The congregation's task has always been “the transmission and dissemination of the faith throughout the whole world.”

Father Sosa said the Society of Jesus will also seek to respond to “the concrete requests of Pope Francis” in support of his work for the renewal of the church and its structures.

Asked in 1986 to describe himself, Fred Rogers listed off a long catalog of descriptors, including performer and television producer, but he concluded with “a husband and a father. And I am a minister.”

This week, Gerry and I examine the theme of martyrdom that has emerged repeatedly in recent weeks and how it relates to Pope Francis’ vision of evangelization.

The Pew Research Center recently declared that so-called nones, or the religiously unaffiliated, make up 26 percent of the U.S. population, up from 17 percent only a decade ago.

Ms. Casimero described the synod process as a place where Catholics with differences are “coming together” and “able to listen to one another” while also “trying to see and understand from the other person’s point of view.”