Saint Joseph Catholic Church

Cardinal Grech acknowledged that his audience was awaiting from him a comment on the decisions made by Germany’s Synodal Way.

After comparing synodality to an orchestra, Cardinal Grech said that “what constitutes the distinctive nature of a synod, therefore, is not its infallibility, but rather the actual presence of Christ and His Spirit, a presence that emerges within the symphony, within the harmony among the participants.”

He added:

I am here for this very reason: to undertake with you the synodal exercise of tuning our instruments. The symphony, harmony and communion as a collective work, comes into being precisely through this continuous choice to play together, to be all tuned to the same note. Then, each instrument will interpret its own score, contributing richness and beauty to the single symphonic work.

This means having no fear of differences; rather than allowing them to become sources of conflict and opposition, we make them grounds for discernment, for mutual listening, and for a shared desire to follow the Risen One and to recognize the signs of the times.

“We stand with Chief Imam Taha Hassane, the entire Muslim community, and all who mourn in the wake of this senseless violence, affirming our shared commitment to the dignity of every human life and the rejection of hatred in all its forms,” said Archbishop Paul Coakley of Oklahoma City.

Archbishop Coakley added:

In moments such as these, we are reminded of the call to be instruments of peace; as Pope Leo XIV has said, ‘Where violence wounds the human family, compassion and unity must be our steadfast reply.’ May God console the grieving, strengthen the injured, and guide us all toward greater understanding, justice, and peace.

Among other items—including the consecration of the nation to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus—the bishops will discuss proposed revisions to their Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, the conference’s document addressing the sexual abuse of minors.

The proposed revisions, according to the USCCB, seek to balance “care of and sensitivity to victim-survivors” with “an awareness of due-process, the rights of the accused,” while taking into account Vatican documents of recent years.

At the beginning of his general audience today in St. Peter’s Square, Pope Leo XIV offered an extended public greeting to Aram I, head of the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia.

Continuing his series of Wednesday general audiences on the Second Vatican Council and its documents, Pope Leo XIV reflected today on Sacrosanctum Concilium, the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy.

Auxiliary Bishop Paul McAleenan of Westminster, the episcopal conference’s Lead Bishop for Migrants and Refugees, paid tribute to the witness of Catholics born in Hong Kong to their fellow immigrants.

“An outstanding feature of the Hong Kong Catholic community who have settled in England and Wales in recent years is their attachment to their faith,” said Bishop McAleenan. “Their joy, fervor and enthusiasm are an inspiration. I thank them for their witness, and I welcome those from Hong Kong who were received and baptized into the Catholic Church at Easter.”