishops in these days, as she assisted the Apostles in the Upper Room, and intercede with motherly affection to foster brotherly communion among them, to allow them to rejoice in prosperity and peace in the calmness of these days, and, in reading the signs of the times, to celebrate the majesty of the merciful God, the Lord of History, to the praise and glory of the Most Blessed Trinity, Father Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.
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