In his first Mass as cardinal, he acknowledged the flood of congratulations he had received from all quarters and all sects of his diocese. “Cardinals in our time are no longer the princes of the church,” Cardinal Pizzaballa said, “but its servants and those of the people of God.”

In this episode, host Colleen Dulle and veteran Vatican correspondent Gerard O’Connell discuss the “dubia” and what Pope Francis’ responses, sent earlier this summer, reveal about the pope’s approach to these closely-watched topics as the synod begins.

Pope Francis’ “yes, and” message to cardinals critical of his papacy is reflective of the synod as a whole.

Anyone who has attended a synod of bishops will tell you that it’s more about the journey than the destination.

The global advocacy group End Clergy Abuse is seeking to draw attention to the failure of Pope Francis to make good on years of pledges of “zero tolerance” for abuse.

Pope Francis told the college of cardinals that it is called “to resemble a symphony orchestra, representing the harmony and synodality of the church.”