Weltsynode: Franziskus: "The heart is missing"

Catholic Church's Global Synod Concludes with Call for Renewal and Reform

Pope Francis has urged the Catholic Church to undergo a process of renewal and reform, saying that it has lost its "heart" and become too focused on rules and regulations.

The pope made his comments during the closing Mass of the Synod of Bishops, a gathering of bishops from around the world that has been meeting in Rome for the past three weeks.

The synod was called by Pope Francis to discuss the future of the Catholic Church in the wake of a series of scandals and challenges.

In his homily, Pope Francis said that the church had become too focused on "doctrinal formulations" and had lost its "compassion and tenderness."

"The heart of the church is not in its structures," he said. "The heart of the church is in its people, in its poor, in its sinners."

Pope Francis called on the church to undergo a process of "conversion" and to become more "humble" and "listening."

"We need to be a church that is poor and for the poor," he said. "We need to be a church that is humble and that listens to the voice of the people."

The pope's comments were welcomed by many participants in the synod, who said that they had been waiting for a long time to hear such a clear call for renewal.

"This is a historic moment for the church," said Cardinal Reinhard Marx, the archbishop of Munich and Freising.

"Pope Francis has given us a clear direction for the future, and it is now up to us to follow his lead and bring about the changes that are so badly needed."

The synod's final document, which was released on Saturday, calls for a number of reforms, including a greater role for women in the church, a more inclusive approach to homosexuality, and a more decentralized decision-making process.

It remains to be seen whether the church will be able to implement these reforms, but Pope Francis's comments have given hope to many Catholics who have been calling for change.