Pope Francis closed the two week Synod on the Family, with a speech that received a four minute standing ovation.
He described the Synod as a journey that combined both fatigue and joy.
POPE FRANCIS
'Moments of consolation and grace and comfort hearing the testimonies of the families who have participated in the Synod and have shared with us the beauty and joy of their married life.â?
He also described the lively debates as something positive. He sent out a message to both liberals and conservatives. On one side he urged bishops to not give into the temptation of acting on deceptive mercy. On the other side, he also warned about being inflexible.
POPE FRANCIS
'This is wanting to close oneself within the written Word and not allowing oneself to be surprised by God, by the Spirit of surprises.â?
Pope Francis made it a point to listen during the two week synod, not uttering a word during the debates. At the end, he gave the summarizing speech, that was very much welcomed.
He then walked over to the press area to thank the news crews.
'Thank you very much to you and your colleagues, for your hard work. Thank you very much.â?
The final report is a 62 point document which will serve as a point of reference for the second phase of the Synod, which will take place in October 2015.
READ THE POPE'S FULL SPEECH
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