Speaking to the Register two days before the synod fathers vote on the synod’s final document, the Philadelphia archbishop discusses how the meeting has unfolded and what he’ll bring home from it.

Nine US bishops are taking part in the Synod of Bishops on the family, some as elected representatives of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, some as papal nominees, and some as members of the permanent council of the synod. Crux has been interviewing the Americans to solicit their perspectives on the event. Today, Crux speaks to Archbishop Charles Chaput of Philadelphia and Archbishop Jose Gomez of Los Angeles.

In less than a week I’ll be home in Philadelphia and hopefully – finally – back to the normal life of a great diocese. I use that word “great” deliberately. What makes Philadelphia unique is not its legacy, or industries, or universities, or cultural centers. All these things are important, but they’re just words until we remember the people who give them life.

En menos de una semana estaré en casa en Filadelfia y espero –finalmente– de regreso a la vida normal de una gran diócesis; uso deliberadamente la palabra «gran». Lo que hace único a Filadelfia no es su legado, o industrias o universidades o centros culturales. Todas estas cosas son importantes, pero son sólo palabras hasta que recordamos a las personas que les dan vida.

In an Oct. 19 interview with Catholic News Agency from Rome, Archbishop Charles Chaput said that despite an implied assertion in America Magazine over the weekend, none of the bishops at the Synod of Bishops on the Family is an “opponent” of Pope Francis.

Throughout his recent visit to Philadelphia, Pope Francis showed great sensitivity to the beauty and challenges of everyday family life, and people rightly responded with gratitude and enthusiasm.

The following Synod on the Family interview with Archbishop Charles Chaput was conducted by email in Rome on October 15 by Samuel Pruvot of the French Catholic magazine Famille Chretienne (FC). It’s used here with the kind permission of the FC editors, who retain the copyright.

The Church can be truthful without being merciful. But she can’t be merciful without being truthful.

A medida que el Sínodo de los Obispos sobre la Familia cierra su segunda semana en un enjambre de atención de los medios de comunicación y algunas interpretaciones muy diferentes, podría ser un buen momento para recordar un punto simple.

Just as our thoughts shape the language we use, so too the language we use shapes our thinking and the content of our discussions.