VATICAN CITY
National Catholic Reporter
Joshua J. McElwee | Oct. 3, 2014
ROME
An unmistakable air of expectation mixed with uncertainty pervaded the atmosphere here as Pope Francis prepared to open in early October his global meeting of Catholic bishops to discuss issues of contemporary family life.
As of now, nearly every aspect of how the event will unfold is unclear — from how delicate questions like divorce and remarriage will be handled, to how much discussion will be allowed, to even if it will be known who is speaking each day inside the closed-door Oct. 5-19 Synod of Bishops.
But the one prelate who is chiefly responsible for shepherding the process said Wednesday that at least one thing is clear: The coming days would see an “opportunity to deal with existential issues,” both for individual families and for the Catholic church at large.
The theme is “the pastoral challenges of the family in the context of evangelization,” and synod members will be called upon to find ways to improve the pastoral application of church teachings, ways to explain it, and ways to help Catholics live it.
During their discussions, the bishops are going to attempt “to respond to the new challenges of the family, starting from the family as the main cell of society and the domestic church for Christians,” said Cardinal Lorenzo Baldisseri.
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