Speaking at a candlelight prayer vigil in St Peter rsquo s Square on the eve of the opening of the synod of bishops on the family Pope Francis made clear that he wants lsquo the synod fathers rsquo to listen attentively to God and to the cry of the people and to keep their sights fixed firmly on

ldquo A broad freedom of expression rdquo in ldquo a climate of respect for every position mutual charity and an authentic constructive sense rdquo will be the hallmarks of the extraordinary synod of bishops on the family that opens on October 5 nbsp Cardinal Lorenzo Baldisseri the Secretary

There is no world leader today truly free like Francis, or as original.

ldquo Nothing like this has happened in Hong Kong before I rsquo m just praying that it won rsquo t become like Tiananmen the situation is similar in many ways nbsp We must pray this does not happen rdquo This is what Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun told me by phone from Hong Kong on the evening

As the situation deteriorated in Hong Kong following police crackdown on protestors over the weekend Cardinal John Tong Hon the local bishop issued ldquo an urgent appeal rdquo to the government there ldquo to put the personal safety of fellow citizens as her prime concern rdquo and ldquo to

nbsp Not since the Second Vatican Council has a gathering of representatives of the world rsquo s Catholic bishops sparked such interest and controversy as the extraordinary synod of bishops on the family which opens in the Vatican on October 5 While the agenda is very wide public interest has ma

Pope Francis issued a heartfelt call to his brother Jesuits worldwide to ldquo row together rdquo with him as he rows with considerable effort in lsquo the barque of Peter rdquo and to ldquo pray a lot rdquo because ldquo the night and the powers of darkness are always close rdquo nbsp H

Pope Francis has deposed the controversial bishop of Ciudad del Este in Paraguay Monsignor Rogelio Ricardo Livieres Plano by relieving him of his duties as bishop of that diocese and declaring the see vacant nbsp The bishop was accused not only of incardinating a priest into his diocese in 2005

Recent appointments make clear that the safeguarding of children and minors is a top priority of Francis' pontificate.

The former nuncio to the Dominican Republic Archbishop Jozef Wesolowski was placed under house arrest on Sept 23 to prevent him from escaping justice or tampering with evidence the Director of the Vatican Press Office Fr Federico Lombardi S J told reporters today He will be tried at the end