In his weekly general audience, Pope Francis shed light on the recent Synod on the Family, where Bishops from all over the world discussed how the Church should respond to the modern day challenges faced by families.
The Pope highlighted that everyone was encouraged to speak candidly without any limits.
POPE FRANCIS
'There was no censorship in the Synod. No censorship! Every one was free to...In fact, everyone had the responsibility of sharing what they had in their hearts and what they honestly thought.â?
In light of some of the controversy regarding issues like marriage, divorce and homosexuality, the Pope said the truths about marriage were never put in question by the Synod Fathers. That includes the need to be open to life and the indissolubility of marriage.
POPE FRANCIS
'Some may ask, 'Father, did Bishops fight during the Synod?' No, I wouldn't say it was a fight...But strong words were said. Yes, that is true. But this is freedom. This is the freedom we find in the Church.â?
He went on to add that even though many documents were published in the discussion phase of the Synod, only three of them are official. They include his closing remarks, the summary report and the final message.
POPE FRANCIS
'Everything was made public. There was complete transparency. Everyone had access to what happened.â?
As far as media coverage, the Pope thanked reporters for their work, but he said that unfortunately some outlets treated the Synod like a political war, with one party against the other.
The second phase of the Synod on the Family will take place next year, in October 2015.
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