SYNOD FATHERS OF THE THIRTEENTH ORDINARY GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE SYNOD OF BISHOPS

Vatican City,  (VIS) - The Holy Father has appointed the following prelates as Synod Fathers for the forthcoming Thirteenth Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, due to take place from 7 to 28 October on the theme: "The New Evangelisation for the Transmission of the Christian Faith".

- Cardinal Angelo Sodano, dean of the College of Cardinals.

- Cardinal Joachim Meisner, archbishop of Cologne, Germany.

- Cardinal Vinko Puljic, archbishop of Vrhbosna-Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

- Cardinal Polycarp Pengo, archbishop of Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania and president of SECAM/SCEAM (Symposium of the Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar).

- Cardinal Christoph Schonborn O.P., archbishop of Vienna, Austria.

- Cardinal George Pell, archbishop of Sydney, Australia.

- Cardinal Josip Bozanic, archbishop of Zagreb, Croatia.

- Cardinal Peter Erdo, archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest, Hungary and president of CCEE (Council of European Episcopal Conferences).

- Cardinal Agostino Vallini, His Holiness' vicar general for the diocese of Rome.

- Cardinal Lluis Martinez Sistach, archbishop of Barcelona, Spain.

- Cardinal Andre Vingt-Trois, archbishop of Paris, France.

- Cardinal Oswald Gracias, archbishop of Bombay, India and secretary general of FABC (Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences).

- Patriarch Francesco Moraglia of Venice, Italy.

- Archbishop John Olorunfemi Onaiyekan of Abuja, Nigeria.

- Archbishop Hector Ruben Aguer of La Plata, Argentina.

- Archbishop Antonio Arregui Yarza of Guayaquil, Ecuador, president of the Ecuadorian Episcopal Conference.

- Archbishop John Atcherley Dew of Wellington, New Zealand, president of FCBCO (Federation of Catholic Bishops' Conferences of Oceania).

- Archbishop Jose Octavio Ruiz Arenas, secretary of the Pontifical Council for Promoting New Evangelisation.

- Archbishop Jose Horacio Gomez of Los Angeles, U.S.A.

- Archbishop Carlos Aguiar Retes of Tlalnepantla, president of CELAM (Latin American Episcopal Council).

- Archbishop Bernard Longley of Birmingham, England.

- Archbishop Ricardo Antonio Tobon Restrepo of Medellin, Colombia.

- Archbishop Luis Antonio G. Tagle of Manila, Philippines.

- Archbishop Filippo Santoro of Taranto, Italy.

- Bishop Javier Echevarria Rodriguez, prelate of the Personal Prelature of Opus Dei.

- Bishop Dominique Rey of Frejus-Toulon, France.

- Bishop Menghisteab Tesfamariam M.C.C.J., eparch of Asmara, Eritrea.

- Bishop Benedito Beni dos Santos of Lorena, Brazil.

- Bishop Santiago Jaime Silva Retamales, auxiliary of Valparaiso, Chile and secretary general of CELAM.

- Bishop Luigi Negri of San Marino-Montefeltro, Italy.

- Bishop Alberto Francisco Sanguinetti Montero of Canelones, Uruguay.

- Bishop Enrico Dal Covolo S.D.B., rector of the Pontifical Lateran University in Rome.

- Fr. Julian Carron, president of the Fraternity of Communion and Liberation.

- Fr. Renato Salvatore M.I., superior general of the Clerks Regular Ministers to the Sick (Camillians).

- Fr. Heinrich Walter, superior general of the Schoenstatt Fathers.

- Fr. Jose Panthaplamthottiyil C.M.I., prior general of the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate.