Under the guidance of Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, the session of the Permanent Episcopal Council of the Italian Episcopal Conference (CEI) ended in Rome. A moment lived in the sign of prayer for Pope Francis, on the twelfth anniversary of his election, in a period marked by the disease. The bishops have renewed their closeness to the pontiff, ensuring their spiritual support and the profound bond of the churches in Italy.
The Eucharistic adoration with which the works have opened was a tangible sign of this communion, joining the prayer that for days has risen from Christian communities all over the world so that the Pope can find “relief in the body and consolation in the spirit”.
Jubilee: a time of conversion and courageous choices
Another central theme of the session was the Jubilee 2025that the bishops have defined a privileged opportunity for renewal and encounter with Christ. The Holy Year must translate into concrete experiences, such as the pilgrimage, a sign of the search for the meaning of life, and into actions that transform the “signs of the times” into Signs of hope. The permanent council underlined the importance of courageous choices in this time of grace: from amnesty of debts to the sharing of goods with the poor, from the promotion of social justice to the protection of the earth, recalling full ecology. The question of the economic debt of poor countriesburdened by suffocating interests that prevent essential investments in health, education and welfare. In the sign of the Holy Year, the bishops also relaunched the Pope’s appeal for concrete initiatives in favor of prisoners, such as forms of amnesty, alternative penalties and reparative justice.
Synod: towards the second national assembly
The path of renewal also includes the synodal process. The Italian bishops took stock of the preparation of the Second national assembly of the synodal journey, which will be held in Rome from 31 March to 3 April 2025.
At this stage, the CEI has entrusted its presidency and the bishops of the National Committee the drafting of the final document, the result of an ecclesial discernment that focuses on three fundamental aspects:
- Missionary renewal of pastoral practices;
- Missionary formation to faith and life;
- Co -responsibility in the ecclesial mission.
The propositions that will emerge from the Synodal Assembly will then be delivered to the bishops to outline the future guidelines, at the level of local churches and CEI.
An appeal for peace and a Europe protagonist of hope
International topical was another central concern. The bishops expressed pain for wars that bloody the world, relaunching the appeal of Pope Francis a Reduce military spending To allocate resources to the fight against hunger and support for the weakest. They recalled the words spoken by the Pope in Bari in 2020:
“War is madness”.
Faced with tensions and an increasingly aggressive language of international politics, CEI underlined the urgency of New ways to encourage dialogue and return to a culture of peace. In this context, the vocation of theEurope as custodian of peace and rightsunderlining the need for a European Union capable of recovering its founding values: freedom, democracy, social justice and solidarity.
The commitment of Catholics in politics
The bishops finally reflected on the role of Catholics in politicsurging to promote a new generation of leaders animated by the social doctrine of the Church. The recent Social Week of Trieste He highlighted an growing interest in a political commitment inspired by the Gospel. Among the concrete initiatives that emerged, the CEI underlined the importance of SSocial-political training leather for laity engaged; thenicer of education to the social doctrine of the Church; rIlancio of social pastoral care in the diocese.
The decisions of the CEI: Eucharistic Congress and 8xmille funds
During the session, the CEI approved that the next National Eucharistic Congress It will be held in 2027 between Orvieto and neighboring dioceses.
The program of the 80th General Assembly (26-29 May 2025) and the Message for the workers’ party (1 May 2025)focused on the theme “Work, a social alliance generating hope”.
The distribution of the Funds of 8xmillewhile the green light was given to Calendar of pastoral activities 2025-2026.
Finally, the CEI confirmed the renewal of the liturgy of the hours in Italiana project aimed at enhancing this prayer as an experience of the whole Christian community.
A path of hope for the Italian Church
The permanent council ended with a strong appeal to hope. In the sign of Jubilee, synodality and peacethe Italian bishops have renewed their commitment for a church close to the last, promoter of justice and witness of the Gospel in today’s world.
