Fourth Ordinary General Assembly - Catechesis in our Time (30 September-29 October 1977)
Fourth Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops
In Session: 30 September - 29 October 1977
Synod Fathers: 204
Topic: “Catechesis in our Time”
The discussion of the Synod Fathers, which gave special attention to the catechesis of children and young people, resulted in a series of 34 proposals or “Propositions” and over 900 suggestions regarding the subject. Six general areas were treated in the these recommendations: the importance of catechetical renewal, the nature of true catechesis, the persons involved in catechesis, the ongoing need of catechesis for all Christians, the means or channels of catechesis and the special aspects affecting catechesis.
On this occasion the Synod Fathers issued for the first time a Synodal statement entitled A Message to the People of God, in which the Synod Fathers pointed out that Christ is the center of salvation and, therefore, of catechesis. At the same time, they emphasized that all Christians have the responsibility of bringing Christ to the world.
Shortly after the conclusion of this Synod, Pope John Paul II issued the Apostolic Exhortation “Catechesi tradendae” of 17 October 1979, which utilized a great many of the Synod Fathers’ insights and proposals.
President-Delegates
S.Em.R. il Sig. Card. Sebastiano Baggio, Prefetto della Sacra Congregazione per i Vescovi (Vaticano)
S.Em.R. il Sig. Card. Antonio Ribeiro, Patriarca di Lisbona (Portogallo)
S.Em.R. il Sig. Card. Hyacinthe Thiandoum, Arcivescovo di Dakar (Senegal)
General Secretary
S.E.R. Mons. Władisław Rubin, Vescovo tit. di Serta (Vaticano)
General Rapporteur
S.Em.R. il Sig. Card. Aloisio Lorscheider, O.F.M., Arcivescovo di Fortaleza (Brasile)
Special Secretary
S.E.R. Mons. José Manuel Estepa Llaurens, Vescovo tit. di Tisili e ausiliario di Madrid (Spagna)
Documents of the Fourth Ordinary General Assembly
- Esortazione Apostolica Catechesi tradendae (16 ottobre 1979)
- DISCORSO DEL SANTO PADRE PAOLO VI AI PADRI SINODALI A CONCLUSIONE DELLA QUARTA ASSEMBLEA GENERALE- 29 ottobre 1977