Pope Paul VI, the only pope to visit Hong Kong, is beatified
Step towards sainthood for Pope Paul VI , who held mass at Happy Valley racecourse in 1970
Pope Francis yesterday beatified the only pope to have visited Hong Kong, Pope Paul VI, concluding the remarkable meeting of bishops debating family issues that drew parallels to the tumultuous reforms of the Second Vatican Council which Paul oversaw and implemented.
Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI was on hand for the mass, which took place just hours after Catholic bishops approved a document charting a more pastoral approach to ministering to families.
They failed to reach consensus on the two most divisive issues: on welcoming gays and divorced and civilly remarried couples. But the issues remain up for discussion ahead of another meeting of bishops next year.
While the synod scrapped its ground-breaking welcome and showed deep divisions on hot-button issues, the fact that the questions are on the table is significant given that they had been taboo until Francis' papacy.
"God is not afraid of new things," Francis said. "That is why he is continually surprising us, opening our hearts and guiding us in unexpected ways."
He quoted Paul himself as saying the church, particularly its synod of bishops, must survey the signs of the times to make sure the church adapted methods to respond to the "growing needs of our time".