All families are complicated and they are far from the perfect family ‘ideal’, writes Mary Kenny

‘In facing up to this situation, we have to deal with both causes and consequences’, writes Dr Martin Mansergh

The synod process will pave the way for bishops to make formal proposals about the Church’s pastoral care of families, writes Cathal Barry

Belief in a better future appealed to America, writes David Quinn

The Pope’s outstanding charisma draws thousands to the streets despite America’s tightest security ever, writes Andrew O’Connell

Greg Daly examines the issues most likely to generate debate in the synod’s working document.

What does it profit you if you gain the whole world but suffer the loss of your own soul? Jesus taught that and, I suspect, we generally don’t grasp the full range of its meaning. We tend to take Jesus’ words to mean this: What good is it if someone gains riches, fame, pleasure, and…

The diverse liturgical traditions have arisen by very reason of the Church’s mission, writes Cathal Barry

Synod delegate Rosemary O’Connor tells Cathal Barry that thousands of people have been involved in the listening process to date

The synod in Limerick will deal with pastoral concerns through a range of proposed concrete actions, writes Fr Eamonn Fitzgibbon