"Christian hope is not simply a desire," Pope Francis said at today's general audience (full text, short video, full video). The Pope has praised the "realism" of St Teresa of Ávila in a letter looking ahead to the fifth centenary of her birth. John Thavis insists the media have not over-reacted to the family synod's mid-term report. Andrew Sullivan says that after reading the report he felt "something breaking inside of me". Fr D Vincent Twomey argues that "the lack of openness and transparency at the synod is extraordinary". Robert Mickens urges Vatican-watchers to keep their eyes on "the bright, friendly and media-savvy" Fr Antonio Spadaro SJ. And Bayern Munich players will have a private audience with Pope Francis next week. Follow me on Twitter @lukecoppen for updates throughout the day.