Synod study groups offer proposals for ad limina visits; relations between bishops, religious superiors

September 09, 2026

The General Secretariat of the Synod yesterday released the final report of one of the study groups formed during the synod on synodality, as well as the second part of the final report of another study group.

Study Group 6’s report is entitled “The revision, in a synodal missionary perspective, of the documents touching on the relationship between Bishops, Consecrated Life, and Ecclesial Associations” (executive summary, full text). The 69-page report offers proposals in three areas: “relations between bishops and consecrated life,” “collaboration between episcopal conferences and conferences of major superiors,” and “relations between ecclesial associations and Local Churches.”

The second part of Study Group 7’s report is entitled “Some aspects of the person and ministry of the Bishop (in particular: criteria for selecting candidates to the episcopacy, the judicial function of the Bishops, the nature and structure of ad limina Apostolorum visits) from a missionary synodal perspective” (executive summary, full text).

The nine-page report proposes that following their ad limina vists to Rome, “each diocesan Bishop, together with the other members of the faithful who may have accompanied him to Rome, should report to the local Church on the results of the ad limina visit through one or more public meetings.” The report also calls for the creation of an “independent ecclesial commission” to evaluate the ad limina process at regular intervals.

The first part of Study Group 7’s report was previously released; it addressed the appointment of bishops.

Pope Francis established the study groups in February 2024, between the first (October 2023) and second (October 2024) sessions of the synod on synodality, to examine topics raised in the first session. Eight of the groups have now released their final reports. The General Secretariat stated on March 3:

The Final Reports are the fruit of a structured process: the listening to diverse competencies and professional expertise, the analysis of numerous contributions, academic research, dialogue with various ecclesial bodies—from Episcopal Conferences to Catholic universities—and, above all, discernment and prayer. They are to be understood as working documents.

 

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Further information:

• Mandatory agreements with religious institutes, diocesan delegations to Rome for ad limina visits: the proposals of Study Groups 6 and 7 (General Secretariat of the Synod, 9/8/26)
• Synod: Reports published on relations between bishops, consecrated life, and ad limina visits (Vatican News, 9/8/26)