In a major break with past praxis almost 50 years after Paul VI first established the synod of bishops Pope Francis has given the synod fathers the key elements for synodality something akin to a bill of rights that creates a climate of freedom He did so at the start of the synod rsquo s first pl

This week the church rsquo s Extraordinary Synod on the Family begins its deliberations on ldquo the pastoral challenges of the family in the context of evangelization rdquo nbsp Coincidentally the weekend also saw the opening of ldquo Gone Girl rdquo one of the most provocative and disturbi