The synodal way is not an invention of Pope Francis, but it is based on Jesus’ way of inclusivity and listening, and on divine revelation itself, said Redemptorist Father Vimal Tirimanna, a leading moral theologian from Sri Lanka.
International News
Synod Focus on ‘Inclusion’ Key for People with Disabilities, Member Says
In many places in the world, including in Rome, people with disabilities cannot enter Catholic churches because of the architectural barriers, but even when they do, “we are not asked anything and we are not asked to participate either,” said Enrique Alarcón García.
Catholic Patriarch Offers to Be Exchanged for Hostages Held by Hamas
Amid the ongoing Israeli-Hamas war, a top Catholic leader in the Middle East said he would be willing to trade places with Israeli children who have been among those taken hostage by Hamas terrorists.
Synod Looks at Catholics’ Shared Mission, But Also Exclusion of Women
The life of women in the Catholic Church “is full of scars” and alternating experiences of being encouraged or rejected, the president of Latin America’s religious superiors told members of the assembly of the Synod of Bishops.
Israeli Families Missing Loved Ones Wait for Proof of Life; Patriarch Appeals for Prayer, Fasting
By Judith Sudilovsky JERUSALEM (OSV News) — Just before the children in her kindergarten class went on vacation for the Jewish Sukkot festival, Romina Shvalb, 42, a kindergarten teacher in the quiet Israeli kibbutz of Nir Oz near the Gaza border, had baked challah — the braided sweet bread Jews traditionally eat on the Sabbath […]
Catholic Colleges, Universities Condemn Hamas Attacks on Israel, Pray for Peace
Catholic colleges and universities throughout the U.S. have condemned a devastating attack on Israel, while calling for prayers for peace.
Pilgrims Celebrate St. Thérèse in Lisieux, Where Singer Édith Piaf Was Cured of Blindness
Nearly 30,000 pilgrims flocked to Lisieux for the so-called Theresian feasts, celebrated Sept. 30-Oct. 8 in France’s northern Normandy region, where the famous French saint, born Jan. 2, 1873, lived and died.
Testimonies Give Insight into How Synod on Synodality Can Realize Pope’s Vision for Church
The global Synod on Synodality has been two years in the making, but even as the synod’s universal stage in Rome is underway, the synod’s public discussions are revealing how this process is starting to free the church to realize the vision of a missionary church Pope Francis advanced at the very beginning of his pontificate with the publication of “Evangelii Gaudium.”
Synod Participants Claim ‘No Polarization’ on Women, LGBTQ+ Issues
Participants in Pope Francis’ ongoing Synod of Bishops on Synodality said Wednesday that Church doctrine is not up for discussion on issues such as women and the inclusion of LGBTQ+ Catholics, and that while opinions on these topics may differ, there is no “polarization.”
Despite Prejudices, Many Catholics Helped Rescue Jews in Nazi-Occupied Italy
Generosity and compassion for those fleeing persecution prevailed over racial laws and centuries-old anti-Semitic prejudices in Nazi-occupied Italy, some Jewish and Catholic historians said at an international conference.