The Holy See has appointed 45 persons as Experts and Observers for the forthcoming Thirteenth Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, 7 to 28 October on the theme: “The new evangelization for the transmission of the Christian faith.”
While they are not the full members of the Synod of Bishops (they’re not bishops) these people do have an essential role in that they will contribute to the conversation and will help to frame the outcome. Noteworthy are the number of women invited: 10 experts and 19 observers.
There will be seven US bishops and ten other Americans at the Synod.
The is the list of non-bishops from the Americas which ought to be noted (more noted here):
Sr. Sara Butler M.S.B.T., professor, St. Mary of the Lake University, Mundelein, and member of the International Theological Commission
Sr. Paula Jean Miller F.S.E., professor, Department of Theology of the University of St. Thomas, Houston
Sr. Mary Lou Wirtz F.C.J.M., president of the International Union of Superiors General
Marylee J. Meehan, president of the International Catholic Committee of Nurses and Medico-Social Assistants
Fr. Jeremy Driscoll O.S.B., professor, Theological Faculty of Rome’s St. Anselm Pontifical Athenaeum, and professor, Mount Angel Seminary, St. Benedict, OR
Edward Peters, professor, Sacred Heart Major Seminary, Detroit
Ralph Martin, director of graduate theological programs in the new evangelization at the Sacred Heart Seminary, Detroit
Carl Albert Anderson, supreme knight of the Knights of Columbus
Curtis A. Martin, founder and president of the Fellowship of Catholic University Students – Focus Missionaries
Peter Murphy, executive director of the Secretariat fo Evangelization and Catechesis, US Conference of Catholic Bishops.