In May, says the Cardinal, the Council “will approve the document, the Working Paper, that will be sent to the members of the Extraordinary General Assembly, which will be celebrated from 5 to 19 October 2014. In the meantime, the organization of the Assembly is fully active, and there are many initiatives of all sorts in the national and regional Bishops’ Conferences, in the Catholic Universities and in Higher Institutes of Religious Sciences, as well as in Catholic movements and family associations around the world.” “Over 84 % of the responses from the Bishops' Conferences and over 70% from the other entitled persons and entities” have already arrived. The theme of the family¬―the cardinal continued―“is crucial today. Pope Francis, wanting to deal with this issue, intends to make it clear that the Church does not avoid challenges, but takes them on with full responsibility; he wants to move with the times, accompany the people, share their joys and sorrows, hopes and human suffering, and he wants to do this with clarity, determination and truth. What expectations are there? The question of family, very vast and variegated, must be approached globally, in its extent and importance. The new methodology favors the approach of the issues and a more dynamic process at the Synod.”

Interview