The preparations for the 2008 Plenary began under the Presidency of Cardinal Paul Poupard in 2006 with a questionnaire sent out to all the Members and Consultors of the Pontifical Council. It was also sent to Catholic Cultural Centres and subscribers to the review Cultures and Faith with the invitation to signal those areas and ideas which would merit the attention of the Plenary Assembly. Meanwhile a study group was launched within the Secretariat of the Council to gather writings on secularisation from Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI.

In light of the responses which the Council duly received the following Instrumentum laboris was drawn up, which, together with the programme, gives a useful overview of the priorities of the working group overseen by the then Secretary of the Dicastery, Fr Bernard Ardrua.

You can download the Instrumentum laboris in the three main languages here: