Headed by Brazilian Cardinal Sergio da Rocha of Brasilia, the group of five cardinals, three bishops and four priests come from or work in Italy, India, Ghana, Ukraine, Mexico, Cuba, Argentina, Brazil and Australia. The Vatican released the names Oct. 10.

Cardinal Rocha, 58, relator general or recording secretary of the synod, will lead the commission with the assistance of Italian Cardinal Lorenzo Baldisseri, 78, general secretary of the synod, and the synod's two special secretaries:

-- Italian Jesuit Father Giacomo Costa, 51, editor-in-chief of the magazine, Aggiornamenti Sociali and vice president of the Carlo Maria Martini Foundation.

-- Italian Salesian Father Rossano Sala, 48, professor of youth pastoral ministry at Rome's Salesian Pontifical University and editor-in-chief of a magazine on pastoral care for youth.

Commission members who were elected by continent are:

-- Ghanaian Cardinal Peter Turkson, who turns 70 Oct. 11, prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development.

-- Mexican Cardinal Carlos Aguiar Retes, 68, of Mexico City.

-- Indian Cardinal Oswald Gracias, 73, of Mumbai, president of the Indian bishops' conference.

-- Italian Archbishop Bruno Forte, 69, of Chieti-Vasto.

-- Australian Archbishop Peter A. Comensoli, 54, of Melbourne.

Commission members who were appointed by the Pope are:

-- Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, 48, of Kiev-Halych, Ukraine, head of the Ukrainian Catholic Church.

-- Brazilian Father Alexandre Awi Mello, 47, secretary of the Dicastery for Laity, the Family and Life.

-- Argentine Father Eduardo Gonzalo Redondo, head of vocational pastoral care in Cuba.