Pope Francis has appointed Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich of Luxembourg as relator general for the 16th general assembly of the Synod of Bishops.

The Synod of Bishops will meet in October 2023 to discuss the question of synodality in Church governance. The relator general plays a key role: helping with the preparation of the Synod’s working document, introducing the discussion when the bishops convene, and summarizing the conclusions of their deliberations.

In addition to his responsibilities as head of an archdiocese that includes the entirety of Luxembourg, Cardinal Hollerich is the president of the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE). He is regarded as an ally of Pope Francis, a fellow Jesuit, and has spoken positively about the German bishops’ “Synodal Path.”