While Synods of Bishops have been frequent throughout the centuries, the Second Vatican Council wished to make them something regular in the life of the Church. Periodically (every two or three years), bishops from each country or region, chosen by their fellow-bishops of the area, meet together in a Synod, along with the Pope, so as to study some important topic of church life and concern (Family, Formation of Priests, Evangelization, Penance...). Each makes his contribution with the fullest freedom. After the Synod, the Pope usually publishes an Apostolic Exhortation, putting together the richness of ecclesial wisdom thus brought to light: cf. Familiaris Consortio (1981) on marriage and family life, Reconciliatio et Paenitentia (1984) on the sacrament of Penance, Christifideles Laici (1988) on lay people, etc.

            'State in life' in secular language usually refers to the type of job or work each person has, and to whether or not he or she is married or single, etc. For a Christian the term should have a much richer meaning, for it implies a position in life which a person holds not by accident or even by simple personal preference, but essentially by a divine choice, within a plan of love drawn up by God.

            In the early Church the conviction was universal that to be a Christian was to be called to holiness, and that this was to be achieved there wherever each one was already living and working: "Every one should remain in the state in which he was called" (1 Cor 7:20).

            Under the title of "who belongs to the Catholic Church?", the new Catechism notes that fullness of Catholic communion depends on maintaining "the bonds constituted by the profession of faith, the sacraments, ecclesiastical government, and communion" (no. 836).

            Catholic communion is ruptured and one separates oneself from full life-giving participation in the Church, not only by heresy but also by schism. While heresy involves the formal denial of a point of doctrine taught by the Church's Magisterium as revealed truth, schism as such does not relate to doctrine but simply implies a refusal to accept the central or supreme governing authority of the Church; not preserving "unity or communion under the successor of Peter" (CCC 838; cf 2089).

Renewal.

            The Second Vatican Council was aimed at formulating principles for the renewal of ecclesial life in all its aspects. More than thirty years later, varying evaluations of the results are made. Some persons, perhaps feeling that renewal was a dangerous idea in itself, hold that in any case it went off the tracks from the start. Others think that it ran into too much entrenched opposition from conservative forces, and is now largely dead-ended, an ideal or a dream they no longer really believe in. For others again, it remains a program of hope, which is still being attempted or needs to be attempted. Pope John Paul II is evidently one of these; he is a firm believer in renewal and, as I see his ministry, it is being constantly spent in seeking to bring it about.

            Christ, present in his Church, continues to proclaim the message of Redemption and to offer the means of salvation to generation after generation: "I am with you always, to the close of the age" (Mt 28:20). He sent his Apostles and their successors to teach, guide and sanctify in his name, promising that he would be behind their teaching ("he who hears you hears me, and he who rejects you rejects me" (Lk 10:16), and guaranteeing those who obeyed their authority that it had a divine seal of approval placed on it: "whatever you [plural] bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you [plural] loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven" (Mt 18:18).

            "Communio": ecco il tema centrale e dominante del Concilio Vaticano II che presenta la Chiesa come la comunione del popolo di Dio, aperta a tutti gli uomini: iniziativa e forza divine per unire tutti in uno. "La Chiesa è in Cristo come sacramento, cioè segno e strumento dell'intima unione con Dio e dell'unità di tutto il genere umano" (Lumen Gentium, n. 1). Infatti il Concilio formula una chiamata poderosa e traccia le direttrici fondamentali per il rinnovamento della Chiesa e del mondo attraverso questo senso di "communio" (cfr. Relatio Finalis del Sinodo Straordinario di Vescovi, 7 decembre, 1985: Enchiridion Vaticanum 9, 1800-1809).

            Salvation comes from Jesus Christ who alone has the words of eternal life (cf. Jn 6:68). Hence arises the vital need to accept his Revelation; "he who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he does not believe will be condemned" (Mk 16:15-16).

            The truth that saves is something given; it is not invented by us, but revealed by God. It has already in fact been given in its entirety, and so the Church teaches that there can be no new public revelation after the death of the last Apostle (Denz. 3421).

            The ecclesiology of Vatican II centers on "communio", the vital union of each member of the Church with Christ, and of all with one other in Christ. As a more concrete way of expressing this "communio", the Council dwells on the expression "People of God".

            "People of God" recalls the whole history of salvation: God's care for those he has created. The result of Original Sin was not only that each one was estranged from him individually, but that they lost their natural solidarity among themselves and became fundamentally dispersed. God wished to save them not just singly or one by one, but to gather them together into a chosen people, and lead them - united under leaders designated and given by him - to the Promised Land (CCC 781; LG 9). The Jews in the Old Testament are a figure of the Church as the new Chosen People of God, open to all mankind.

1.         The sacramental nature of the Church.

            It is common to speak of the "mystery of the Church". "Mystery" in a religious sense does not imply something closed and inaccessible, but rather a reality so deep that we can always discover more to its meaning without ever exhausting it. The Church is more than she appears, and the key to grasping her full reality is faith; "it is only 'with the eyes of faith' that one can see her in her visible reality and at the same time in her spiritual reality as bearer of divine life" (CCC 770).

            The Church as Teacher - "Magister" - hands on the doctrine of salvation to each generation. Her "Magisterium" or teaching office is exercised when, in the name of Jesus and with his presence and protection, she teaches truths which need to be believed and practised (faith and morals) if one is to get to heaven: "Go and make disciples of all nations..., teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; I am with you always, to the close of the age" (Mt 28:18-20); "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he does not believe will be condemned" (Mk 16:15-16).