Disagreement at the highest levels of the Catholic church about the worldwide meeting of bishops on the family seemed to come to the fore Monday (Oct. 12) with publication of a private letter from several cardinals to Pope Francis, before a number of the prelates disassociated themselves from the document.

“The letter, reportedly given to the pontiff on the first day of the ongoing Synod of Bishops, sees the cardinals sharply criticize the meeting; even saying it ‘seems designed to facilitate predetermined results on important disputed questions.’

“But although the letter was first revealed Monday morning with reports of signatures from 13 cardinals, by afternoon at least four of the group had disassociated themselves from it — saying they had never signed the document or supported its arguments.

“The intrigue led Vatican spokesman Jesuit Fr. Federico Lombardi to tell reporters at a mid-day briefing that they should ‘have caution’ in reporting on the document, and verify each of the alleged signatures.”

By Joshua J. McElwee, National Catholic Reporter — Click here to read the rest of this story.

Also of interest:

• Uncertainty surrounds cardinals’ letter voicing doubts about the synod
• Cardinals clash on doubts about process at Synod of Bishops
• Whose Synod is it, anyway?
• The real Synod has yet to arrive