Synod
on the Family: Press Briefing Day 7
(Vatican
Radio) Monday 12 Oct. Fr. Federico Lombardi SJ, spokesman for the Holy See, was
accompanied by Fr. Thomas Rosica CSB and two couples - Pedro & Ketty De
Rezende from Brazil and Ishwar & Penny Bajaj from India - at the
daily press briefing for the Synod on the Family.
It
would be a welcome innovation if there was a proposal to the bishops of the
world to ensure much more formation and accompaniment of couples was in place
before, during and after marriage, said Mr & Mrs De Renzende, a couple
attending the Synod on the Family as delegates from Brazil. The formation of
couples for marriage and their accompaniment after marriage was spoken about
extensively, Fr. Federico Lombardi told the daily press conference.
Fr.
Lombardi said that the Synod delegates would be working in small groups on
Monday and Tuesday discussing the second part of Instrumentum
Laboris. The groups will report back on Wednesday morning to the
plenary.
On
Monday morning Cardinals Vingt-Tois and Scola said that they did not sign an
alleged letter to the Pope expressing concern about the Synod. Fr. Lombardi
said that he knew nothing of such a letter and - if there was one - it was not
a public letter.
Lombardi
also clarified issues around the process of the Synod. There will be a final
report presented to the Holy Father but what he decides to do with the report
has not yet been made clear. “He may release immediately or he may study it
first before he releases it, we are waiting to understand that too,” he said.
Admission
to the sacraments for the divorced and remarried as well as those married under
civil law only was debated by the Synod participants. They did not speak solely
about access to the Eucharist but all the sacraments. Some participants
suggested that the Synod was an opportunity that should not be missed, an
opportunity for the Church to be merciful. It was also reiterated that the
Church needs to teach the truth about Christian marriage but lovingly accompany
those who are hurting. There was an intervention which encouraged the
Church to go back and look at the historical development of theology, doctrine
and the sacraments so that there is a deeper consciousness of them, Fr.
Lombardi explained.
Fr.
Rosica told the media that one intervention stated that it was the “mission of
the Church to make disciples but that culture was often more successful at
unmaking them.” He said that one of the Fathers said that often ministers of
the Church operate within two extremes: truth in public and mercy in private.
It was acknowledged by the bishops that this was not helpful. The Parable of
the Prodigal Son had been referred to many times in the interventions. Fr
Rosica explained that families "in all their forms" had been
acknowledeged to be "in the midst of the Church". He said that the
delegates had agreed that pastoral strategies need to be developed taking into
account the diverse situations which are reflected in family life today.
Mr.
De Rezende told the briefing that he is surprised at what he reads in media
reports about the Synod. "Many, many times it does not reflect what is
said in there." He added that there were no discussions about changing
doctrines but that "pastoral attitudes had to go through revisions".
Mrs.
Bajaj said that she was deeply moved by the compassion and empathy of the Synod
Fathers who understand the struggles of family life. She said that she saw
their great love, concern and hope for families.
There
was also an intervention on the formation of conscience in the context of
Humane Vitae. There should be a concerted effort to form the consciences of
God’s people.
At
the end of the briefing the two married couples said that they found the
atmosphere and quality of the interventions in the plenary session and small
groups to be good. They also said that they had made many interventions in the
groups and felt that they were really listened to by the bishops.
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