Church should not fear change, pope says at close of Bishop's gathering

2014-10-20 41

Under a brilliant blue sky in St. Peter's Square, Pope Francis beatified the late Pope Paul VI on Sunday.

The lavish ceremony comes at the end of a two-week-long assembly of bishops that revealed deep divisions in the Church on how to respond to homosexuality and divorce.

Just a week ago, the Church released a historic document asking Catholics to consider acceptance of gays.

But the final document drafted on Saturday reversed that decision.

Pope Francis, who wants to modernize the Church, called on the assembly not to fear change.

He paraphrased from Pope Paul VI, the very man whom he was honoring with a Beautification.

(SOUNDBITE) (Italian) POPE FRANCIS SAYING:

"By carefully surveying the signs of the times, we are making every effort to adapt ways and methods… to the growing needs of our time and the changing conditions of society."

Voting tallies show the articles on acceptance of gays failed to get a 2/3 majority to win a broad conse

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