The 2015 Synod of Bishops on the Family concluded on Sunday with Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica.  On Saturday, the relatio finale (final document) of the Synod was approved and given to Pope Francis.  Archbishop Mark Coleridge of Brisbane, Australia has been keeping a blog throughout the three-week journey, and in his final post he ...read more

Pope Francis delivered the homily at Mass being offered on Sunday morning, the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time, to mark the close of the XIV Ordinary Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, who have been gathered in Rome for the past three weeks to reflect on and discuss the vocation and mission of the family ...read more

Below is the Vatican-provided translation of Pope Francis’ discourse at the conclusion of the Synod of Bishops on the Family in the Vatican’s Paul VI Hall this afternoon: Dear Beatitudes, Eminences and Excellencies, Dear Brothers and Sisters, I would like first of all to thank the Lord, who has guided our synodal process in these ...read more

The three week Synod on the family is finally over, but the homestretch did not come without some drama: an Italian newspaper, Quotiando Nazione, reported that Pope Francis has a small, benign brain tumour. Cue the denials and conspiracy theories. Pope Francis provided his own plot twist, taking the floor on Thursday afternoon to announce ...read more

Cardinal Wilfred Napier and Archbishop Mark Coleridge speak about the issues being discussed at the Synod, we hear from the representative of the Anglican Communion on his experience at the Synod, we sit down with Fr. Thomas Rosica to discuss media coverage of the Synod and lastly we talk to the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem. ...read more

Homily of His Holiness Pope Francis Mass of the Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time Canonization of Four Saints Sunday October 18, 2015 On Sunday, October 18, 2015, Pope Francis celebrated the Canonization Mass of four Saints: Saint Vincent Grossi, Saint Mary of the Immaculate Conception and Saints Louis Martin and Marie-Azélie Guérin. Read the full text of his ...read more

Pope Francis’ Address at Commemorative Ceremony for the 50th Anniversary of the Synod of Bishops – FINAL TEXT October 17, 2015 Paul VI Audience Hall – Vatican City Your Beatitudes, Your Eminences, Your Excellencies, Brothers and Sisters, As the Ordinary General Assembly is in full session, this commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary of the institution of ...read more

As discussion inside the Synod hall turned to issues that brought out personal stories and anecdotes from many participants, there was, according to the Vatican press office, an in-depth discussion around around divorced and civilly remarried Catholics and various calls for a better approach to marriage preparation. At least one member proposed that there should ...read more

The Synod of Bishops continues with more meetings of small language groups and three members share their experiences. Plus Sebastian Gomes has more on “letter-gate”. ...read more

The Synod of Bishops on the Family started this week. For a run down of what has been discussed so far, watch this week’s edition of Vatican Connections, or Salt and Light’s special synod coverage, Inside the Synod. There were a few non-synod items of interest over the past week. The pope’s message for World ...read more