Morning Catholic must-reads: 08/10/12

Benedict XVI said “the Church exists to evangelise” in his homily at the opening Mass of the synod of bishops on the new evangelisation yesterday (full text of homily, video, eyewitness account by Bishop Gerald Kicanas).

During the Mass Pope Benedict proclaimed St Hildegard of Bingen and St John of Ávila Doctors of the Church (video).

The Pope invited families to pray the rosary during the Year of Faith at yesterday’s Angelus (video).

Mgr Charles Scicluna, the Vatican’s leading clerical abuse investigator, has been named Auxiliary Bishop of Malta (Rocco Palmo’s analysis).

John Hume, an architect of the peace process in Northern Ireland, received his papal knighthood on Saturday.

Fr Federico Lombardi says participants in the new evangelisation synod should “not come to the synod merely to speak, but to listen“.

And Canadian Bishop Remi De Roo recalls what it was like to attend the Second Vatican Council, which began 50 years ago this Thursday.

Follow me on Twitter @lukecoppen for updates throughout the day