Pope Francis has nominated Bishop Nicholas Hudson, as a member of the 16th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops that will convene from 4th to 29th October in Rome. Bishop Nicholas led a team of four in-person delegates at the Synod’s European Continental Assembly meeting in Prague in February 2023.

“I feel very honoured to have been nominated by the Holy Father to be a member of the October Synod; and to have been asked to play a part in the contribution of England and Wales to this vital work of the Universal Church,” said Bishop Nicholas.

“I trust that all of us who take part in this Synod will experience something of the same ‘transformative power of listening’ which characterised the European Continental Assembly. I hope we will know in Rome the deep sense gained in Prague of standing alongside one another with our gaze fixed on Christ – sometimes even a sense of His walking among us, contemplating with us the mystery of the Church.”

He joins Archbishop John Wilson and Bishop Marcus Stock as episcopal members of the Synod from England and Wales. Fr Jan Nowotnik is a non-bishop member with voting rights.

Dominican friar Fr Timothy Radcliffe OP will lead a synod retreat for participants and has been nominated a Spiritual Assistant.

Professor Anna Rowlands and Dr Austen Ivereigh will serve as experts/facilitators.

Bishop Nicholas is auxiliary bishop in the Diocese of Westminster with responsibility for Justice and Peace.

Links

Synod Working Document: Instrumentum Laboris

Catholic Bishops Conference of England and Wales: Synod Webpages

Vatican: Synod Website