“If expressly approved by the Roman Pontiff”, the final document participates in the ordinary magisterium of the Successor of Peter”. This is one of the novelties contained in Pope Francis’ Apostolic Constitution “Episcopalis Communio” on the Synod of Bishops, released today. “After approval by its members, the final document of the Assembly is offered to the Roman Pontiff who will decide on its publication”, Article 18 about the conclusion of the Synodal process reads: “If expressly approved by the Roman Pontiff, the final document participates in the ordinary magisterium of the Successor of Peter”. “If the Roman Pontiff grants the Synodal Assembly decision-making powers – the Pope continued -, then the final document participates in the ordinary magisterium of the Successor of Peter once he has ratified and promulgated it. In this case, the final document is published with the signatures of the Roman Pontiff and the members”. As regards the approval of the final document, Pope Francis called on everyone to seek “moral unanimity as far as possible”.
Already Paul VI, Pope Francis recalled in his Apostolic Constitution, established that the Synod of Bishops “should normally have an advisory function, giving the Roman Pontiff, under the impulse of the Holy Spirit, information and advice about the various ecclesial issues”, but at the same time, “it could also enjoy decision-making powers, should the Roman Pontiff so wish”. Even after the publication of the Code of Canon Law and the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches, the Synod of Bishops has “continued to evolve gradually”, up to the most recent edition of the Ordo Synodi, promulgated by Pope Benedict XVI on 29 September 2006. “In recent years, since the synodal action has been particularly effective in response to questions that require the timely intervention and agreement of the pastors of the Church – the Pope wrote -, there has been a growing desire that the Synod should increasingly become a particular manifestation of the efficacious realization of the solicitude of the episcopate for all the Churches”. “All the pastors have been constituted for service to the holy People of God, to which they themselves pertain in virtue of the Sacrament of Baptism”, Pope Francis explained with regard to the nature of the Synod, which is “called, like every other ecclesiastical institution, to increasingly become an adequate channel for the evangelization of today’s world, rather than for its self-preservation”.