As nearly 200 bishops converged on Rome for an extraordinary synod (an assembly of clergy) to address the Catholic Church's attitude toward the modern family, Pope Francis met with Paralympic athletes.
Wheelchair-bound, mentally disabled and armless athletes exchanged delighted embraces and words of encouragement with the Pope at the Saturday event.
The pope highlighted Christian principles of inclusion and solidarity as overlapping with the Paralympic Committee mission to open sports to more people.
Organized by the Italian Paralympic Committee, "Believe to be Alive" took over part of the Via della Conciliazione, one of Rome's major roads linking Italy's capital to St. Peter's Square. For the first time, the road became an outdoor gym where Paralympic athletes took part in a sports showcase.
Italian dancer Simona Atzorii has no arms. In a flowing white dress, she performed for the pope and a small crowd in Paul VI Hall, the Daily Mail reports. The pope cradled Atzorii's beaming face in his hand afterward.
Vatican Radio reports Pope Francis told disabled athletes that what they do is proof, "that in every person there is potential that sometimes we cannot imagine, and that can develop with confidence..."
Since many of the athletes and guests at the event were not Catholic, the Pope did not celebrate Mass. But according to Vatican radio, he did tell the group they were not alone in their quest to remove barriers to sports - God was with them.
Hours later, according to Vatican News, Pope Francis led a prayer vigil for the Synod on the Family from the balcony of St. Peter's Square. He begged the tens of thousands gathered to pray for the synod bishops to hear "the beat of this time and perceive the scent of the people today."
He said once Church leaders are "permeated" by the joys and distresses of the people, they will be able to share the "good news of the family" with credibility.
The Synod on the Family is not expected to result in any votes, documents or substantial changes to Church policy in the short term. It's the official start of a discussion that will continue until a 2015 gathering of the synod bishops.
Kathryn Elliott covers the Vatican, Pope Francis and all things related to the Catholic Church for HNGN. She is a producer for EWTN News Nightly, an international cable news show airing weeknights at 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. EST on the Global Catholic Television Network. Kathryn has reported for the National Catholic Register, St. Paul Pioneer Press, Catholic Spirit, The Minnesota Daily and The Word Among Us Magazine. She has a BA in professional journalism from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. Kathryn lives in Washington D.C. Follow her on Twitter at @kmelliott90.
