In December of 2013, the newly elected Pope Francis published his first Apostolic Exhortation, The Joy of the Gospel, with a call prioritize outreach and evangelization.  He said:

I dream of a “missionary option”, that is, a missionary impulse capable of transforming everything, so that the Church’s customs, ways of doing things, times and schedules, language and structures can be suitably channeled for the evangelization of today’s world rather than for her self-preservation. The renewal of structures demanded by pastoral conversion can only be understood in this light: as part of an effort to make them more mission-oriented, to make ordinary pastoral activity on every level more inclusive and open, to inspire in pastoral workers a constant desire to go forth and in this way to elicit a positive response from all those whom Jesus summons to friendship with himself. (Evangelli Gaudium 27)

Pope Francis’ dream reflects his own missionary mandate to reform the Roman Curia and reintroduce Synodality into the governance of the universal Church.  

Pope Francis has presided over four global Synods that speak to the Church’s priorities today.  Two Synods focused on evangelizing the family, particularly those less connected to a sacramental life.  A third Synod addressed the pastoral care of young people, calling for a less catechetical and more dialogical approach to youth ministry.   The fourth and most recent Synod particularly concerned the people of the Amazon basin, upholding social and ecological justice.  The next global Synod, in 2022, will take up Synodality itself – a challenge to renew yet again listening and discernment processes.