Also on the show: How does Pope Francis' approval of sending arms to Ukraine square with his criticism of the arms trade?

Starting Sept. 21, a team of 35 people "summoned from all continents" went to Frascati, outside Rome, to synthesize the reports from phase one of the synod.

In his Sept. 21 general audience, Pope Francis recaps his trip to Kazakhstan, where he met with authorities there as well as with the small Catholic population.

Unknown gunmen fired upon the papal almoner, Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, as he and others attempted to deliver humanitarian aid in Ukraine on Saturday. No injuries were reported in the attack.

Vatican diplomacy has as its primary goal peace through dialogue, which runs counter to the complex dance of pressures and negotiations that nation-states use to jockey for power on the global stage.

The new rector, Mark Lewis, S.J., also opened up about the Gregorian's upcoming merger with the Pontifical Biblical and Oriental Institutes.