For Immediate Release From Vatican News!
Pope Francis led the way to building a synodal Church for everyone
In the wake of Pope Francis’ death, we explore his desire to engage all Catholics so that every person feels welcomed and loved by the Church, and how the Synods he convoked guided the Church’s focus on various topics, culminating in the Synod on Synodality. By Deborah Castellano Lubov
Over the twelve years that he led the Catholic Church, Pope Francis has left an imprint that has transformed the mentality of the Church. The Holy Father's attention to “synodality,” has been truly a journey that has moved the Catholic Church in unprecedented ways.
Most recently, the Holy Father personally oversaw the two sessions in the Vatican of the 16th Ordinary Synod of Bishops on Synodality, in 2023 and 2024, which gave flesh to his desire to invite every individual in the Church to 'walk together' and move forward, even if that means agreeing to disagree, or simply listening, or being present.
This Synod ran its course over several years and gathered input from the Catholic faithful and the Church around the world, characterized by its roundtables, which contributed to open and frank discussions among all participants.
Meanwhile, representatives of the ten Synod Study Groups set up by the Pope recently met and presented updates on their work, continuing the theological exploration of topics raised by the first session of the Synod General Assembly.
Pope Francis made it clear that he fully embraced the final document produced by the Synod’s second session and encouraged the Church to continue the synodal journey for the long run.
As the Holy Father said in a letter to the Theology Faculty of Triveneto in northern Italy, Catholics are called to transmit Christ's message worldwide in a way that respects and treasures the traditions of the past, but also remains open to the signs of the times.
In March 2025, while being treated for bilateral pneumonia at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, Pope Francis officially initiated a new phase in the Church’s synodal journey by approving an accompaniment process that will culminate in an Ecclesial Assembly in 2028. While the assembly will not be a new Synod, it refers to the implementation phase of the three-year Synod which concluded in October 2024.
In these twelve years of leading the Catholic Church, Pope Francis oversaw several Synods, such as the Synod on the Family in October of 2014 and 2015, on Young People in 2018, on the Pan-Amazonia region in 2019, and the most recent Synod on Synodality.
After each of these, with the exception of that on Synodality, due to its particular and participative nature, the Holy Father issued Apostolic Exhortations that have remained precious resources for the Church, such as 'Amoris laetitia' on the family, Christus vivit on, and addressed to, young people, and Querida Amazonia on the Amazonia.
In Christus vivit, the Holy Father encouraged young people to give meaning to their lives by clinging to the Lord, turning to Him in all their needs, and offered guidance on how to grow in holiness.
In his document on the family Amoris laetitia, Pope Francis encouraged families in their vast complexity to go forward in faith despite the challenges they may face. He called for a better education of children and for families to pursue tenderness, hope, and love, as was embodied in the Holy Family. Ever aware of the pastoral challenges facing families, the Pope expressed words of comfort and mercy for all families amidst their struggles.
Regarding the Synod, Pope Francis ushered in developments that had never taken place before, including the first-time that women were allowed to vote in the Synod General Assembly, which had begun first with the vote of Sr. Nathalie Becquart following her appointment as Under-Secretary of the Secretariat of the Synod.
However, there are several elements that should not be underestimated.
The Synod on the Amazonia reflected the Holy Father's insistence on taking care of the environment that the Lord offered humanity in Creation.
Recalling that the Amazon rainforest is the “green lung of the planet,” the Pope emphatically called for changes of behavior to stop exploiting the region. His vehement appeal marked another milestone in the Pope's insistence on protecting our common home, as he stressed in the first-ever papal Encyclical on the environment, Laudato si', and his subsequent Apostolic Exhortation which built upon it, Laudate Deum.
Certainly, Pope Francis offered his message of closeness and faith to all through these Synodal assemblies. He was never concerned about the reactions they could spark, but rather simply with listening to the Holy Spirit's guidance to the Church in the here and now, as Christians have sought to do ever since the Lord left us His Paraclete.
********
Historically, the title “Bishop of Rome” signified a high position among the five Patriarchates, without placing the Bishop of Rome over the Eastern Patriarchates.
Pope Francis’ use of this title was seen as respecting the papal position in relation to the leaders of other Christian Churches.
Easter: a shared date
Almost a decade into his papacy, in 2022, Pope Francis reintroduced the idea of a shared date for the celebration of Easter for the Orthodox and Catholic Churches. In a meeting with Mar Awa III, Catholicos-Patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East, the Pope said, “I want to say—indeed, to repeat—what Pope Saint Paul VI said in his day: We are ready to accept any proposal that is made together.”
During the Second Vatican Council, Pope Paul VI first proposed a set date for Easter to be held on a Sunday in April. About 50 years later, at Pope Francis’ behest, the topic once again became the center of discussion.
During the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity in 2025, the Pope reaffirmed the Catholic Church’s willingness to accept “the date that everyone wants: a date of unity.”
Seeing that the date of Easter for both the Catholic and Orthodox Churches aligned on the same day in 2025, Pope Francis called on both Churches to make a definitive effort towards unity.
His final celebration of Easter, on April 20, 2025, was remarkable for marking the rare occasion that all Christians celebrated the highest Christian feast on the same day, as the Gregorian and Julian calendars aligned.
““I renew my appeal that this coincidence may serve as an appeal to all Christians to take a decisive step forward toward unity around a common date for Easter.” - Pope Francis”
1,700 years of ecumenism
The year 2025 also marks another major milestone in the relationship between the two Churches: the 1,700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea. Pope Francis’ plan was to bring Catholics and Orthodox together to celebrate the historic date of the Council that produced the Nicene Creed, which all Christians profess.
During the delegation of the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s visit to Rome in June 2024, Pope Francis expressed his desire to travel to Nicaea for the anniversary. He also extended an invitation to the Orthodox Church to visit the Eternal City during the Jubilee Year of Hope – as 2025 also marks their Jubilee Year.
At one point, the advisor to the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, Nikos Tzoitis, described Pope Francis’ emphasis on synodality as a motivating factor behind these gestures of ecumenism.
The Pope, the Patriarch, the Moderator, and the Archbishop
Over the final years of his papacy, Pope Francis held several meetings with Orthodox leaders: the Holy Synod of the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church; Ignatius Aphrem II, the Syrian Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch; and, Pope Tawadros II, the Patriarch of Alexandria and head of the Coptic Orthodox Church.
His encounter with the latter marked a celebration of the 50th anniversary of Coptic-Catholic friendship—highlighting the need to continue this relationship.
"Tawadros came to see me for the first time on May 10 ten years ago and proposed to celebrate every May 10 the Coptic-Catholic Friendship Day, which we have been celebrating every year since that time. We call each other on the phone, send greetings and remain good brothers." - Pope Francis
Yet, he did not limit his ecumenical work to meetings. In 2023, Pope Francis made a much-anticipated and long-desired visit to South Sudan.
The visit was dubbed an Ecumenical Peace Pilgrimage as he traveled with “two brothers” – the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, and the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, Rt. Rev. Iain Greenshields. Pope Francis thus became the first Pope to ever make such a visit with Anglican and Reformed leaders.
While the work of Christian unity is not yet finished, Pope Francis’ 12-year pontificate highlighted the important task of cultivating fruitful relationships among all Christian brothers and sisters.
Read the full article Here:
https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/20... ********
Pope Francis’ plea for a more fraternal world
In his landmark encyclical ‘Fratelli tutti,” Pope Francis emphasized the idea of human fraternity, drawing on the legacy of St. Francis of Assisi to inspire political action rooted in solidarity and highlighting the critical role of religions in building peace. By Lisa Zengarini
Perhaps one of the most emblematic documents of Pope Francis’ pontificate, one that best summarizes his social teaching, was his encyclical letter Fratelli tutti, written a year after he signed the landmark “Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together” in Abu Dhabi in 2019.
Published October 3, 2020, on the eve of the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi whose words inspired the title, the encyclical expanded on points that he had offered in speeches, messages and other texts (including his environmental encyclical Laudato si’ and the Apostolic Exhortation Laudate Deum) throughout the 12 years of his ministry as the Successor of Peter.
Moral crisis of a divided world
Written against the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic and growing international tensions, Fratelli tutti highlighted the moral crisis of modern society, which he described as overshadowed by “dark clouds over a closed world.”
Pope Francis lamented the shift from constructive dialogue and the pursuit of the common good to a landscape dominated by individualism, profit-seeking, a “throwaway culture,” and a divisive rhetoric.
He highlighted humanity’s interconnectedness and the need for a collective response to today’s daunting challenges, including rising poverty, conflicts, and the environmental crisis.
Drawing from Jesus’ teachings and the legacy of St. Francis of Assisi, the Pope urged Catholics to uphold the principle that all human beings are equal and to reject exclusivist attitudes that violate human dignity and lead to racism and discrimination. He recalled that while the Church does not claim authority over political affairs, she always insists that faith should inform political choices, particularly in promoting justice, compassion, and the well-being of all.
Example of the Good Samaritan
Pope Francis cited the parable of the Good Samaritan as a model showing that true neighborliness demands action, not indifference.
He warned that when people fail to recognize their shared humanity, they create "existential foreigners"—individuals who, though legally part of a society, are treated as outsiders.
This, Pope Francis argued, is the antithesis of the love-driven openness that Jesus calls for.
‘Better politics’ that serves the common good
Building on openness, Fratelli tutti highlighted the need for “better politics” that serves the common good rather than self-interest.
The Pope criticized populism that manipulates public sentiment for personal gain and called for policies that protect labour rights, eradicate poverty, and prioritize human dignity over financial markets.
In this context, he reiterated the importance of welcoming migrants and refugees, arguing that every individual has a right to a dignified life.
While he acknowledged the complexities of migration policies, the Pope stressed the need for international cooperation and ethical governance to ensure humane treatment for all.
He also urged reforms in global governance, particularly within the United Nations, to promote peace and human rights rather than economic dominance.
Dialogue and encounter emerged as central principles of the encyclical, urging humanity to learn from historical atrocities to prevent future injustices.
As he did nearly every time he spoke in public, Pope Francis rejected war, asserting that modern warfare can never be justified, advocating for disarmament and the redirection of military spending toward alleviating global hunger.
Similarly, he called for the worldwide abolition of the death penalty, reaffirming the inviolability of human life.
Role of religions in building more fraternal world
Finally, the late Pope Francis explored the role of religion in fostering human fraternity and peace, against the misuse of faith to justify violence, referencing the “Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together.”
That milestone document, co-signed with the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Ahmed Al-Tayyeb, was followed by further dialogues with the Muslim world and other religious communities.
A legacy that will outlive the Argentine Pope who wrote it, Fratelli tutti has become a paradigm of interreligious encounter and a clarion call for Christians worldwide in our common mission of peace and fraternity.
********
Pope Francis’ friendship with other religions promoted paths of peace
With Pope Francis’ passing, we recall his unforgettable efforts that contributed to friendship and dialogue between Christians and people of all religions. By Deborah Castellano Lubov
The first visit of a Pope to the Arabian Peninsula and to Iraq; his dear friendship with Rabbi Abraham Skorka in Argentina and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Ahmed Al-Tayyeb; frequent visits to synagogues; condemnations of the Shoah and anti-Semitism; joint declarations with interfaith leaders committing to peace, harmony, and opposing religious extremism.
These are just a few instances that come to mind when thinking of the unforgettable moments of interreligious friendship and dialogue during, and even dating many decades before, Pope Francis’ pontificate.
During his visit in February 2019 to the United Arab Emirates, which marked the first-ever visit of a Pope to the Arabian Peninsula, Pope Francis offered an image of the Church seeking to build bridges and deepen relations with other religions.
Remarkably, the ‘Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together,’ also known as the Abu Dhabi declaration, signed by Pope Francis and the highest authority among Sunni Muslims, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Ahmed Al-Tayyeb, at that interfaith encounter would usher in a new era of relations between Catholics and Muslims.
For among its conclusions, it launched the Declaration as “an appeal to every upright conscience that rejects deplorable violence and blind extremism; an appeal to those who cherish the values of tolerance and fraternity that are promoted and encouraged by religions.”
From there, the Pope would go on to write an encyclical focused on the theme of fraternity, Fratelli tutti, dedicating it to Sheikh Al-Tayyeb.
Early in the text, the Holy Father recalls that in the preparation of his 2015 encyclical on the environment Laudato si’, “I had a source of inspiration in my brother Bartholomew, the Orthodox Patriarch, who has spoken forcefully of our need to care for creation.”
“In this case,” he continued, “I have felt particularly encouraged by the Grand Imam Ahmad Al-Tayyeb, with whom I met in Abu Dhabi, where we declared that ‘God has created all human beings equal in rights, duties and dignity, and has called them to live together as brothers and sisters.’”
Here the Pope highlighted, “This was no mere diplomatic gesture, but a reflection born of dialogue and common commitment.”
Moreover, Pope Francis would become the first Pope to complete a visit to Iraq, despite challenges of security and the Covid-19 pandemic, during which he also met with the highest authority among Iraq’s Shiite Muslims, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani.
That moment would leave a lasting impression on the Pope, who would repeatedly invite his brothers and sisters of other religions to, “as urged by religions,” “invest in the spread of the highest moral virtues.”
He also renewed his prayers that Christians and Muslims may always be “witnesses of truth, love and hope, in a world scarred by numerous conflicts and therefore in need of compassion and healing.”
Throughout his papacy, Pope Francis would personally participate in numerous interfaith summits and interreligious encounters, making time on nearly every Apostolic Visit to meet with leaders of other religions.
Always inspired by genuine friendship, respect, and promoting peace throughout the world, the Pope travelled to Kazakhstan in 2022 for the Seventh Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, held in Astana, which was aimed at interfaith dialogue, but especially with a desire to promote peace efforts months after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Read the full article HERE:
https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/20... VISIT:
https://www.facebook.com/vaticannews
Posted By: agnes levine
Monday, April 21st 2025 at 12:17PM
You can also
click
here to view all posts by this author...
