Pope Francis went on to focus on the figure of Pope Paul VI, recalling on the   
   day of his beatification the words with which he established the Synod of   
   Bishops: "by carefully surveying the signs of the times, we are making every   
   effort to adapt ways and methods... to the growing needs of our time and the   
   changing conditions of society".   
    "When we look to this great Pope, this courageous Christian, this tireless   
   apostle, we cannot but say in the sight of God a word as simple as it is   
   heartfelt and important: thank you. Thank you, our dear and beloved Pope Paul   
   VI! Thank you for your humble and prophetic witness of love for Christ and his   
   Church. In his personal journal, the great helmsman of the Council wrote, at   
   the conclusion of its final session: 'Perhaps the Lord has called me and   
   preserved me for this service not because I am particularly fit for it, or so   
   that I can govern and rescue the Church from her present difficulties, but so   
   that I can suffer something for the Church, and in that way it will be clear   
   that he, and no other, is her guide and saviour'".   
    The Holy Father concluded, "In this humility the grandeur of Blessed Paul VI   
   shines forth: before the advent of a secularised and hostile society, he was   
   able to hold fast, with farsightedness and wisdom - and at times alone - to   
   the helm of the barque of Peter, while never losing his joy and his trust in   
   the Lord. Paul VI truly 'rendered to God what is God's' by devoting his whole   
   life to the 'sacred, solemn and serious task of continuing in history and   
   extending on earth the mission of Christ', loving the Church and leading her   
   so that she might be 'a loving mother of the whole human family and at the   
   same time the minister of its salvation'".   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    Angelus: Paul VI, tireless supporter of the missio ad gentes   
    Vatican City, 19 October 2014 (VIS) - Following the Holy Mass for the closure   
   of the Synod of Bishops and before praying the Angelus, the Pope greeted   
   pilgrims from Italy, especially the dioceses of Brescia, Milan and Roma,   
   closely linked to the life and ministry of Paul VI.   
    The new Blessed, said Pope Francis, was a tireless supporter of the missio ad   
   gentes, as shown above all by the apostolic exhortation "Evangelii nuntiandi",   
   with which he sought to reawaken "zeal for and commitment to the mission of   
   the Church. It is important to conside this aspect of Paul VI's papacy today,   
   the very day we celebrate World Mission Sunday".   
    "Before invoking Our Lady together with the Angelus prayer, I would like to   
   underline Blessed Paul VI's profound marian devotion. The Christian people   
   will always be grateful to this pontiff for the apostolic exhortation   
   'Marialis cultus' and for having proclaimed Mary as 'Mother of the Church', on   
   the occasion of the closure of the third session of Vatican Council II. Mary,   
   Queen of the Saints and Mother of the Church, help us to faithfully fulfil the   
   Lord's will in our life, as the new Blessed did".   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    The Final Report and votes conclude the work of the Synod of Bishops   
    Vatican City, 19 October 2014 (VIS) - Yesterday afternoon the work of the   
   Third Extraordinary Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, dedicated to "Pastoral   
   challenges to the family in the context of evangelisation", concluded with a   
   final synodal report (Relatio Synodi), the different points of which were   
   subject to a vote by the Synod Fathers. The Holy Father authorised the   
   immediate publication of the full text of the Relatio Synodi, which will   
   provide the focus for reflection by all the Episcopal Conferences throughout   
   the world this year in preparation for the Synod Assembly in October 2015, and   
   which was approved by a majority of Synod Fathers. He also authorised the   
   publication of the number of votes for each point. The full text of the   
   Relatio Synodi in Italian and the result of the votes may be consulted at:   
    http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubbli   
   o/2014/10/18/0770/03044.html   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    The Pope speaks to the Synod Fathers: we walk a path together   
    Vatican City, 20 October 2014 (VIS) - At the end of the fifteenth and final   
   general congregation, and after the votes had been cast, Pope Francis   
   addressed the Synod Fathers, affirming that during these two weeks the   
   participants in the Third Extraordinary General Assembly have truly   
   experienced synodality, a path of solidarity, a "journey together".   
    However, Pope Francis observed, as in every journey there were moments of   
   travelling smoothly and swiftly, as if wishing to conquer time and reach the   
   goal as soon as possible, and moments of fatigue, of wanting to say "enough",   
   and at other times, moments of enthusiasm and ardour. There were moments of   
   profound consolation listening to the testimony of true pastors, who wisely   
   carry in their hearts the joys and pains of the faithful; moments of   
   consolation, 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   
   married life. It is a journey during which the stronger are compelled to help   
   those who are less strong, and the more experienced lend themselves to serve   
   others, also through debate.   
    He continued by remarking that since it is a journey taken by human beings,   
   there have also been moments of disappointment, tension and temptation, of   
   which he gave five examples. The first is the temptation to hostile   
   inflexibility, closing oneself within the written word, the letter of the law,   
   rather than the spirit, not allowing oneself to be surprised by God, and   
   cleaving to the certitude of what we know and not of what we still need to   
   learn and to achieve. This, he said, is the temptation of the zealous, of the   
   scrupulous, of the solicitous and the so-called "traditionalists and   
   intellectuals.   
    Then there is the temptation of "do-goodism", that in the name of deceptive   
   mercy binds wounds without first treating and healing them; that addresses   
   symptoms rather than causes and roots. It is the temptation of do-gooders, of   
   the fearful, and also of the so-called "progressives and liberals".   
    The third temptation is to transform stones into bread to break the long,   
   hard, and painful fast; and also to transform the bread into a stone and cast   
   it against the sinners, the weak, and the sick; to transform it into   
   unbearable burdens. The fourth is the temptation to come down off the Cross,   
   to please the people, rather than remaining there in order to fulfil the will   
   of the Father; to bow down to a worldly spirit instead of purifying it and   
   turning it to the Spirit of God. Finally, there is the temptation to neglect   
   the "depositum fidei", thinking of ourselves not as guardians but as its   
   owners or masters; or, on the other hand, the temptation to neglect reality,   
   making use of meticulous and pompous language to say much yet at the same time   
   to say nothing.   
    However, the Holy Father commented these temptations must not frighten or   
   disconcert us, or even discourage us, as no disciple is greater than his   
   master, so if Jesus Himself was tempted, and even called Beelzebul, then His   
   disciples should not expect better treatment. He added that he would be   
   worried and saddened if it were not for these temptations and these animated   
   discussions, this movement of the spirits, as it was called by St. Ignatius;   
   if all were in a state of agreement or silent in false, quietist peace.   
    Instead, he expressed his joy at having heard speeches and interventions full   
   of faith, pastoral and doctrinal zeal, wisdom, frankness, courage, and   
   parrhesia, since what was set before the eyes of the Synod Fathers was the   
   good of the Church, of families, and the "supreme law", the "salus animarum".   
   This occurred without ever calling into question the fundamental truths of the   
   Sacrament of marriage, its indissolubility, unity, faithfulness, fruitfulness,   
   and openness to life.   
    Pope Francis went on to emphasise that the Church is the vineyard of the   
   Lord, the fertile Mother and the caring Teacher who is not afraid to roll up   
   her sleeves to pour oil and wine on wounds; who does not regard humanity from   
   a glass house, ready to judge or categorise people. The Church is one, holy,   
   Catholic, apostolic and composed of sinners, needful of God's mercy. The   
   Church is the true bride of Christ, who seeks to be faithful to her spouse and   
   to her doctrine; she is not afraid to dine and drink with prostitutes and   
   publicans. Her doors are wide open to receive the needy, the repentant, and   
   not only those who consider themselves perfect. The Church is not ashamed of   
   the brother who has fallen, pretending not to see him, but on the contrary is   
   involved and obliged to lift him up and set him on the path again,   
   accompanying him to the definitive encounter with her spouse, in heavenly   
   Jerusalem.   
    This, he continued, is the Church, our Mother. And when the Church, in the   
   variety of her charisms, expresses herself in communion, she cannot err: it is   
   the beauty and the strength of the sensus fidei, of that supernatural sense of   
   the faith bestowed by the Holy Spirit so that, together, we can all enter into   
   the heart of the Gospel and learn to follow Jesus in our life. This should   
   never be seen as a source of confusion and discord.   
    Many commentators have imagined that they see a quarrelsome Church where one   
   part is against the other, doubting even the Holy Spirit, the true promoter   
   and guarantor of the unity and harmony of the Church - the Holy Spirit who   
   throughout history has always guided the barque, through her Ministers, even   
   when the sea was rough and choppy, and the ministers unfaithful and sinners.   
   The Pope emphasised the need to live through all this calmly and with inner   
   peace, so that the Synod would take place cum Petro and sub Petro, with the   
   presence of the Pope as a guarantee for all.   
    The duty of the Pope, he remarked, is to guarantee the unity of the Church,   
   to remind the faithful of their duty to faithfully follow Christ's Gospel and   
   to remind the pastors that their first duty is to nurture the flock that the   
   Lord has entrusted to them, and to seek the lost sheep with fatherly care and   
   mercy, and without false fears. His duty is to remind everyone that authority   
   in the Church is a service, as Pope Benedict XVI clearly explained, when he   
   stated that the Church is called and commits herself to exercising this kind   
   of authority which is service ... not in her own name, but in the name of   
   Jesus Christ ... through the Pastors of the Church, in fact: it is he who   
   guides, protects and corrects them, because he loves them deeply. But the Lord   
   Jesus, the supreme Shepherd of our souls, has willed that the Apostolic   
   College, today the Bishops, in communion with the Successor of Peter ... to   
   participate in his mission of taking care of God's People, of educating them   
   in the faith and of guiding, inspiring and sustaining the Christian community.   
      
   --- MPost/386 v1.21   
    * Origin: Sursum Corda! BBS=Huntsville AL=bbs.sursum-corda.com (1:396/45)