The Synod on the Family

From Wikipedia:

The Fourteenth Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops will take place on October 4–25, 2015, and will have a theme of "the vocation and mission of the family in the Church and in the contemporary world."

Where will I be following the goings-on in Rome?

1. Rorate Caeli:  Of course.  Where would I be without New Catholic and his collaborators when trying to keep up with Catholic news along with the always excellent commentary and spiritual fortification?

2. What's Up With The Synod:  This is a new blog set up by Hilary White for the duration of the synod where she and a few selected bloggers will be covering events in Rome.

Yesterday, talking to some blogger friends, it was suggested that we set up a war room, a place where traditionally-minded Catholic bloggers, writers and commentators can write and comment about the Synod as it is happening.

I'm looking forward to reading their work.  If you have any suggestions, please suggest in the comments.

Angels and ministers of grace defend us!

Will the Pope Sell Out to Red China?

As with remarriage and communion, the issue of the appointment of bishops in Red China seems to be one where Francis says one thing, but his underlings do another at the expense of Benedict's past actions that Francis has claimed to support fully.  Read this from Sandro Magister and try to discern for yourself just where the Holy Father is going with relations with the PRC.

In Ukraine, what is old is new

Sandro Magister has something new at his www.chiesa website on Ukraine.  As readers may be aware, Russia has been supporting separatists in eastern Ukraine.  It has already annexed the Crimea.

The crux of Magister's article:

The fact that Bergoglio has a soft spot for Russia had already been seen with the outbreak of war in Syria, when he called for a day of prayer and fasting to oppose the armed intervention of the United States and France against the regime of Damascus, and Vladimir Putin publicly praised him.

Then there is the influence of the ecumenical factor: of the 200 million Orthodox Christians in the world, 150 million belong to the patriarchate of Moscow and “of all Rus’,” and it is therefore with Moscow above all that the pope wants to cultivate good relations.

[...]

Today the almost five million Ukrainian Catholics know very well that they are the true obstacle to the encounter between the pope of Rome and the patriarch of Moscow. But they will not agree to be sacrificed on the altar of this ecumenical dream.

Go read the rest at the link above for more background on the Roman response to events.