“It seemed to me, right from the beginning, that Francis’ style of pontificate was like a punch in the stomach from the Holy Spirit to wake us up,” Cardinal Angelo Scola says in this exclusive interview.

Archbishop Christophe Pierre spoke to the U.S. bishops Nov. 16 about the importance of listening to people in the church and being open to the work of the Holy Spirit.

“This could have a profound change in the life of the church.”

The synod office extended the timeline at the request of dioceses who asked for more time to hear the thoughts of Catholics.

A team of America Media reporters contacted all 196 “particular churches” in the United States and was able to confirm the appointment of 62 local synod coordinators.

In addition to the difficulty of changing the attitudes of Catholics accustomed to a “command and control model” of church, the synod faces several logistical challenges.