Bishop of Sandhurst Shane Mackinlay has been elected as the Oceania representative on a commission charged with overseeing the drafting of the final Synod document.

Speaking before the vote of 350 people in the Vatican’s Paul VI Hall, commission secretary Monsignor Riccardo Battocchio reminded Synod participants the commission did not physically draft the final document but would oversee the work project.

Bishop Mackinlay is one of 14 Australians taking part in the Second Assembly of the XVI Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops.

The theme of the event is “For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation and Mission”.

The work of the synodal assembly – through plenary sessions known as “general congregations” and working groups – is being divided into five “modules” which mirror the sections of the Instrumentum laboris: Foundations, Relations, Pathways, Places and Conclusion.

The concluding module will be devoted to the discussion and approval of the final document which will go to Pope Francis, who is responsible under the Apostolic Constitution Episcopalis communio for its implementation.

The statement from the Vatican on the election can be found here