2015-10-09
(Vatican Radio) On Friday, the small groups of the Synod on the Family released their observations on the first part of the Instrumentum laboris, (the working document) that is the basis for the Synod’s discussions.
The Synod Fathers have been working in small groups, based on language, in order to respond to the the challenges facing the family today.
Continue reading Small group observations from the Synod on the Family -English Full Texts
2015-10-09
(Vatican Radio) The first round of small language group work at the Synod of Bishops on the Family concluded on Thursday evening. Bishops, religious and lay men and women, together with delegates from other Christian Churches, spent two and a half days behind closed doors discussing the challenges facing families in different countries around the world today. Continue reading Synod: Journeying together with very different perspectives – Bishop Tim Thornton
Vatican City, 9 October 2015 (VIS) – This morning, during the fourth General Congregation, the various Circuli Minori – thirteen in total – presented the results of their reflections on the first part of the Instrumentum Laboris examining the mission of the family in the Church and the contemporary world. Continue reading Circuli Minori – families are not alien to us
Vatican City, 9 October 2015 (VIS) – His Beatitude Louis Raphael I Sako, Patriarch of Babylon of the Chaldeans and head of the Synod of the Chaldean Church offered a meditation during this morning’s prayer before the resumption of the work of the Synod. The Patriarch commented on the reading from St. Paul’s epistle to the Romans, emphasising the apostle’s wish to visit and bring the Gospel to the Christian community in Rome. In this way he affirmed that “living the faith in communion brings consolation”.
Vatican City, 9 October 2015 (VIS). The Pope exhorted bishops to dedicate the Terce prayer “to the intention of reconciliation and peace in the Middle East”, as he opened the fourth General Congregation of the 14th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops in Vatican City this morning. The Pope also launched an appeal to the international community to find a way of resolving current conflicts, and finally urged the bishops to include in their prayer all those zones in Africa that are experiencing similar situations of conflict.
Continue reading Synod Terce Prayer: Appeal for peace in the Middle East and Africa
By Michael O’Loughlin National reporter October 9, 2015
As 270 Catholic bishops from around the world debate issues related to the family inside the Vatican’s Synod Hall from Oct. 4-25, activists, advocacy groups, and ordinary people with a cause to promote or a question to raise have descended on Rome to be active on the sidelines of the event, representing views across the spectrum. Crux is offering periodic snapshots of this “synod outside the synod,” profiling people and their causes.
ROME — Even as the Western world increasingly accepts same-sex marriage and moves on to other battles in the culture wars, the Catholic Church remains steadfast in its conviction that marriage is, and will always be, the union of one man and one woman. Continue reading A gay Catholic activist hopes for a softer tone and a merciful attitude
2015-10-08 Vatican Radio
(Vatican Radio) The work of the Synod of Bishops on the Family continued behind closed doors on Thursday as participants shared ideas and experiences within their small language groups. The results of discussions within those 13 small groups will be presented at a General Congregation in the main Synod Hall on Friday morning, marking the end of the first stage focused on the challenges facing families in different parts of the world today. Continue reading Cardinal Nichols urges Synod on Family to focus on joy
Vatican City, 8 October 2015 (VIS) – Married couples are participating as auditors in this year’s Synod dedicated to the family, presenting their concrete experiences as couples, parents or grandparents before the Assembly of cardinals, bishops, priests and experts. On 5 October the Assembly heard the testimony of the Mexican couple Gertrudiz Clara Rubio de Galindo and Andres Salvador Galindo, executive secretaries of the Episcopal Commission for the Family of the Episcopal Conference, secretaries of CELAM for the Mexico-Central America zone. On 6 October, during the third General Congregation, the Assembly was addressed by Buysile Patronella Nkosi and Meshack Jabulani Nkosi, members of the Advisory Committee for the National Family Desk of the Southern African Episcopal Catholic Bishops’ Conference. Continue reading Married couples speak before the Synod Assembly
2015-10-08 Vatican Radio
(Vatican Radio) On Thursday Oct. 8 at the daily press briefing for the Synod of the Family, three prelates spoke about issues from Africa and the Middle East. They said that the Synod is universal and that Africa and the West shared similar problems. Continue reading Synod on the Family: Press Briefing Day 4
8/10/15
Will the Catholic Church discuss “World Hunger” at the synod and take an active role in helping eliminate this world travesty?
This video below was produced in 2006 and nine years later “World Hunger” is still a problem. There is enough food for all. Why? Continue reading World Hunger at Synod???
2015-10-07 Vatican Radio
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis held his weekly General Audience on Wednesday in St. Peter’s Square – the first of three Wednesday Audiences scheduled to take place during the course of the XIV Ordinary Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, dedicated to reflecting on the family in the life of the Church and of society. Below, please find the official English-language summary of the Holy Father’s prepared remarks Continue reading Pope Francis at weekly General Audience
Vatican City, 7 October 2015 (VIS) – During the period of the Synod dedicated to “The vocation and the mission of the family in the Church and the contemporary world”, the catechesis of the Wednesday general audiences will focus on various aspects of the relationship between the Church and the family, the Pope announced this morning to the thousands of faithful gathered in St. Peter’s Square. Continue reading The spirit of the family is the constitutional charter of the Church
2015-10-07 Vatican Radio
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis held his weekly General Audience on Wednesday in St. Peter’s Square – the first of three Wednesday Audiences scheduled to take place during the course of the XIV Ordinary Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, dedicated to reflecting on the family in the life of the Church and of society. Continue reading Pope Francis at Audience: ‘family spirit’ a constitution for Church
Vatican City, 7 October 2015 (VIS) – The Holy See Press Office today published the following list of rapporteurs and moderators of the Circuli Minori: Continue reading Rapporteurs and moderators of the Circuli Minori of the Synod
Vatican City, 6 October 2015 (VIS) – This morning at 9 a.m., with the recitation of the Terce prayer, the third Congregation of the General Ordinary Assembly on the Family opened in the Synod Hall.
Continue reading It is not easy to be a prophet says Cardinal Alencherry to the Synod
2015-10-06 Vatican Radio
(Vatican Radio) On Tuesday afternoon, participants at the Synod of Bishops on the family move into small language group discussions, following on from one and a half days of presentations at the General Congregations. Philippa Hitchen takes a look at some of the key issues that have emerged during this first phase of the three week encounter…. Continue reading Keeping doors open at the Synod on the Family
2015-10-06 Vatican Radio
(Vatican Radio) Fr. Federico Lombardi, S.J. opened the daily press conference by explaining what had happened in the morning session. He said that the general secretary of the Synod, Cardinal Baldisseri, had explained “certain processes of the methodology” and its new elements. Continue reading Synod on the Family: Press Briefing Day 2
2015-10-06 Vatican Radio
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has warned against having a hard heart that is closed to God’s mercy. Speaking on Tuesday morning during Mass at the Casa Santa Marta before joining the Synod Fathers gathered in the Vatican Synod Hall, the Pope urged the faithful not to put one’s own convictions or a list of commandments before the Lord’s mercy. Continue reading Pope Francis: God wants his ministers to be merciful
Continue reading “The vocation and mission of the family in the Church and the contemporary world”
2015-10-05 Vatican Radio
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis addressed the General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops on Monday morning – the morning of their first full day of sessions. Below, please find Vatican Radio’s full English translation of the Holy Father’s remarks. Continue reading Pope Francis: full text of remarks at Synod opening
2015-10-04 Vatican Radio
(Vatican Radio) The front of St. Peter’s Basilica was lined with green and scarlet as the Synod Fathers gathered around the altar for the opening mass of the Ordinary Synod of Bishops on the Family on Sunday presided over by the Holy Father, Pope Francis. Continue reading Pope’s Homily at Opening Mass of the Synod of Bishops
Our God is not a God of confusion or chaos. His words and teachings regarding morality -marriage, homosexuality- are very clear. Continue reading 625,000 Catholics ask Pope Francis to dispel moral confusion at Synod
Wed Nov 5, 2014 – 6:54 pm EST
Editor’s note: The following interview with Bishop Athanasius Schneider, auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Saint Mary in Astana, Kazakhstan, was published today in the Polish magazine Polonia Christiana.
1. Your Excellency, what is Your Excellency’s opinion about the Synod? What is its message to families?
During the Synod there had been moments of obvious manipulation on the part of some clerics who held key positions in the editorial and governing structure of the Synod.
Continue reading SYNOD1 on Family – Bishop Athanasius Schneider – A Must Read
The Loud Cry 