Pope Francis went on to focus on the figure of Pope Paul VI, recalling on the
day of his beatification the words with which he established the Synod of
Bishops: "by carefully surveying the signs of the times, we are making every
effort to adapt ways and methods... to the growing needs of our time and the
changing conditions of society".
 "When we look to this great Pope, this courageous Christian, this tireless
apostle, we cannot but say in the sight of God a word as simple as it is
heartfelt and important: thank you. Thank you, our dear and beloved Pope Paul
VI! Thank you for your humble and prophetic witness of love for Christ and his
Church. In his personal journal, the great helmsman of the Council wrote, at
the conclusion of its final session: 'Perhaps the Lord has called me and
preserved me for this service not because I am particularly fit for it, or so
that I can govern and rescue the Church from her present difficulties, but so
that I can suffer something for the Church, and in that way it will be clear
that he, and no other, is her guide and saviour'".
 The Holy Father concluded, "In this humility the grandeur of Blessed Paul VI
shines forth: before the advent of a secularised and hostile society, he was
able to hold fast, with farsightedness and wisdom - and at times alone - to
the helm of the barque of Peter, while never losing his joy and his trust in
the Lord. Paul VI truly 'rendered to God what is God's' by devoting his whole
life to the 'sacred, solemn and serious task of continuing in history and
extending on earth the mission of Christ', loving the Church and leading her
so that she might be 'a loving mother of the whole human family and at the
same time the minister of its salvation'".

___________________________________________________________

 Angelus: Paul VI, tireless supporter of the missio ad gentes
 Vatican City, 19 October 2014 (VIS) - Following the Holy Mass for the closure
of the Synod of Bishops and before praying the Angelus, the Pope greeted
pilgrims from Italy, especially the dioceses of Brescia, Milan and Roma,
closely linked to the life and ministry of Paul VI.
 The new Blessed, said Pope Francis, was a tireless supporter of the missio ad
gentes, as shown above all by the apostolic exhortation "Evangelii nuntiandi",
with which he sought to reawaken "zeal for and commitment to the mission of
the Church. It is important to conside this aspect of Paul VI's papacy today,
the very day we celebrate World Mission Sunday".
 "Before invoking Our Lady together with the Angelus prayer, I would like to
underline Blessed Paul VI's profound marian devotion. The Christian people
will always be grateful to this pontiff for the apostolic exhortation
'Marialis cultus' and for having proclaimed Mary as 'Mother of the Church', on
the occasion of the closure of the third session of Vatican Council II. Mary,
Queen of the Saints and Mother of the Church, help us to faithfully fulfil the
Lord's will in our life, as the new Blessed did".

___________________________________________________________

 The Final Report and votes conclude the work of the Synod of Bishops
 Vatican City, 19 October 2014 (VIS) - Yesterday afternoon the work of the
Third Extraordinary Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, dedicated to "Pastoral
challenges to the family in the context of evangelisation", concluded with a
final synodal report (Relatio Synodi), the different points of which were
subject to a vote by the Synod Fathers. The Holy Father authorised the
immediate publication of the full text of the Relatio Synodi, which will
provide the focus for reflection by all the Episcopal Conferences throughout
the world this year in preparation for the Synod Assembly in October 2015, and
which was approved by a majority of Synod Fathers. He also authorised the
publication of the number of votes for each point. The full text of the
Relatio Synodi in Italian and the result of the votes may be consulted at:
 http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubbli
o/2014/10/18/0770/03044.html

___________________________________________________________

 The Pope speaks to the Synod Fathers: we walk a path together
 Vatican City, 20 October 2014 (VIS) - At the end of the fifteenth and final
general congregation, and after the votes had been cast, Pope Francis
addressed the Synod Fathers, affirming that during these two weeks the
participants in the Third Extraordinary General Assembly have truly
experienced synodality, a path of solidarity, a "journey together".
 However, Pope Francis observed, as in every journey there were moments of
travelling smoothly and swiftly, as if wishing to conquer time and reach the
goal as soon as possible, and moments of fatigue, of wanting to say "enough",
and at other times, moments of enthusiasm and ardour. There were moments of
profound consolation listening to the testimony of true pastors, who wisely
carry in their hearts the joys and pains of the faithful; moments of
consolation, grace and comfort hearing the testimonies of the families who
have participated in the Synod and have shared with us the beauty and joy of
married life. It is a journey during which the stronger are compelled to help
those who are less strong, and the more experienced lend themselves to serve
others, also through debate.
 He continued by remarking that since it is a journey taken by human beings,
there have also been moments of disappointment, tension and temptation, of
which he gave five examples. The first is the temptation to hostile
inflexibility, closing oneself within the written word, the letter of the law,
rather than the spirit, not allowing oneself to be surprised by God, and
cleaving to the certitude of what we know and not of what we still need to
learn and to achieve. This, he said, is the temptation of the zealous, of the
scrupulous, of the solicitous and the so-called "traditionalists and
intellectuals.
 Then there is the temptation of "do-goodism", that in the name of deceptive
mercy binds wounds without first treating and healing them; that addresses
symptoms rather than causes and roots. It is the temptation of do-gooders, of
the fearful, and also of the so-called "progressives and liberals".
 The third temptation is to transform stones into bread to break the long,
hard, and painful fast; and also to transform the bread into a stone and cast
it against the sinners, the weak, and the sick; to transform it into
unbearable burdens. The fourth is the temptation to come down off the Cross,
to please the people, rather than remaining there in order to fulfil the will
of the Father; to bow down to a worldly spirit instead of purifying it and
turning it to the Spirit of God. Finally, there is the temptation to neglect
the "depositum fidei", thinking of ourselves not as guardians but as its
owners or masters; or, on the other hand, the temptation to neglect reality,
making use of meticulous and pompous language to say much yet at the same time
to say nothing.
 However, the Holy Father commented these temptations must not frighten or
disconcert us, or even discourage us, as no disciple is greater than his
master, so if Jesus Himself was tempted, and even called Beelzebul, then His
disciples should not expect better treatment. He added that he would be
worried and saddened if it were not for these temptations and these animated
discussions, this movement of the spirits, as it was called by St. Ignatius;
if all were in a state of agreement or silent in false, quietist peace.
 Instead, he expressed his joy at having heard speeches and interventions full
of faith, pastoral and doctrinal zeal, wisdom, frankness, courage, and
parrhesia, since what was set before the eyes of the Synod Fathers was the
good of the Church, of families, and the "supreme law", the "salus animarum".
This occurred without ever calling into question the fundamental truths of the
Sacrament of marriage, its indissolubility, unity, faithfulness, fruitfulness,
and openness to life.
 Pope Francis went on to emphasise that the Church is the vineyard of the
Lord, the fertile Mother and the caring Teacher who is not afraid to roll up
her sleeves to pour oil and wine on wounds; who does not regard humanity from
a glass house, ready to judge or categorise people. The Church is one, holy,
Catholic, apostolic and composed of sinners, needful of God's mercy. The
Church is the true bride of Christ, who seeks to be faithful to her spouse and
to her doctrine; she is not afraid to dine and drink with prostitutes and
publicans. Her doors are wide open to receive the needy, the repentant, and
not only those who consider themselves perfect. The Church is not ashamed of
the brother who has fallen, pretending not to see him, but on the contrary is
involved and obliged to lift him up and set him on the path again,
accompanying him to the definitive encounter with her spouse, in heavenly
Jerusalem.
 This, he continued, is the Church, our Mother. And when the Church, in the
variety of her charisms, expresses herself in communion, she cannot err: it is
the beauty and the strength of the sensus fidei, of that supernatural sense of
the faith bestowed by the Holy Spirit so that, together, we can all enter into
the heart of the Gospel and learn to follow Jesus in our life. This should
never be seen as a source of confusion and discord.
 Many commentators have imagined that they see a quarrelsome Church where one
part is against the other, doubting even the Holy Spirit, the true promoter
and guarantor of the unity and harmony of the Church - the Holy Spirit who
throughout history has always guided the barque, through her Ministers, even
when the sea was rough and choppy, and the ministers unfaithful and sinners.
The Pope emphasised the need to live through all this calmly and with inner
peace, so that the Synod would take place cum Petro and sub Petro, with the
presence of the Pope as a guarantee for all.
 The duty of the Pope, he remarked, is to guarantee the unity of the Church,
to remind the faithful of their duty to faithfully follow Christ's Gospel and
to remind the pastors that their first duty is to nurture the flock that the
Lord has entrusted to them, and to seek the lost sheep with fatherly care and
mercy, and without false fears. His duty is to remind everyone that authority
in the Church is a service, as Pope Benedict XVI clearly explained, when he
stated that the Church is called and commits herself to exercising this kind
of authority which is service ... not in her own name, but in the name of
Jesus Christ ... through the Pastors of the Church, in fact: it is he who
guides, protects and corrects them, because he loves them deeply. But the Lord
Jesus, the supreme Shepherd of our souls, has willed that the Apostolic
College, today the Bishops, in communion with the Successor of Peter ... to
participate in his mission of taking care of God's People, of educating them
in the faith and of guiding, inspiring and sustaining the Christian community.

--- MPost/386 v1.21
 * Origin: Sursum Corda! BBS=Huntsville AL=bbs.sursum-corda.com (1:396/45)