On Sunday, Pope Francis declared that the Synod on Synodality would be continued until 2024.

The pope announced his choice to split the Synod of Bishops into two sessions, which will gather in Rome in October 2023 and October 2024, during his Oct. 16 Angelus address.

The decision was made, according to Pope Francis, “in order to have a more calm period of contemplation.”

Francis added, “The fruits of the ongoing synodal process are abundant, but in order that they can come to full maturity, it is vital not to be in a hurry.

“I trust that this decision will promote the understanding of synodality as a constitutive dimension of the Church, and help everyone to live it as the journey of brothers and sisters who proclaim the joy of the Gospel,” he said.