Francis met the papal abuse commission at a time when many questions have been raised about its organization, governance and direction following the resignation at the end of March of Hans Zollner, S.J.
Pope Francis is expected to encourage solidarity in the face of the ever greater humanitarian crisis arising from the war in Ukraine and to appeal for an end to the war.
For the first time in the history of the synod, Pope Francis has given women the right to vote and has also made a radical change to the membership of the Synod of Bishops on Synodality.
Pope Francis wants to visit Argentina, his homeland, in 2024 and has told Archbishop Georg Gänswein, the private secretary of the late Pope Benedict XVI, that he has to leave his Vatican apartment in the coming months.