Rome (Italy). On 7 July 2023, at the Press Office of the Holy See, the list of participants in the XVI Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops was presented, the first session of which will be held in the Vatican from 4 to 29 October 2023.
In the list, there are 378 Members with the right to vote: designated ex officio, i.e., for their function, such as the heads of Dicasteries and Patriarchs; ex electione – elected by the Episcopal Conferences or by the Synods of the Eastern Catholic Churches and then ratified by the Holy Father; or ex pontifical nomination, i.e., directly appointed by the Holy Father. Among the ex electione Members, the Pope has established that there are five consecrated men and women.
From a list of one hundred and forty people proposed by the continental bodies, the Pope has chosen seventy non-Bishop faithful. Priests, deacons, lay men and women, consecrated men and women have been identified to guarantee a variety in terms of charisms, vocations, ecclesial experience, age, country of origin, and by virtue of their participation in various capacities in the synodal process. Half are women and half are men. A total of 85 women are present at the meeting, of which 54 have the right to vote.
“We have tried to include a representation of all the people of God”, explained Cardinal Mario Grech, Secretary General of the Synod, during the press conference.
Other people who do not have the right to vote also participate in the assembly: 8 special guests and 75 other participants, including 57 Experts and Facilitators. These are Experts, competent people in various capacities on the subject dealt with, to which are added for the first time, some Facilitators. The Experts cooperate with the Special Secretaries according to their competences and among them, the Facilitators will have the task of facilitating the exchange in the working groups (small circles).
Among the Experts and Facilitators, at the service of the dynamics of the synodal assembly, Sister Yvonne Reungoat, Mother General emerita of the FMA Institute, was also nominated.
Mother Yvonne Reungoat was the 9th Superior General of the Institute of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians (2008-2021). From 2018 until 4 June 2023, she was President of the Union of Major Superiors of Italy (USMI) and since 2019, she is a member of the Congregation for Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life. On 13 July 2022, the Holy Father appointed her as a member of the Dicastery for Bishops.
The wishes of Mother Chiara Cazzuola, Superior General of the Institute of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians:
“As we rejoice with Mother Yvonne for this new and precious task entrusted to her by the Holy Father, we assure her of our prayers and our closeness, which will be more intense during the synodal sessions. We feel honored by this significant choice of Pope Francis and we entrust Mother Yvonne to the particular protection of Mary Help of Christians and our Holy Founders.
We also wish a good mission to Fr. Andrea Bozzolo, Salesian of Don Bosco, Rector Magnificus of the Salesian Pontifical University, chosen like Mother Yvonne to be among the Experts and Facilitators; to Msgr. Timothy John Costelloe, Archbishop of Perth (Australia), among the President Delegates; and to the other SDB Bishops nominated as Members”.
To learn more and download the Instrumentum laboris of the First Session:
Gracias Madre Yvonne, por tu generosidad y presencia activa en El Sonodo. Desde ya te acompanamos con la oracion… Buen trabajo Eclesial y sinodal. Un abrazo desde Siria
Nos sentimos muy felices al tener tan dignos representantes de la familia salesiana en esos cargos de tanta responsabilidad
Oramos por ellos y de una manera especial por nuestra. Madre Yvonne
Que el Señor te dé toda la sabiduría para cumplir con tu vocación que te caracteriza y con tu cercanía puedas contribuir ha hacer de nuestra Iglesia un camino hacia Dios. Éxito
Querida Madre Yvonne, acompanho-lhe com minhas orações nesta importante missão a serviço da Igreja. Que o Espirito Santo esteja com todos vocês e realize o Pentecostes à Igreja nestes tempos atuais. Que Maria seja sua Mestra em todos os momentos.
Ci uniamo a tutti per augurarla per questo nuovo ruolo. Le promettiamo le nostre continue preghiere. Tanti cari ricordi della sua visita sulla nostra piccola isola di Gozo, Malta specialmente la commemorazione del 50’imo anniversario della presenza delle F M A a Gozo con la Santa Messa al Santuario Mariano Ta’ Pinu dieci anni fa! Quanta gioia ci ha portato in quei giorni! Grazie ancora e che Maria Ausiliatrice la continua a proteggere. Il Gruppo di ex Allieve delle FMA a Gozo.
Te acompañamos con cariño y oraciones querida Madre Yvonne
Nos félicitations Mère Yvonne pour la nomination. Que ka Vierge Auxiliatice vous accompagne toujours dans votre mission. Nous sommes unies avec vous dans la prière.
Congratulations Mo. Yvonne for having been chosen to be one of the participants of the upcoming Synod come October. May Mary Help of Christians be always your companion in the entire period of the SYNOD. Praying for you always!
Auguri, Madre Yvonne!! Assicuro a Lei preghiere speciale dal MedioOriente, la terra di Gesù.
Congratulazioni dall’ispettoria MOR!!
WE assure you of our fervent prayers mother Yvonne. Que le Seigneur te gardes toujours. In