Thomas Schirrmacher

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  Oct 12, 2015

  Inside the Vatican Synod on Family: Pope Francis Moves Synod Toward More Openness Among Delegates, Public (Day 7)

  The Pope started the day spontaneously, even before the morning prayer, by remembering the Christians in the Middle East, those who are martyred and those who have fled and those who have stayed.

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  Oct 9, 2015

  Inside the Vatican Synod on Family: Discussion Groups Formed Around Language (Day 5-6)

  We have formed 13 groups that will be the heart of the Synod. They are constituted according to the 5 official languages of the Synod. There are several groups of 20 discussing in English, French and Italian. There is one group in Spanish/Portugese and my group converses in German. The German is the only group that is a bit smaller with 15 members.

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  Oct 7, 2015

  Inside the Vatican Synod on Family: Evangelicals Support the Vatican in its Commitment to Traditional Marriage (Day 4)

  It became clear — and that was the intention of the entire thing — that the large majority of humanity still retains the ideal of the classical family consisting of a father and a mother and children where the father and the mother remain together for life.

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  Oct 6, 2015

  Inside the Vatican Synod on Family: How Pope Francis Synods Are Different (Day 3)

  The opening day was a really busy day. I had my first short meeting with Pope Francis, had to prepare my own first short speech, which has to be given to the synod's office beforehand, as they check the length, and had to listen, listen, listen. Why?

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  Oct 5, 2015

  Inside the Vatican Synod on Family: Pope Francis Delivers Bible Reading on Love (Day 2)

  Today the Pope opened the Vatican Synod with a service in St. Peter's Church. The more than 300 delegates came in order of rank – all covered in green robes. They were seated in a huge semi-circle around the altar. Only three fraternal delegates showed up, representing the Baptists, the Anglicans and the Evangelicals. The ordinary Bible reading happened to center on love and on family.

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  Oct 4, 2015

  Inside the Vatican Synod on Family: An Expert Evangelical's View as a Fraternal Delegate (Day 1)

  It is the Saturday before the official opening of the Vatican Synod on Family with a mass in St. Peter's Cathedral. So most delegates arrive today. The the so-called fraternal delegates stay in the Comunitá San Pietro Canisio, where Jesuits' stay during their time in Rome. It is only three minutes walking distance from the Vatican and two minutes from the office of the Pontifical Council for Propagating Christian Unity, that hosts the friendly delegates.