The Church must broaden the role of women and young people. In Ukraine, the war has generated a certain dislike for the Church. Poor access to education for young people in some countries like Madagascar can hinder the promotion of evangelical values. Metropolitan Hilarion of the Moscow Patriarchate spoke at the Synod.
Pope Francis and South Korean President Moon Jae-in met today. According to a South Korean presidential spokesman, the pontiff expressed encouragement for the peace efforts on the Korean Peninsula. "Move forward without stopping. Do not be afraid," he said. Now the ball is in North Korea’s court. The Vatican and North Korea do not have diplomatic relations.
The bishop of Ketapang stressed the important role young people played in the birth of Indonesia. For him, diversity is “our cultural heritage and a great blessing for the nation." The Indonesian Church is for inter-faith dialogue and harmony. Young Muslim woman recalls her participation in pre-Synod meetings.
Rihan Hanna Ayoub is one of five Christian Members of Parliament (out of 329) elected in this year’s election. A lawyer by profession, she was born and raised in Iraqi Kurdistan where she attended a local parish as a child. Faith, for her, is a "resource and strength in life and work". Christians have a crucial role in the country’s reconstruction.
The disciple is poor, in the sense that he is not attached to riches and this is the first step. He is then poor because "he is patient before small or large persecutions", and - third step - he is poor because he enters into that state of mind of feeling abandoned at the end of life. The same path as Jesus.
New generations have come under the influence of technology and are exposed to different cultures and traditions. In the country the confessional element is very strong because children live at home until 25, and learn their culture and traditions. Atheism and extremism are the challenges of today's youth.
