Pope Francis speaks up on synod process – 'it isn't over' [CNA]

[CNA_News]

http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/i...edit_Alan_Holdren_CNA_CNA_11_25_14.jpgVatican City, Nov 30, 2014 / 05:57 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- In keeping with his usual tradition on papal trips, Pope Francis held an in-flight press conference on his way back to Rome, in which he opened up about the debate surrounding last month’s Synod of Bishops.

“The Synod is a path, it is a journey, firstly. Secondly the synod is not a Parliament. It’s a protected space in which the Holy Spirit may speak,” the Roman Pontiff told journalists on his Nov. 30 flight back from Turkey.

His response was given to a question posed by Patricia Thomas of The Associated Press, who asked about the synod midterm report’s controversial phrasing regarding persons with homosexual orientation.

The 46 minute in-flight press conference took place on the Pope’s way back from a three-day trip to Ankara and Istanbul, which focused heavily on ecumenical dialogue with the Orthodox churches.

In his answer to the question, the pontiff recalled how during the Oct. 5-19 extraordinary synod of bishops on the family, a press conference was given each day with both Vatican spokesman Fr. Federico Lombardi and a selection of the synod participants who spoke about what was said that day.

While there were some “contrasting things” due to differing opinions, everything was summed up in the midterm report, the pontiff observed, recounting how that “working draft” was then given to small groups who worked in four languages: English, Spanish, Italian and French.

All of the groups’ contributions were made public, the pontiff explained, noting how the controversial paragraphs regarding persons of homosexual orientation were returned to the writing commission, who then “tried to insert all of the amendments.”

“The substantial part remains but everything had to be reduced. Everything. Everything. Everything. And what remained of the substantial part was what became the final relatio. But it isn’t over,” he said.

Because the final relatio of this synod is the “lineamenta” – or starting point – for next year’s gathering, the Pope stressed that it is provisionary, and has been sent to the episcopal conferences so they can discuss it and send their own amendments, so that another “instrumentum laboris” can be drafted.

“But, it’s a path. For this reason, you can’t take (the) opinion of one person or draft. The Synod has to be seen in its totality,” Pope Francis explained.

“Also, I don’t agree – and this is a personal opinion which I don’t want to impose – but I don’t agree with saying that ‘Today, this Father said this,’ or ‘Today, this Father said this,’” the Pope said.

Rather, if someone wants to say something, “let them say what was said but not who said it. Why? Because, I repeat, the synod is not a parliament, it’s a protected ecclesial space.”

And this protections exists, he observed, “so (that) the Holy Spirit can work. And this is my response.”

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Full article…

 

[FollowChrist34]

???

 

[otjm]

???

What are you not understanding? - Just curious…

 

[FollowChrist34]

What are you not understanding? - Just curious…

Where Pope Francis stands on the issues raised at the Synod…

 

[otjm]

Where Pope Francis stands on the issues raised at the Synod…

He stands for strengthening families; for better catechesis before marriage; for a recognition of the many, many people who have left the Church, all too often because of marriage issues, and finding a way to deal compassionately with them, and to draw them back into the Church; and for a reexamination of the matters of one seeking a decree of nullity; sometimes cost, all too often long delays in obtaining a determination, and anything else which in justice needs examining about the matters related to the work of tribunals.

It would help, if one were to follow these matters in either Our Sunday Visitor or in National Catholic Register (not National Catholic Reporter). Both have had clear, accurate information concerning what is going on and why , and both are faithful to the Magisterium.

The secular press is particularly adept at taking things out of context and reporting from their own biases, which include a thoroughly secular point of view (read, generally immoral) and often an almost total lack of any understanding of the Catholic Church. it is a bit akin to asking a Southern Baptist to report on what the Church is doing, except that with a Southern Baptist, they are going to get some things right because they also believe in Christ.

 

[McCall1981]

He stands for strengthening families; for better catechesis before marriage; for a recognition of the many, many people who have left the Church, all too often because of marriage issues, and finding a way to deal compassionately with them, and to draw them back into the Church; and for a reexamination of the matters of one seeking a decree of nullity; sometimes cost, all too often long delays in obtaining a determination, and anything else which in justice needs examining about the matters related to the work of tribunals.

It would help, if one were to follow these matters in either Our Sunday Visitor or in National Catholic Register (not National Catholic Reporter). Both have had clear, accurate information concerning what is going on and why , and both are faithful to the Magisterium.

The secular press is particularly adept at taking things out of context and reporting from their own biases, which include a thoroughly secular point of view (read, generally immoral) and often an almost total lack of any understanding of the Catholic Church. it is a bit akin to asking a Southern Baptist to report on what the Church is doing, except that with a Southern Baptist, they are going to get some things right because they also believe in Christ.

I’m pretty sure FollowChrist34 was referring to the issue of communion for the divorced and remarried.

 

[FollowChrist34]

He stands for strengthening families; for better catechesis before marriage; for a recognition of the many, many people who have left the Church, all too often because of marriage issues, and finding a way to deal compassionately with them, and to draw them back into the Church; and for a reexamination of the matters of one seeking a decree of nullity; sometimes cost, all too often long delays in obtaining a determination, and anything else which in justice needs examining about the matters related to the work of tribunals.

It would help, if one were to follow these matters in either Our Sunday Visitor or in National Catholic Register (not National Catholic Reporter). Both have had clear, accurate information concerning what is going on and why , and both are faithful to the Magisterium.

The secular press is particularly adept at taking things out of context and reporting from their own biases, which include a thoroughly secular point of view (read, generally immoral) and often an almost total lack of any understanding of the Catholic Church. it is a bit akin to asking a Southern Baptist to report on what the Church is doing, except that with a Southern Baptist, they are going to get some things right because they also believe in Christ.

Got it, thanks. Yes, I am wondering about the Pope’s position on communion for the divorce and remarried, as well as the other “controversial” issues, such as the issue of Church treatment of homosexual and other irregular unions, that came up in the Synod mid-term report and were “amended” in the final report. This was what the reporter had initially asked about (specifically homosexual unions)…to which the Pope stated, “It isn’t over…”

BTW I do read and love National Catholic Register… In particular Edward Pentin!

 

[otjm]

Got it, thanks. Yes, I am wondering about the Pope’s position on communion for the divorce and remarried, as well as the other “controversial” issues, such as the issue of Church treatment of homosexual and other irregular unions, that came up in the Synod mid-term report and were “amended” in the final report. This was what the reporter had initially asked about (specifically homosexual unions)…to which the Pope stated, “It isn’t over…”

BTW I do read and love National Catholic Register… In particular Edward Pentin!

I have seen nothing that would indicate to me that he is trying to move the issue farther than it currently exists.

And as it currently exists, in limited circumstances, a couple who is willing to live as brother and sister might be admitted to Communion (obviously there are other considerations in the matter).

I am thinking that a good part of the fuss that has occurred (in addition to all the dustup created by the secular media) is due to the fact that the issue of Communion to the divorced and remarried came up many months before the start of the synod, when Cardinal Kasper addressed the matter. I don’t recall that receiving any such angst as has been had over the synod, but this didn’t just suddenly arise out of nowhere.

If one listens (or reads) the constant stream of comments, homilies, and answers the Pope gives, it is hard to see that suddenly he is going to toss the apple cart upside down o a well established point. He really is not some yokel who crawled out of the weeds and was suddenly by some unimaginable fluke made Pope. He was a well-known individual to the cardinals who voted at the last election, and while I think he is a surprise to a lot of Catholics with strong opinions as to how a Pope acts and what he does - or doesn’t do - I think the problem is that too many people have an highly idealized version of what “pope” means. On the other hand, I think the Cardinals had a very clear idea of who they were electing.

In addition, IMHO, the dustup about a major reversal coming in matters of moral law, or practice as related directly to moral law is indicative of a whole lot of people not acquainted with something I learned in the 1950’s - that the Holy Spirit will always protect the Church in matters of Faith and Morals. And that was not something brand spanking new when I learned it.

The Church has suddenly, seemingly all at once, landed in the information age. What is going on in the synod is what has gone on since the time shortly after Christ; there have been questions; there have been opinions, and the Church has always had to sort them out. However, due to the fact that communication has never been as fast or as far reaching as it is today, the folks in the pews in large part were not privy to all of the questioning and the back and forth that resulted in clarification.

We are now in an age where someone can say something and literally within minutes if not within seconds, it is spreading around the world.

Whether the result is that people cannot process information fast enough, or that the secular press is so overwhelming, we are now privy to what before mostly never saw the light of day. We now have an inside seat on “how sausage is made”, something that long ago one was warned from watching. The process is not pretty; it can be truly draw-dropping in its length, breadth and depth. A careful reading of the process of Vatican 2 (as opposed to the documents) will show that it was bordering on a donnybrook. There were bishops and Cardinals who tried to derail it before it ever began, and when they could not do that, they tried to take control. That, too, did not succeed.

Meanwhile, kids like me in this country, in grade schools and high schools, were constantly praying for the success of the council.

And of course there is the old adage, slightly modified: be careful what you pray for - the Holy Spirit just might give it to you.

So, at the end of the day, I go to bed with the assurance that the Church is protected by the Holy Spirit; that this Pope may do something that will amaze or horrify certain segments of Catholicism, but that the Holy Spirit is alive and well and active in the Church hear and now. I think a whole lot is going on, and a whole lot of people, instead of saying “Hmm - I need to think on this one; clearly there is a message and at first take, if I am upset with it, then perhaps I am reacting instead of listening. Perhaps I have preconceived notions which are not entirely correct - or maybe not correct at all.”

Anyway, just some thoughts.