"Cardinals affirm that Amazon synod will consider married priests on regional basis"

"VATICAN CITY — Two of the cardinals leading the upcoming Vatican meeting of bishops from the Amazon made clear Oct. 3 that the monthlong gathering will consider the idea of ordaining older married men as priests to address the severe lack of Catholic ministers across the nine-nation region... 'It will be taken into consideration inside the assembly,' he said, citing the synod's working document, known as an instrumentum laboris, that brought up the request from people in the region for a discussion. 'It is in the instrumentum laboris,' said Baldisseri. 'Therefore, the synod fathers are free to express themselves, to discuss it.'... The synod, which formally carries the title 'The Amazon: New Paths for the Church and for Integral Ecology,' will officially open Oct. 6 with a Mass in St. Peter's Basilica, celebrated by Pope Francis. The Amazon region includes eight countries and one European territory spread across the South American continent: Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia, Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana. The vast majority of the 184 bishops and priests and one religious brother taking part in the three-week synod as voting members will be coming from those countries. They will be joined by 80 non-voting lay experts and auditors, including 33 women, who can participate in the discussions but cannot vote on any final document or issues."