VATICAN: Two Africans Re-elected Members of the Ordinary Council
Archbishop Nkea
Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA
On Wednesday, October 23, during the 15th General Congregation of the Synod of Bishops in Rome, the synod delegates elected new members of the Ordinary Council of the General Secretariat of the Synod, and two Africans who were in the previous council were re-elected.
The two Africans re-elected were His Eminence Dieudonné Cardinal Nzapalainga the Archbishop of Bangui in Central African Republic and member of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit (CSSp), together with Archbishop Andrew Nkea Fuanya of Bamenda Archdiocese in Cameroon.
During their meeting, the synod elected 12 council members: one from the Eastern Catholic churches, one from Oceania, and two each from North America, Latin America, Europe, Africa, and Asia. The new council members are expected to oversee the implementation of a synod after its conclusion and prepare for the next meeting of the Synod of Bishops.
In comparison to the current council, the Holy Father made a change that brings the total number of members to 17. Twelve of whom were elected from among the diocesan/eparchial bishops or equivalent who are members of the ongoing Assembly, four others will be selected by the Holy Father Pope Francis at a future date. These members of the ordinary council automatically become delegates for the next synod.
According to the Holy Father, after the theme for the next synod is announced, the prefect of the Vatican dicastery most closely tied to that theme will also be a member of the ordinary council.
Apart from the two Africans, other elected members of the Ordinary Council include:
From the Eastern Catholic Churches
His Beatitude Youssef Absi, Patriarch of Antioch of the Greek Melkites, head of the synod of the Greek Melkite Catholic Church
From Oceania
His Excellency Most Rev. Timothy John Costelloe, SDB, Archbishop of Perth, Australia
From North America
His Excellency Most Rev. Daniel Ernest Flores, Bishop of Brownsville, USA
His Excellency Most Rev. Alain Faubert, Bishop of Valleyfield, Canada
From Latin America
His Eminence Most Rev. Luis Cardinal José Rueda Aparicio, Archbishop of Bogotá, Colombia
His Excellency Most Rev. José Luis Azuaje Ayala, Archbishop of Maracaibo, Venezuela
From Europe
His Eminence Jean-Marc Cardinal Aveline, Archbishop of Marseille, France
His Excellency Msgr Gintaras Grušas, Archbishop of Vilnius, Lithuania
From Asia
His Eminence Filipe Neri Cardinal António Sebastião Do Rosário Ferrão, Archbishop of Goa and Damão, India
His Excellency Msgr. Pablo Virgilio S. David, Bishop of Kalookan, Philippines
