Vatican considers historic easing stance on contraception and marriage as it concedes ordinary Catholics don't follow the rules

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dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2670673/Vatican-Many-Catholics-ignore-teachings-sex.html
  • 75-page working paper for synod in October says Church’s teaching on contraception and sex before marriage are perceived to be ‘intrusive’
  • Officials have said the ‘problems will be considered’ and they will not ‘close our eyes to anything’ when debate is opened later this year
  • The report stressed a ‘new language’ was needed to communicate the church’s vision of marriage and family life
 
While core church doctrine is not expected to change as a result of the debate, officials have insisted the ‘problems will be considered.’
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The headline seems a bit misleading. I did not read anything that would make me think the Church would changes its teachings. I only read things that indicate an earnest desire to teach the Church’s teachings in a world that sees Church guidance as an intrusion in married life.
It said ‘a vast majority’ of responses stressed that ‘the moral evaluation of the different methods of birth control is commonly perceived today as an intrusion in the intimate life of the couple and an encroachment on the autonomy of conscience.’
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MomaMary8 said:
The headline seems a bit misleading. I did not read anything that would make me think the Church would changes its teachings. I only read things that indicate an earnest desire to teach the Church’s teachings in a world that sees Church guidance as an intrusion in married life.
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Yes, it sounds rather misleading. Moral teachings are viewed as “intrusive?” Well yeah, the whole moral law from the ten commandments on are “intrusive,” aren’t they?
 
I love when head lines overstate things then admit that in the article. 😊

The synod won’t look at relaxing prohibitions, but rather at how the immutable teachings are talked about and taught. Do I think it will change people’s behavior and their perceptions, not in large. But if only 1/2 a percent change their attitudes and behaviors that is a step in the right direction.

The biggest issue with this article? That many people will just read the headline and go “great the Church is coming around to my beliefs” and then be disappointed when October doesn’t result in a free love declaration. Then again the media will provide some other misleading headline that will imply that something has changed and lead more souls to Hell through their double speak.
 
I agree with MamaMary8

That said, the sensational media is probably going to have a field day, and faithful Catholics, as usual, will be largely unable to do damage control…to a degree that corresponds with the degree of scandal caused.

I’m beginning to wonder if I’m not completing part of my Purgatory by reading the media coverage of the Catholic Church. Anyone?
 
Ana_v said:
I’m beginning to wonder if I’m not completing part of my Purgatory by reading the media coverage of the Catholic Church. Anyone?
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Totally agree. It is certainly agonizing to read, though the anger engendered from their twisted half truths probably earns me just as much time as it takes off.
 
“Misleading” is an understatement!

Everyone ought to read the document themselves. Here it is on the Vatican website. And here is the handy pdf version from Whispers in the Loggia.

Marriage and the family touches on so many core issues and so many hot-button issues (cohabitation, contraception, abortion, homosexuality, etc.). The media is definitely going to get a whole lot wrong in their reporting on these next two synods over the course of the next couple years. We would do well to read through the materials ourselves.
 
A rock is a rock. The church will not “ease” its stance…to do so would undermine the faithful and draw into question its long held positions on all matters of morality. This type of media coverage is just a pitch in the dirt.
 
The problem is, when the Church states the need to come up with different language to articulate Catholic teaching in a way that better resonates with people today, the secular press hears “the Church is thinking of changing its teaching.” But the two are not at all the same. Rearticulating the same teaching using a different approach is not the same as changing the Church’s stance.
 
Who every wrote that article clearly did not actually read the document itself.

It condemned contraception in very strong terms.

While it did note that many Catholics choose to disregard the teaching, it said absolutely nothing about changing that teaching in any way.
 
The Daily Mail’s headlines frequently have little relationship to the actual content of their articles, and very often neither have much to do with the facts.
 
I’m really seeing this synod as our chance to evangelize! The article does rightly point out how the teachings (Truths!) of the Church are not understood by many of the members. I think this may be the time, for those of us who have been given the grace to understand and live this teaching in a faithful way, to go out and help our dear priests in explaining and teaching it.

Two things this article inspires me to do is 1) write a letter to the editor applauding the Church in its attempts at clarifying the teachings to the people (not change the teachings!) and 2) create a small group (like a book club) to go over the synod with young moms to help them learn what this synod is all about.

God bless our Holy Father! He has such a LOVING approach to our faith that I am learning to embrace in a new way!
 
Tarpeian_Rock said:
The Daily Mail’s headlines frequently have little relationship to the actual content of their articles, and very often neither have much to do with the facts.
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And yet people read the Daily Mail. And believe in them. Why?
 
:yawn:

They used to throw us to the lions and burn us on grates. Now they lie about us on the Internet and twist the truth to support their own agenda.

I really want to ask if false articles are the best they can do. Roman emperors had more guts.

-Tim-
 
It’s daily mail so I shouldn’t expect much but I don’t like the term “ordinary Catholics”. We are all simply Catholic from the pope on down. The hierarchy are not kings and princes lording over the “ordinary” peasants, they are servants.
 
The newsmedia is not entirely to blame regarding recent stories that imply Church teaching may be about to change. Too many confusing comments are now being made by Vatican representatives, and the Daily Mail, LA Times, CNN, etc will continue to run such stories so long as it “appears” that issues like divorce, contraception, homosexuality, ordination of women, etc, are now being viewed as gray areas.
 
Seamus_L said:
The newsmedia is not entirely to blame regarding recent stories that imply Church teaching may be about to change. Too many confusing comments are now being made by Vatican representatives, and the Daily Mail, LA Times, CNN, etc will continue to run such stories so long as it “appears” that issues like divorce, contraception, homosexuality, ordination of women, etc, are being as gray areas.
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:rolleyes:

The liberal media just wants the Catholic Church to change.
 
I am going to close this thread. As members have pointed out, the Daily Mail (a tabloid) has created a misleading headline (not unusual for the DM.) The Church isn’t considering easing any stance on contraception or marriage. Which they admit in the article itself.
 
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