Pope Francis opens second phase of huge Catholic reform project

Pope Francis has opened the second phase of his big Catholic reform project, with widespread calls for women to take up more positions of responsibility in the church topping the agenda – but ordained ministry still being ruled out.

Francis presided over an opening Mass in St Peter’s Square with the 368 bishops and laypeople who will meet behind closed doors for the next three weeks to discuss the future of the church and how to make it more responsive to the needs of Catholics today.

Several of the most contentious issues are officially off the table, after they encountered resistance and objections during the first session of the synod last year. They include ministering to LGBTQ+ Catholics and allowing women to serve as deacons.

Francis has entrusted these topics to 10 study groups that are working in parallel to the synod, raising questions about what exactly will come out of the gathering when it concludes on October 26 with a final set of proposals for Francis to consider.

Francis launched the reform process in 2021 to put in practice his goal of creating a church that is more inclusive, humble and welcoming, where ordinary Catholics have a greater say in decision-making than the all-male priestly hierarchy.

The process, and the two-year canvassing of rank-and-file Catholics that informed it, sparked both hopes and fears that real change was afoot.

In his marching orders on Wednesday, Francis urged delegates to leave aside their long-held and self-interested positions and truly listen to one another to “give life to something new”.

“Otherwise, we will end up locking ourselves into dialogues among the deaf, where participants seek to advance their own causes or agendas without listening to others and, above all,