OTTAWA - Four Canadian bishops are among the 262 prelates gathered at the Vatican for the Synod of Bishops on the New Evangeliza- tion for the Transmission of the Christian faith Oct. 7-28.

Quebec Archbishop Gérald Cyprien Lacroix, Saint-Hyacinthe Bishop François Lapierre, Nelson Bishop John Corriveau and Antigonish Bishop Brian Dunn will each be making five-minute presentations at the synod. They were elected earlier this year by their fellow bishops to be delegates.

During the annual plenary of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) in Ste-Adele, Que., Sept. 24-28 the delegates shared draft versions of their texts. The final texts will be published on the CCCB web site (www.cccb.ca) after they are delivered, the CCCB announced .

Corriveau was the first to speak, focussing on communion during his presentation Oct. 9. He told the synod that building community and promoting a sense of communion, particularly in the face of increasing individualism, is an important part of the new evangelization. The "spirituality of communion" is modeled on the relationship of love found among the members of the Trinity, a creative love revealed to humanity with the incarnation of Christ.

"The call to communion is more than a slogan. It is a conversion of heart," he said.

Lacroix told the bishops he would be speaking on sharing one's personal encounter with Jesus Christ and the willingness to welcome God's saving grace anew each day. He also stressed the role of lay men and women in sharing the Gospel.

Lapierre was to speak of new evangelization in the context of a Church that is increasingly impoverished, with aging priests and fewer interested young people. He said there are new opportunities hidden in these challenge.

Dunn was to examine what the Holy Spirit is saying to the Church in light of the sexual abuse crisis and proposes a deeper sense of listening and reconciliation to reach out to those who have been hurt.