As Catholic delegates arrived in Rome from across the globe for the Synod of Bishops on Synodality Oct. 4-29 and continued their retreat ahead of the assembly, hopes were high that the upcoming discussions will set the church on a secure path for the future, despite today’s multiple competing perspectives and priorities.

Sharing the Gospel message requires closeness and tenderness, especially toward people most in need, Pope Francis said in separate meetings with a religious order of women and an order of men holding their general chapters in Rome.

The Catholic Church, in pursuit of “pastoral prudence,” should discern if there are ways of giving blessings to homosexual persons that do not alter the church’s teaching on marriage, Pope Francis said.

Rather than hide behind a façade of faithfulness, Christians should be sincere with God even when telling him “no,” Pope Francis said.

Peering just over the windowsill of Pope Francis’ studio above St. Peter’s Square, five children aged 7-10 joined the pope to announce a special gathering of children at the Vatican in November.

Every bishop in the world has made a promise to live and work in communion with the pope, a promise that includes obedience, said new U.S. Cardinal Robert F. Prevost, the first of 20 cardinals to receive his red hat from Pope Francis at a consistory Sept. 30.

– Many of the prelates Pope Francis will make cardinals Sept. 30 will be taking part in the synod on synodality or have been very active in its preparatory phases as leaders of their dioceses.

Speaking to Catholic News Service Sept. 29, the eve of his induction into the College of Cardinals, the French prelate insisted the key to Catholic unity is “not to take refuge in ideologies.”

Speaking to reporters a few days before receiving their red hats, many of the 21 new cardinals said their induction into the College of Cardinals was less about them and more about their local church and its contribution to the universal church.

Hope and fraternity must be kept alive, organized and coordinated into concrete action so every crisis can be read as an opportunity and dealt with positively, Pope Francis said.