2015 Vatican Synod on Family Life

The bishops’ synod wrapped up its business in Rome last weekend what are they all afraid of?

The Final Report made no explicit mention of a path to communion for the divorced and remarried, much less sanctioning “artificial” contraception or living out of wedlock. Same-sex relationships got thumbs down.

Pope Francis took the tiny opening that last year’s synod gave to annulment reform and pushed through new canon law. Who knows what he’ll do with the openings he’s been given now? Are they afraid of what Pope Francis may do in the future or are they afraid that Pope Francis might decide to act on his irritation with conservatives?

If the results of this synod had been under Pope John Paul II it would have raised little concern. The cardinals were not suspicious of Pope John Paul and believed he would not go against anything the Cardinals wanted, but with Pope Francis he is his own man.

The majority of the cardinals would like to see the issue of divorce-remarry-communion remain as the rules were written in the Fourth Century. Eastern Orthodoxy permits sacramental remarriages. The cardinals leading the Roman Catholic Church have yet to realize that some valid marriages sometimes have to be ended by divorce. They prefer Catholics who get divorced apply to them for an annulment and they decide who will be or will not be granted one. They prefer the children of divorced Catholics to be declared illegitimate by the Catholic Church because they were born to a marriage that never existed in the eyes of the Church, that seems harsh to me.  Perhaps I might consider the stand the Catholic leadership takes on divorce for second marriages.

I believe that the marriage-divorce-annulment-remarriage issue is as it is today because, as in many things in our church, the cardinals take the stand that’s the way it has always been and that is the way it will stay. Tradition takes presentence over what is reality, practical and obtainable for today’s Christians.  It would be different if Catholics were adhering to these archaic traditions, but they are not.

The Catholic cardinals did pave the way for greater openness towards divorcees. Cardinals agreed divorcees must be “more integrated in Christian communities”. The cardinals decided to allow the local clergy to decide whether to allow divorcees to participate fully in church life. What was once left to the bishops and ultimately Rome is now in the hands of the local pastors as it should be. I will be more comfortable with this decision when it is formulate and put in writing.

While bishops have spoken, it is up to the pope to decide the next move. Beyond the synod vote, he will face tough opposition in any attempt to change archaic church rules, but the upcoming jubilee year of mercy could serve as an opportunity to table new plans for Catholic Family Life.

Pope Francis on Sunday at the end of the synod appeared to lecture church elders, suggesting they should not be quick to exclude a broad array of people deserving of God’s grace. The pope implied the men of the church needed to be more aware of the needs of the people and take action instead of turning a blind eye and trying not to become involved.

While subjects were addressed that previous popes and synods would have never discussed the opposition in the synod to rapid changes in rules also suggested how far off Catholics may be from seeing Francis’s revolutionary style turned into practice.

Now the media will start debating who won the debate the pope, the conservatives or the liberals.  If anyone won it was the pope for in the end he has the final say. Doors were open for him to make changes.  Changes may take years and he may not live to see them, but at least the ball for change is now rolling and I do not think it can be stopped. The laity today is too intelligent and has access to more knowledge than in the past and will no longer be pushed around and accept doctrine they consider is without merit.  

I think it was a tie and no one won as far as the conservative and reformers go. The conservative were able to prevent changes or slow changes that they adamantly did not want and the liberals or reformers got the debate started on changes they did want and I believe that debate will continue.

I think the Pope was the real winner over all for he made it clear following the synod that he is tired of the Bishops not following his instructions and not practicing what they are teaching.  This is probably why many of them left Rome a bit shaken and frighten.