By Carol Glatz Pope Francis welcomed the group of 26 men and women survivors at his residence 28 November The group had first met for two hours with members of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, during which they received a letter from Pope Francis, who had apologized for not being able to speak to them in person "as we had hoped.” Photo: CNS/courtesy of the Pontifical...

The 1983 declaration states that Catholics enrolled in Masonic associations “are in a state of grave sin and may not receive Holy Communion.”

Among the 5,000 who filled the basilica for Mass were homeless persons and other people in need who were seated in the front rows near Pope Francis.

Remembering the long history that has led to the current violence in the Middle East is the first step to finding a way beyond the violence to a just end of the conflict.

After almost a year of audience talks about “zeal for evangelisation” and highlighting the example of saints and other exemplary men and women from around the world, Pope Francis said his last talks in the series would focus on four points from his 2013 apostolic exhortation, The Joy of the Gospel.

In a celebration of life, peace, joy and harmony, thousands of children representing young people on every continent greeted Pope Francis during an afternoon event in the Vatican’s Paul VI hall.

In an Apostolic Letter issued “Motu Proprio,” on his own initiative, Wednesday 1 November, Pope Francis said that in a “synodal, missionary and outgoing church,” theologians must also dialogue with other sciences and with members of other religions and that helping Catholics have a deeper understanding of the faith will be possible only if theology grapples with their questions and concerns.

The 41-page synthesis report, voted on paragraph-by-paragraph on 28 October, described its purpose as presenting “convergences, matters for consideration and proposals that emerged from the dialogue” on issues discussed under the headings of synodality, communion, mission and participation.

The two-and-a-half-page letter published on 25 October recounted the spirit and activities of the Assembly’s first session, held at the Vatican from 4 – 29 October and looked ahead to the Assembly’s second session, expressing hope that the months leading up to October 2024 “will allow everyone to concretely participate in the dynamism of missionary communion indicated by the word ‘Synod.'”

Although she died at the age of 24 in a cloistered convent, her passion for sharing the Gospel through her prayers and example led Pope Pius XI to declare her patroness of the missions in 1927, and her writings led St John Paul II to proclaim her a doctor of the church in 1997