ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE – Pope Francis warned against the influence of what he called “ideology” on an upcoming Synod of Bishops at the Vatican, indicated that his future travel plans may be curtailed given considerations of health and limitations on movement, and also distanced himself from climate change extremists.
The pontiff also largely rejected criticism of his outreach to both China and Russia on Monday, insisting that the Vatican enjoys a “very respectful” relationship with Beijing and praising Russia for possessing a culture with “great beauty and depth”.
