Archbishop Cupich speaks from Rome as synod wraps up

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Chicago Archbishop Blase Cupich is wrapping-up a major meeting of Catholic bishops in Rome.

This synod is focusing on family issues, including how the church deals with divorced Catholics who have remarried outside the church and still hope to receive communion.

ABC7's Alan Krashesky spoke with the archbishop using Skype. It's clear that the bishops gathered in Rome are still trying to reach agreement on some significant issues.

One proposal might allow some divorced and remarried Catholics to receive communion on an individual basis, but only after they first go through the church annulment process regarding their first marriage.

"I would be in favor of making sure that we're clear about what a path to reconciliation and integration and accompaniment would be rather than people just going ahead and doing it on their own," said Archbishop Cupich.

On the issue of same-sex marriage, there's no talk of the Catholic Church giving a stamp of approval, but there is talk about how the church and pastors should respond to families which contain same-sex relationships.

"We're going to have to look at some of the language we use to make sure that we don't say anything that's unnecessarily alienating to people," Cupich said. "We want to speak the truth about what we believe but at the same time, we have to be careful about how we address people in these circumstances."

Archbishop Cupich is also in Rome while the Vatican flatly denied an Italian report that claimed Pope Francis has a brain tumor.

"Had absolutely no impact, but I think it's part of the drama of Italian journalism," Cupich said.

The Synod of Bishops concludes with a Mass with Pope Francis on Sunday.

The pope has the final say on which recommendations the Catholic Church will actually adopt.