By Junno Arocho Esteves Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — As disciples, Christians are called to imitate Jesus’ heart and lead others directly to him, without lecturing them, Pope Francis said. Thousands gathered in St. Peter’s Basilica Oct.25 for the closing Mass of the Synod of Bishops. The Mass concluded …

By Junno Arocho Esteves Catholic News Service Members of the Synod of Bishops trust the Holy Spirit and Pope Francis’ guidance in confronting issues facing today’s families, said Archbishop Stanislaw Gadecki of Poznan. “An atmosphere of fear does not exist because we believe in the Holy Spirit. We also believe …

By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — Two couples attending the Synod of Bishops on the family said what surprised them most about their first synod in Rome was reading inaccurate media coverage of the closed-door proceedings, the diversity problems families face around the world and the synod …

By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — Although the public is given glimpses of what happens inside the Catholic Church’s world Synod of Bishops, the meetings themselves take place behind closed doors. Celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, the Synod of Bishops has been the object of a …

By Rhina Guidos Catholic News Service PHILADELPHIA — It’s difficult to forget Pope Francis’ passionate Sept. 26 speech, his gestures and the tone of his voice when he addressed the value of the family in Philadelphia. A “society grows strong, grows in goodness, grows in beauty and truly grows if …

By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis planned two gatherings of the Synod of Bishops to focus on the family and urged participants to use the year between the assemblies as a time for “true spiritual discernment” with both study and prayer. In the months leading …

By Laura Ieraci Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY  — More than 1.5 million people are expected for the Mass with Pope Francis in Philadelphia this September, said organizers of the next World Meeting of Families. A high-level delegation from Philadelphia, led by Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, was in Rome as …

By Mary Rezac CNA/EWTN News Nearly 1,000 United States priests made their own a petition to the fathers of the upcoming Synod, originally made public and signed by nearly 500 English priests. The statement’s wording is exactly that of the English version, and urges the fathers of the upcoming Ordinary Synod …

By Francis X. Rocca Catholic News Service  VATICAN CITY — After several days of animated debate over its official midterm report, the Synod of Bishops on the family agreed on a final document more clearly grounded in traditional Catholic teaching. Yet the assembly failed to reach consensus on especially controversial …

By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service  VATICAN CITY — The extraordinary Synod of Bishops on the family must put greater focus on the beauty of the Christian vision of marriage and not let an approach of “welcoming” and mercy override the church’s duty to call people to turn away from …