There will be eighteen Bishops of the Episcopal Conferences of Africa, eleven from America and just as many, respectively, from Asia and Europe. The newsletter for the papal representatives, dated March 25th, announced that Pope Francis had ratified the members and substitutes elected by the entities entitled to participate in the XIV General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, which will take place from 4 to 25 October 25 of this year, on "The vocation and mission of the family in the Church and in the contemporary world." The Pope has also appointed two members and their substitutes of the "Sui Iuris" Oriental Catholic Churches.