Posts Tagged synod of bishops
Synod small groups suggest much work remains in finding consensus / Cruxnow.com
Posted by Voice of the Faithful in Catholic Bishops, Synod of Bishops, Synod on the Family, Vatican, Voice of the Faithful on October 15, 2015
With the conclusion of the second round of small group discussions, consensus is emerging around a few key themes at the synod on the family: The working document needs a lot of work, the Church should speak more clearly and positively about Catholic marriage, and couples need catechetical resources, or ‘best practices’ as one group put it, to help them sustain their commitments.
“Dig a bit deeper into the reports released Wednesday (Oct. 14), however, and it becomes clear that bishops are still grappling with a variety of more difficult issues–cohabitation, domestic abuse, women’s leadership, and the growing reality that young people just aren’t that into marriage. These inquiries serve as something of a preview to next week’s discussion.”
By Michael O’Loughlin, Cruxnow.com — Click here to read the rest of this story.
‘Yes, we can!’ emerges as rallying cry at 2015 synod / Cruxnow.com
Posted by Voice of the Faithful in Synod of Bishops, Synod on the Family, Vatican, Voice of the Faithful on October 14, 2015
Given the blindingly obvious fact that there are deep divisions at the 2015 Synod of Bishops, various ways of analyzing those fault lines have been proposed. Some see them in terms of the difference between a deductive and inductive approach, some between meeting the world halfway versus not being swallowed up by it, and so on.
“As the synod rolls into its second week (week of Oct. 12), yet another way of understanding the fundamental divide is coming into focus: The gap between those who believe the demands of classic Catholic teaching on sex, marriage, and the family may be unrealistic or inappropriate for some share of the contemporary population, and those convinced that it’s widely attainable in the here-and-now.
“Perhaps one could call the latter position the “Yes We Can!’ brigade at the 2015 synod.”
By John L. Allen, Jr., Cruxnow.com — Click here to read the rest of this commentary.
Synod bishops may punt the tough issues to the local level / Cruxnow.com
Posted by Voice of the Faithful in Synod of Bishops, Synod on the Family, Vatican, Voice of the Faithful on October 9, 2015
As bishops wrap up the first week of deliberations about family life, hints are emerging that complex pastoral challenges could ultimately be addressed not with sweeping changes in Rome, but at the local level.
Could national bishops’ conferences come up with their own rules about annulments, Communion, and how to minister to gays and lesbians?
Maybe.
By Michael O’Loughlin, Cruxnow.com — Click here to read the rest of this story.
Archbishop: Synod should reflect on possibly allowing female deacons / Catholic News Service
Posted by Voice of the Faithful in Synod of Bishops, Synod on the Family, Voice of the Faithful on October 6, 2015
Canadian Archbishop Paul-Andre Durocher of Gatineau, Quebec, said the synod should reflect on the possibility of allowing for female deacons as it seeks ways to open up more opportunities for women in church life.
“Where possible, qualified women should be given higher positions and decision-making authority within church structures and new opportunities in ministry, he told Catholic News Service Oct. 6.
“Discussing a number of proposals he offered the synod fathers to think about, he said, ‘I think we should really start looking seriously at the possibility of ordaining women deacons because the diaconate in the church’s tradition has been defined as not being ordered toward priesthood but toward ministry.’
“Currently, the Catholic Church permits only men to be ordained as deacons. Deacons can preach and preside at baptisms, funerals and weddings, but may not celebrate Mass or hear confessions.
By Carol Glatz, Catholic News Service, in National Catholic Reporter — Click here to read the rest of this story.
Synod Notebook: On Day One, a debate about process and taking things off the table / Cruxnow.com
Posted by Voice of the Faithful in Synod of Bishops, Synod on the Family, Voice of the Faithful on October 6, 2015
As the 2015 Synod of Bishops gets underway, two things seem clear. One is that many prelates seem determined to stay positive as much as possible, playing down their differences and trying to shift the discussion away from controversial matters toward areas of potential common ground.
“The other is that real tensions over issues, as well as the synod process, may make that goal awfully hard to achieve.”
By John L. Allen, Jr., Cruxnow.com — Click here to read the rest of this story.
Pope Francis opens Vatican synod on family issues / The New York Times
Posted by Voice of the Faithful in Catholic Bishops, Pope Francis, Synod of Bishops, Synod on the Family, Vatican, Voice of the Faithful on October 5, 2015
Pope Francis on Sunday (Oct. 4) told bishops gathered at the Vatican for the opening of a synod on family issues that the church must stay true to its teachings on the ‘indissolubility’ of marriage between a man and a woman. But he also called on them to be sensitive to the complexity of modern society and not be judgmental of it — and to ‘seek out and care for hurting couples with the balm of acceptance and mercy.’
“The church must be a bridge, not a roadblock, for the faithful, the pope said in his homily during the ceremonial Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica that signaled the beginning of the three-week council, in which bishops from around the world will discuss how the church should respond to the needs of the modern Catholic family.”
By Elisabetta Povoledo, The New York Times — Click here to read the rest of this story.
Catholic women sharply call for Synod to open to women’s participation, voices / National Catholic Reporter
Posted by Voice of the Faithful in church reform, Future of the Church, Women in Catholic Church, Women in the Church on September 17, 2015
A diverse global network of Catholic women is set to launch an expansive and compelling collection of writings before the opening of October’s Synod of Bishops, pointedly calling on the male prelates to include their half of humanity and its experience in the synod’s discussions.
“In 40 short essays mixing the sociological, theological, and sometimes deeply personal, the writers raise a number of weighty concerns for the hotly anticipated worldwide meeting of prelates on family life — centered on the fact that extraordinarily few women are invited or involved.
“At the heart of many of their concerns, however, is their own exclusion from the Synod process. While Francis has appointed 30 women to attend the Synod as auditors making contributions to the discussions, only the 279 male members of the meetings can vote …
“‘The absence of women’s perspectives at times of reflection on these issues is not only an act of disdain toward women, who make up more than half of religious and believers, it is also an impoverishment of Catholic life, writes (historian Lucetta) Scaraffia, one of 43 women writing for the essay collection, titled ‘Catholic Women Speak: Bringing Our Gifts to the Table.’”
By Joshua J. McElwee, National Catholic Reporter — Click here to read the rest of this story.
The collection of essays will be launched in Rome on Oct. 1.
List of participants augurs another rollicking synod on the family / Cruxnow.com
Posted by Voice of the Faithful in Synod of Bishops, Voice of the Faithful on September 15, 2015
While most of the protagonists from last year’s hotly debated Synod of Bishops on the family will be back for Round Two, the Vatican made it official on Tuesday (Sept. 15) that one star of last year’s show will be conspicuously absent: US Cardinal Raymond Burke, who emerged as a champion of the traditionalist camp last year.”
By Ines San Martin, Cruxnow.com — Click here to read the rest of this story.
New family synod document a mixture of welcome, criticism of modern life / National Catholic Reporter
Posted by Voice of the Faithful in Catholic Bishops, Synod on the Family, Voice of the Faithful on June 23, 2015
The Vatican document outlining the initial working positions for October’s highly anticipated global meeting of bishops on family life issues offers little to no clear indication of how world prelates have responded to Pope Francis’ call to openly discuss difficult issues facing families, such as divorce and remarriage.
“The document, which many anticipate as a possible barometer for how the bishops’ discussions at the fall event might evolve, instead mainly focuses on restating many positions adopted at the meeting held last year with an occasional emphasis on showing mercy to those facing burdensome situations.
“The document also appears to reiterate some of the culture-war language that has sometimes marked the church’s language in recent decades and reaffirms the church’s moral teaching in several areas, including the prohibition on the use of birth control.
“It also does not seem to offer substantially new options for divorced and remarried people seeking the ability to take Communion in the church.”
By Joshua J. McElwee, National Catholic Reporter — Click here to read the rest of this story.
Voice of the Faithful
A lay movement for governance reform in the Roman Catholic Church, responding to the clergy sexual abuse scandal and supporting survivors.
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