Pope Francis urges prejudices be put aside at start of family synod

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Vatican City • Pope Francis on Monday told a contentious gathering of the world's bishops on family issues to put aside their personal prejudices and have the courage and the humility to be guided by the "surprises" of God.

Francis told 270 cardinals, bishops and priests that the three-week synod isn't a parliament where negotiations, plea bargains or compromises take place. Rather, he said, it's a sacred, protected space where God shows the way for the good of the church.

The bishops are debating how the church can better care for Catholic families at a time when marriage rates are falling, divorce is common and civil unions are on the rise. The main sticking points include how the church should welcome gays and divorced and civilly remarried Catholics.

Conservatives have been insisting that the gathering strongly reassert church doctrine on homosexuality and the indissolubility of marriage. Progressives are seeking a more merciful approach to a host of family problems, including whether civilly remarried Catholics can receive the sacraments.

Despite Francis' call for a free and open debate, Hungarian Cardinal Peter Erdo, a key synod organizer who delivered the introductory remarks, made clear that there is not much to discuss on the divorce-remarried issue since church teaching is clear in forbidding the sacraments for these Catholics.

In his opening welcome Monday, Francis repeated a phrase he used in his homily a day earlier that the church's law cannot become an impediment to its mission of mercy.

"God created law and the Sabbath for man, not vice versa," he said.

He called for the bishops to show apostolic courage, evangelical humility and faithful prayer during the next three weeks. Courage, he said, was needed since the church's attitudes can, "despite good intentions, distance people from God" and make "Christian life a museum of memories."