Pope Francis leaves after the first session of an extraordinary consistory in the Synod hall at the Vatican City, Thursday, Feb. 20, 2014. Cardinals from around the globe have begun discussing some of the most contentious issues in the church amid findings from Vatican-mandated surveys that most Catholics reject church teaching on contraception, divorce and homosexuality. Pope Francis opened the two-day meeting Thursday by urging his cardinals to find "intelligent, courageous" ways to help families under threat today without delving into case-by-case options to get around Catholic doctrine. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)