”It’s natural that the church is moving toward synodality,” Cardinal Garcias said in an exlcusive interview with Gerard O’Connell. “But when you say ‘the future,’ it means everything depends on synodality. I don’t think it does.”

We can miss important opportunities for church reform if we only focus on the hot-button issues.

Cardinal Stephen Chow said officials in China “appreciate that Pope Francis appreciates them” in this exclusive interview with America’s Vatican correspondent.

Amid conflict and mistrust, the goal of the Synod on Synodality—to teach us to “walk together”—is still a work in progress.

The most synodal moments for me were when I spoke with people with whom I disagreed, sometimes dramatically.

Dogma, doctrine and papal authority: What do you need to believe to be Catholic?

After the defeat of “The Voice” referendum, there is still an opportunity for Australians to reckon with their past. Catholics worldwide should also seek reconciliation with Indigenous peoples.

“Recognizing the divergences is unitive,” a bishop member of the synod told me. “It can provide healing.”

It will not be enough to read any document that comes from the synod; Catholics must experience the synod, must do synod. The best place to do this is in your parish.

Some humility about how much we really know can help prevent toxic rhetoric when we talk about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict with family, friends and colleagues of different faiths.