Franco Pisano

Francis opened the Synod on youth. Recognising, interpreting and choosing are the path to follow during the meeting to arrive at discernment and thus be able to listen to what the Spirit suggests to us. Three minutes of silence to reflect will follow every five interventions.

At the Mass for the opening of the Synod, Francis underlined the presence, for the first time, of two bishops from mainland China. Sincere listening "protects us from the temptation of falling into moralistic or elitist postures, and it protects us from the lure of abstract ideologies that never touch the realities of our people".

Today the Church celebrates guardian angels. They are "the particular help" that the "Lord promises to His people and to us who walk on the path of life". "Our angel is not only with us, but he sees God the Father. It is in relationship with Him. It is the daily bridge, from the time we get up at the time we go to bed, that accompanies us and is a link between us and God the Father ".

"We experience almost universally a strong tendency towards the legalisation of euthanasia", but "we know that when there is serene and participatory human accompaniment, chronic pain sufferers and terminally ill patients can see this thoughtfulness."

The program for the Synod dedicated to Young people, faith and vocational discernment. Making the Church "credible" to the new generations and aware of its missionary task of "accompanying every young person, no one excluded, towards the joy of love, which Jesus Christ offers ". In first ever there will be two bishops from mainland China.

"We are members one of another» (Eph 4,25). From network community to human communities. This is the theme chosen by Pope Francis for the 53rd World Communications Day of 2019.

Appeal of Francis for the daily recitation of the Rosary during the month of October, concluding it with the ancient invocation "Sub Tuum Praesidium", and with the prayer to Saint Michael the Archangel who protects and helps us in the fight against evil

The pontiff calls for overcoming mistrust and mutual prejudices. “First of all,” he said, “we have the duty to discern and recognize the presence of the Holy Spirit in these communities, trying to construct bonds of authentic fraternity with them.” For him, it is “necessary to avoid settling on static and immutable positions.”

Francis speaks of a "permanent catechumenate" for marriage. "The ultimate root of the problems that come to light after the celebration of the sacrament of marriage is to be found not only in a hidden and remote immaturity suddenly exploded, but above all in the weakness of the Christian faith and in the non-ecclesial accompaniment".

Francis announces a message about the Vatican's agreement with China on the appointment of bishops, "aimed at fostering a more positive collaboration between the Holy See and the Chinese authorities for the good of the Catholic community in China and for the harmony of the whole society ". Looking over the stages of the trip to the Baltic countries, he recalled the prayer "in the rooms where the regime's opponents were detained, tortured and killed. They killed more or less 40 a night. It is moving to see how far human cruelty can come ".

The pontiff celebrated Mass in Tallinn. The country is home to more than five thousand Catholics. "Jesus called the disciples, and today too he calls each of us, dear brothers and sisters, to continue sowing seeds of his Kingdom,” he said. “You did not gain your freedom in order to end up as slaves of consumerism, individualism or the thirst for power or domination.”

Some young people "eexpressly ask to be left in peace, because they feel the presence of the church is annoying or even irritating". "We want to respond to them, we want to be a transparent, welcoming, honest, attractive, communicative, accessible, joyful and interactive community". The risk of technocratic societies losing the meaning of life.