The General Secretariat of the Synod is today publishing the interim Reports of the ten Study Groups, together with those of the Canonical Commission and the SECAM Commission on Polygamy.
“The release of these interim Reports, following those published at the beginning of the Second Session (2 October 2024), is timely,” writes Cardinal Mario Grech in the accompanying note, “as the work of the Groups – given the richness and complexity of most of the topics entrusted to them – has required more time than originally anticipated. In any case, some Groups are now nearing completion of their work, while others will continue in the months ahead”.
The documents presented here – prepared between the summer and autumn of this year – reflect the current progress of the work, highlighting both the synodal method that animates them and the concrete steps taken to put it into practice: mutual listening, analysis of the many contributions received, dialogue with local Episcopal Conferences, exchange among diverse areas of expertise, and the shared search for steps to be taken in docility to the Holy Spirit. Their publication seeks to promote a broader understanding of this phase of the Synod’s implementation process.
In addition, a brief presentation (containing the mandate and the names) of the Group on the Liturgy, recently established and which began its work at the end of July 2025, is also included. By contrast, no report is being published for the Group on Episcopal Conferences, Ecclesial Assemblies, and Particular Councils, whose establishment is still in progress.
The interim Reports are published here in Italian and in English. Each report specifies the original language.
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For Context
The ten Study Groups were the fruit of the First Session of the XVI Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, during which a number of significant issues emerged concerning the life and mission of the Church from a synodal perspective. On these issues, the Assembly had reached substantial consensus, but due to their nature, they required treatment at the level of the whole Church and in-depth study. Therefore, in March 2024, Pope Francis decided to establish these ten Study Groups by means of a Chirograph on the collaboration between the Dicasteries of the Roman Curia and the General Secretariat of the Synod, and by a Letter of Cardinal Mario Grech. Alongside them were placed the work of the Canonical Commission and, at the explicit request of SECAM, the Commission on Polygamy.
More recently, following the requests contained in the Final Document of the XVI Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, Pope Leo XIV has added two new groups: one on The Liturgy in a Synodal Perspective (DF 27) and one on The Statute of Episcopal Conferences, Ecclesial Assemblies, and Particular Councils (DF 124–129).
The Study Groups had originally been asked to deliver the fruits of their reflection to the Holy Father by the end of June 2025. With the death of Pope Francis, the election of Pope Leo XIV, and the need for some Groups to have more time, Pope Leo XIV, this past July, decided to extend the deadline, requesting that the final reports be submitted to him, insofar as possible, by 31 December 2025.
Some coordinators or members of the Study Groups are available to the press. For further information, please write to media@synod.va
The news release is also available in ESP, FRA, ITA and POR.
Download the Italian or the English version of all interim Reports.