Perhaps it seems foolish to put so much stock in one mother’s cry for help. But then again, the cries of our forefathers and foremothers have been central to our faith for centuries.

“We know that the Holy Father has expressed that at this time the issue of the female diaconate is not mature and has asked that we not entertain this possibility for now,” Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández told the synod Oct. 21.

Father Marcelo Pérez, an Indigenous Tzotzil priest and peace activist, was murdered after celebrating Sunday Mass in Mexico's southern Chiapas state.

Even if some members of the Synod of Bishops end up feeling disappointed by the results of the synod, “God’s providence is at work in this assembly,” Cardinal-designate Timothy Radcliffe said.

Around 100 synod delegates filed into the Vatican’s old synod hall yesterday afternoon seeking answers about the secretive Vatican-instituted study group that had, among other issues, been tasked with looking into the possibility of ordaining women deacons.

A Reflection for Wednesday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time, Cecilia González-Andrieu

A Reflection for Tuesday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time, by Colleen Dulle

A Reflection for Monday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time, by Michael J. O’Loughlin

Advice from a Jesuit psychologist in training

Praying with these mysteries reminds us of the inherent worth of the poorest and most marginalized in our world.

Can the Synod on Synodality really be inclusive if its language is too theologically inaccessible?

Jon Fosse’s ‘Septology’ is a literary masterpiece imbued with mysticism and theological insight.

“Nosferatu” is a potent portrait of evil, both supernatural and mundane.

If our true desire is for others to know Christ, we must imitate him. Authentic evangelization is not accomplished through clever argumentation but by bearing witness to the working of God’s love and mercy in our lives.

Donald Trump, in remarks that often felt more like a rally performance than a comedy routine, repeatedly criticized Kamala Harris over her decision to skip the event in a break from presidential tradition.

Margaret Karram, a Catholic Arab born in Israel, was at the synod on Oct. 7, 2023 when she learned her homeland, Israel, was under attack. She joins “Jesuitical“ her work for peace as the president of Focolare.

To better understand the concerns of those who are critical of the Synod on Synodality, ‘Jesuitical’ hosts Zac and Ashley speak with George Weigel, who is in Rome contributing to First Thing’s “Letters from the Synod” series.

A Reflection for the Feast of St. Luke, evangelist, by Grace Lenahan

Producer Ricardo da Silva, S.J., and Vatican correspondent Gerard O’Connell discuss the second half of the synod, which brings with it concerns with synod methodology and the future of ordained ministry.