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FAITH/STORIES

Bishops and cardinals attend the morning session of the extraordinary Synod of Bishops on the family at the Vatican Oct. 13.

Family synod midterm report: Welcome gays, nonmarital unions

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VATICAN CITY - In strikingly conciliatory language on situations contrary to Catholic teaching, an official midterm report from the Synod of Bishops on the family emphasized calls for greater acceptance and appreciation of divorced and remarried Catholics, cohabitating couples and homosexuals.

Father Karol Wojtyla, the future Pope John Paul II, is pictured reading in a kayak in this photo dated 1955. Less than six months after St. John Paul II was canonized, questions are being raised about a book of lectures he penned on social ethics as a yo ung priest in his Polish homeland.

Debate emerges on St. John Paul II's early writings on social ethics

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WARSAW, Poland - Less than six months after St John Paul II was canonized, questions are being raised about a book of lectures he penned as a young priest in his Polish homeland.

Pope Paul VI greets the crowd as he visits the parish of Jesus the Divine Master in Rome April 2, 1972. Pope Francis will beatify Pope Paul Oct. 19 during the closing Mass of the extraordinary Synod of Bishops on the Family.

Paul VI beatification highlights dialogue, Vatican II, love for Church

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VATICAN CITY - Meeting Catholics from Pope Paul VI's home diocese, Brescia, Pope Francis said his predecessor's witness "nourishes within us the flame of love for Christ, love for the Church and the drive to proclaim the Gospel to the people of today with mercy, patience, courage and joy."

Cardinals and bishops leave the morning session of the extraordinary Synod of Bishops on the family at the Vatican Oct. 9.

Catholic bishops debate: Where does doctrine end and pastoral practice begin?

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Senior Catholic leaders meeting at the Vatican are deep into passionate debates about how the Church can respond to the realities of modern family life, yet at the same time they have repeatedly stressed that they are not going to alter long-standing doctrines, such as the teaching on divorce and remarriage.

Archbishop Paul-Andre Durocher, president of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, laughs as he talks with Cardinal Donald W. Wuerl of Washington before the morning session of the extraordinary Synod of Bishops on the family at the Vatican Oct. 9. At left is Cardinal Peter Erdo of Esztergom-Budapest, Hungary, relator for the synod.

Gospel is joyful path, not burdensome rules, Durocher tells Synod

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VATICAN CITY - The Church needs to find better ways to show how the Gospel message is a way of life meant to bring great joy to couples and families, and is not a burdensome set of rules aimed at exclusion, Archbishop Paul-André Durocher told the extraordinary Synod of Bishops on the family.

.S. Cardinal Raymond L. Burke, prefect of the Supreme Court of the Apostolic Signature, walks with Alice and Jeff Heinzen of Menomonie, Wis., as they leave the morning session of the extraordinary Synod of Bishops on the family at the Vatican Oct. 9. Th e couple are auditors at the synod.

Speakers ask Pope, Synod to clear up 'confusion' on contraception

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VATICAN CITY - A married couple from Brazil told Pope Francis and the Synod of Bishops that the Church should stop giving "contradictory advice" on birth control and help Catholics obey Church teaching against contraception.

Jim Derrick and Alfie Travassos exchange rings as they get married at the Salt Lake County Government Complex in Salt Lake City Oct. 6. In reaction to the U.S. Supreme Court declining to review rulings overturning state bans on same-sex marriage, U.S. Ca tholic bishops reiterated church teaching on traditional marriage, that it is a union between one man and one woman.

U.S. bishops emphasize traditional marriage after Supreme Court action

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WASHINGTON - After the U.S. Supreme Court Oct. 6 declined to review rulings overturning five states' bans on same-sex marriage, several U.S. bishops criticized the court's inaction and reiterated that according to Church teaching, traditional marriage is a union between one man and one woman.

Fr. Thomas Rosica

Mixing it up: Synod members turn to metaphor to get message across

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VATICAN CITY - Pope Francis may be the universal Church's undisputed master of metaphor and analogy, but other members of the Synod of Bishops on the family are showing a willingness to use snappy images to get their points across, too.

Pope Francis odds-on favourite to win Nobel Peace Prize

Pope Francis odds-on favourite to win Nobel Peace Prize

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VATICAN CITY - Pope Francis is tipped to win this year’s Nobel Peace Prize, according to some of the world’s leading bookmakers.

Real-life experience can strengthen Church teaching, bishops tell Synod

Real-life experience can strengthen Church teaching, bishops tell Synod

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VATICAN CITY - When Catholics see couples who are patient, kind, never jealous or rude, they "behold the beauty and simplicity and strength of married love," but the Church also must learn to help and to heal those whose dreams for lifelong love have been shattered, said Scottish Archbishop Philip Tartaglia.

On sexual and medical ethics, synod fathers speak of 'graduality'

On sexual and medical ethics, synod fathers speak of 'graduality'

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VATICAN - In their discussions of sexual and medical ethics, participants at the Synod of Bishops on the family are giving emphasis to the concept of "graduality," as a way of thinking about morality that allows for human imperfection without compromising ideals.

Irish abuse victim Marie Collins, the lone clerical abuse survivor nominated by Pope Francis to sit on the new Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, looks at Boston Cardinal Sean P. O'Malley during their first briefing at the Holy See press office at the Vatican May 3. The papal commission will be expanding its nine-member panel to include more experts and another survivor of clerical abuse.

Vatican's abuse panel plans to include more experts, another survivor

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VATICAN CITY - A papal commission on child protection will be expanding its nine-member panel to include more experts and another survivor of clerical abuse.

Speakers tell pope, synod that parishes should welcome same-sex couples

Speakers tell pope, synod that parishes should welcome same-sex couples

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VATICAN CITY - A married couple told Pope Francis and the Synod of Bishops on the family that Catholic parishes should welcome same-sex couples, following the example of parents who invite their son and his male partner to their home for Christmas.

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