Pope Francis Opens Vatican Synod on Family Issues
Elisabetta Povoledo of The New York Times reports that Pope Francis opened a Vatican synod on family issues on Sunday by confirming the sanctity of marriage between a man and a woman. But he also called on the church to be sensitive to the needs of modern society. More than 300 clergy members will attend the synod, which is expected to engender lively debate over the aspects of marriage in the Catholic Church that have caused disputes in past, including divorce and same-sex couples. Cardinal Lorenzo Baldisseri, general secretary of the synod, said, “The pope has invited the synod fathers to discuss with openness.”