The Catholic Union helped to organise a special briefing for parliamentarians in Westminster this week on the Church’s Synod.
The event was hosted by the Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on the Holy See, Alexander Stafford MP, in partnership with the Catholic Bishops Conference of England and Wales.
The briefing featured presentations from three guest speakers who have firsthand knowledge of the Synod process. A cross party group of MPs and peers attended the meeting, which took place on Tuesday 21 May in one of the Committee Rooms in the Palace of Westminster.
Professor Anna Rowlands, Fr Timothy Radcliffe, and Revd Dr Jan Nowotnik each shared some reflections on their experiences of being at the Synod of Bishops in Rome last year, and what the Synod means for the life of the Church.
The meeting was an opportunity to brief parliamentarians ahead of the second gathering of Bishops in Rome in October this year, which will draw the formal work of the Synod to a close.
Last week, a delegation from the APPG on the Holy See visited the Vatican for an audience with Pope Francis and meetings with senior clergy, lay, and religious leaders.
The Catholic Union became the secretariat for the APPG on the Holy See earlier this year. For more information on the work of the group, please contact info@catholicunion.org.uk.