Bishop Robert Barron, auxiliary bishop of Los Angeles, is one of the 266 bishop delegates to the Synod of Bishops on Young People, the Faith and Vocational Discernment.

As part three of the proceedings is already underway, and a “writing group” has been elected and charged with composing the Synod’s final document, Bishop Barron speaks of an interesting and enriching experience and of how he has been deeply moved by the testimonies of participants from parts of the world where Christianity is persecuted and oppressed…

Dr Paolo Ruffini, Prefect of the Vatican Dicastery for Communications, started the briefing by listing a number of issues that had been spoken about in the general congregation of the Synod. He said that migration, both internally and externally in countries, was a hotly debated issue. Young people are, he said, concerned about the stewardship of creation. He said that the assembly heard that young people react negatively to corruption in politics…

Dr Paolo Ruffini, Prefect of the Vatican Dicastery for Communications, began the daily press briefing saying that the work on the second part of the Instrumentum Laboris was complete.

He then listed many issues that the Synod assembly addressed. He mentioned issues like migration, freedom, sexual morality, the mystery of evil in the world, justice and the fight for human dignity…

Ms Silvia Teresa Retamales Morales said that it was a great privilege and responsibility for her to be at the Synod. She said that he was here to express the voices of all those young people who wanted to come to Rome and talk to the bishops. She says that when young heard she was coming to the Synod they reached out to her, many of whom were non-Catholic…

Ms. Corina Fiore Mortola Rodríguez from Mexico said that she wants to convey that she, and the young people at the Synod, are very grateful to Pope Francis for giving them this opportunity to be at the Synod and for the chance to speak. She said that the presence of young people has been fruitful and everyone is working together…

In the midst of the Synod on Youth, today, Sunday 14th October 2018, Pope Francis canonised seven new saints of the Catholic Church. This include Pope Paul VI and Oscar Romero, two well-known figures in the Catholic Church who made significant contributions in the past century. Yet, there are others, including a teenager, a parish priest and a few religious sisters.

Below are brief biographies on each of their lives, as well as photos of each saint’s banner currently on display at St Peter’s Square. 

Born Giovanni Battista Montini in 1897 and ordained a priest in 1920, he did graduate studies in literature, philosophy, and canon law in Rome before beginning to work for the Vatican Secretariat of State…