The Synod has published the interim reports of its Study Groups, marking a key moment in the implementation phase of the Synod on Synodality. These documents reflect ongoing work by ten thematic groups and several commissions, all engaged in listening, discernment, and dialogue grounded in the synodal process.
Although a number of reports touch on consecrated life, Study Group 6 is most directly related, as it was tasked with “the revision, in a synodal missionary perspective, of the documents touching on the relationship between Bishops, consecrated life, and ecclesial associations.” The group organized its work around three themes: relationships between bishops and consecrated men and women, collaboration between Episcopal Conferences and Conferences of Major Superiors, and connections between ecclesial associations and local Churches. Members—including bishops, consecrated persons, and laity from diverse contexts—have engaged in dialogue, interviews, and questionnaires to identify challenges and best practices in fostering mutual respect, communion, and mission. In the coming months, this interim work will feed into a final report shaped through continued listening, especially with international bodies of consecrated life (UISG/USG) and relevant dicasteries.
The interim reports do not conclude the synodal work but mark a midpoint in an ongoing process. The study groups will continue refining their proposals through 2025, integrating feedback from episcopal conferences, theologians, and pastoral experience, before submitting final recommendations to the Pope. These results are intended to inform concrete decisions and reforms at the universal and local levels of the Church.
