ncouraging greater “synodal” practices in the Catholic Church should help the church find a greater balance between the power of the pope and the power of local bishops in their dioceses, said theologians participating in the Synod of Bishops.

Members of the synod on synodality are only moving along the paths where there is consensus, said a group of theologians assisting the synod.

Pope Francis will create 21 new cardinals, including the Toronto prelate, at a consistory in St. Peter’s Basilica the afternoon of Dec. 7 and present them with their red hats.

The best theological study and research are inspired by prayer that is attuned to the realities around the theologian, so in Sicily theology should address issues related to the Mafia and about migrants drowning in the Mediterranean Sea, Pope Francis said.

An Italian publisher announced the global release in January of “Hope,” a book it described as Pope Francis’ autobiography, which the pope apparently planned to have released only after his death.

Pope Francis called on divided Christians to overcome their doctrinal differences and walk together in love, expressing hope especially for greater unity between the Orthodox and Catholic Churches.

Cardinal Wilton Gregory of Washington said he hopes U.S. voters who are as concerned as he is about the “anger and vitriol” of the current election cycle will take time away from the media to think and pray about the values important to them as Catholics.

The celebration of World Mission Sunday is a popular day for a pope to canonize new saints — not only those who ministered or gave up their lives in lands traditionally known as mission territories, but women and men from every walk of life and from around the world.

If members of the Synod of Bishops are serious about sharing their experience of “synodality” with all members of the Catholic Church, then they must identify concrete ways to do so, Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich told members.

Pope Francis met with a group of transgender and intersex Catholics, along with LGBTQ+ allies and a medical doctor specializing in transgender healthcare, during a nearly 90-minute audience at his residence, the Domus Sanctae Marthae.