One of the Catholic sisters taking part in the Vatican's Synod of Bishops for the Amazon has called for women religious attending the gathering to be granted the right to vote, saying their status as non-voting participants has been a "strong topic" of discussion.
Pope's quotes: "The attachment to authentic religious values is utterly incompatible with the attempt to violently impose on others one's own vision, using God's holy name as 'armour.' "
By demanding respect for the cultures of indigenous peoples, Pope Francis was not promoting pantheism, but — tapping into his Jesuit roots — urging respect for a worldview that sees God in all things.
Among two main possibilities canonists discussed: Francis could issue new norms allowing bishops to deviate from the church canon requiring clerics to remain celibate, or he could invite the bishops to appeal to the Vatican on a case-by-case basis.
