Pope Francis Kicks Off Global Catholic Leaders Summit with a Call for Unity

Pope Francis has inaugurated a global summit of Catholic leaders, urging participants to avoid imposing personal agendas. The Synod of Bishops will navigate controversial topics like women's ordination in 2025. The summit features 368 voting members from over 110 countries, with key issues delegated to study groups for final report in 2025.

Pope Francis opened a significant global summit of Catholic leaders on Wednesday, cautioning delegates against pushing personal agendas onto the assembly.

During a Mass at St. Peter's Square, the pope warned cardinals, bishops, and lay participants to treat their inputs at the month-long Synod of Bishops not as 'agendas to be imposed.' '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,' Francis stated.

The summit, which aims to shape the future of the Catholic Church, includes 368 voting members from over 110 countries. Despite criticism from conservative factions over issues like same-sex blessings and women's ordination, most contentious topics have been referred to study groups for final reporting next June. The pope urged delegates to be 'ready even to sacrifice (their) own point of view to give life to something new.'

(With inputs from agencies.)