"Pope Advocates for Private, Ideology-Free Vatican Meeting on Church's Future"

Pope Francis defended the decision to keep the discussions of a big Vatican meeting on the future of the Catholic Church behind closed doors, stating that it is a religious moment for the church and not a television program open to scrutiny. The three-week synod of bishops, which includes hot-button issues such as the role of women in decision-making roles, LGBTQ+ acceptance, and celibacy for priests, will be reported by a Vatican commission headed by Paolo Ruffini. Francis emphasized the need for a "synodal climate" and stated that there is no place for ideology in the synod.