Timely and useful meeting

So many comments and speculations have been made regarding the Synod on the “Pastoral Challenges to the Family in the Context of Evangelization” now being held in Rome starting Oct. 5, until Oct. 19, 2014. Fears have been expressed that disputes and debates will arise during the synod between the “conservative” and “progressive” prelates and other lay delegates attending the synod regarding some doctrinal changes in the Catholic Church in the face of the modern practices sweeping the countries all over the world. There are even those who are raising the possibility that the Church will liberalize its doctrine concerning life, marriage and the family.

These speculation and fears have been heightened in the face of the recent report about Pope Francis officiating at a mass wedding of couples who have allegedly been previously married or who are “living in sin” or who have engaged in pre-marital sex. Indeed there seems to be an effort to influence the leaders of the Church in abandoning some of the gospel values and the sacred truths revealed by God Himself as contained in the gospel of Christ to the extent of misinterpreting and giving another slant to the Pope’s fresh pastoral actions characterized by simplicity, compassion, understanding and mercy.

But as the Synod enters its fifth day, it is now quite clear and definite that no changes to the church doctrine are being discussed and that only the pastoral approach is up for discussion by “speaking clearly with frankness and listening with humility” which are the “keys of collegiality” as Pope Francis said in his opening statements. 

According to Cardinal Lorenzo Baldisseri, the Secretary General of the Synod of Bishops, the primary purpose of the meeting is to “discern new ways of supporting the family and the life of the family” by seeking practical answers to the most urgent needs of families around the world today. For this purpose, the Church must look at “reality rather than ideals” as she listens to the needs of the faithful. The theme of the Synod is apparently to walk the talk, echoing Pope Francis’ appeal that to understand the situation of divorced and remarried Catholics, we should “walk with them” instead of shunning them.

There are no discussions or disputes in the Synod about changes in the Church doctrine on human life, marriage and the family. “Despite the family being threatened by disrupting factors such as divorce, abortion, violence, poverty, abuse, the nightmare of precariousness and imbalance caused by migration, it remains a school of humanity.” The synod in fact “encourages the family to be regarded with hope and mercy whose values and beauty, in spite of many difficulties must be proclaimed” according to Cardinal Erdo, one of those attending the Synod.

He also emphasized that the “indissolubility of marriage and its sacramental nature among baptized persons are not called into question. Also in discussion at the synod are the practical not doctrinal questions inseparable from the truth of faith on the pastoral practice of the church with those whose marriages have failed and who seek new beginning. In this connection, the Synod will also take up the greater formation for those engaged couples so that they are clearly aware both of the Sacramental dignity of marriage based on “uniqueness, fidelity and fruitfulness and of its nature as an institution in society.” Also to be discussed is a renewed and adequate “family pastoral” for people who live in difficult marital condition “to enable them to feel loved by God and the ecclesial community from a merciful perspective that does not however cancel out truth and justice.”

It will also be stressed in the synod that “mercy does not take away the commitments which arise from the demands of the marriage bonds,” meaning that “in case of a consummated sacramental marriage, after a divorce, a second marriage recognized by the church is impossible, while the first spouse is still alive. The church should help divorced and civilly remarried persons understand the reasons for the failure of their first union and identify the causes for nullity instead of concentrating only on the question of receiving the sacraments.

The vision of marriage that must be transmitted during the synod is that it should not be regarded as a “destination but rather as a path to a higher end, a road towards the growth of the person and of the couple, a source of strength and energy.”

Also to be reiterated with more emphasis during the synod is that “openness to life is an essential part and intrinsic need of conjugal love. And for this purpose, the Church should devote herself to education in love and sexuality explaining its value and avoiding “banalization and superficiality,” In this connection it will also be pointed out that “welcoming life, assuming responsibility and care are possible only if the family is not conceived as an isolated unit but an active part in a network of relationship.”  

The atmosphere at the Synod is described as “very light, one with active dialogue where people feel free to speak — not tense or academic but friendly where reflections are given from the perspective of the delegates. The challenge of the Synod is to “try to bring to today’s world, while taking into account the complexity of society, the attractiveness of the Christian message about marriage and the family and giving answers that are transmitted with charity, because the world’s needs Christ.”      

The Synod is indeed a blessing especially to our country as the contraceptive mentality will be introduced into our society that will endanger life, marriage and family. With the answers that will come out after the Synod, our Church will be more equipped to counter the adverse effects of these western mentality to be introduced here.

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