Pope Francis opened a global Catholic summit on Wednesday with a warning that delegates should not seek to foist pet agendas onto the assembly, an apparent attempt to prevent discussions bogging down in divisive issues such as women's ordination.

Pope Francis’ big Catholic reform project has opened with widespread calls for women to take up more positions of responsibility in the church topping the agenda

Pope Francis on Tuesday led a prayer service asking forgiveness for the failings of the Catholic Church, including treatment by clergy of women and survivors of sexual abuse, as Catholic leaders prepared to begin a month-long summit at the Vatican.

We are only allowed to look down on a person to help them get up,’ Pope Francis told young people at the penitential ceremony.