Central to our faith is our belief in 'the Holy Catholic Church'. It was this that Pope Francis chose to emphasise in his closing remarks at the Synod of Bishops at the end of October. He pleaded with us never to forget or waiver in this belief. The Church is Holy. The Church is our Holy Mother. The Church gives birth to the holiness of life. This is the Church we are to love and protect.

Of course, we, her daughters and sons, are sinful. That is so obvious. But the Mother is not. We fall into sin; we parade our opinions as if they were a source of life; we are constantly drawn into bitter contestation, within the family of the one Holy Mother. But our sin does not destroy her holiness.