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L’OSSERVATORE ROMANO
WEEKLY EDITION
IN ENGLISH
Unicuique suum
Forty-seventh year, number 41 (2366)
Non praevalebunt
Vatican City
Friday, 10 October 2014
Pope Francis’ invitation to the Fathers opens the Synod of Bishops on the Family
With honesty and humility
Discussions at the General Congregations begin with 253 participants
“Speak honestly” was Pope Francis’ advice
at the opening of the Synod of Bishops.
He sees this approach as a “general and
basic condition” for the exchange that
takes place during the Extraordinary General Assembly, which convened on Monday
morning, 6 October, in the Vatican’s new
Synod Hall; its theme: “The Pastoral Challenges of the Family in the Context of
Evangelization”.
At the opening of the first general Congregation, it was the Pontiff himself to invite the Synod Fathers to “say with parrhesia all that one feels”, using the term of
Greek origin, meaning absolute candour.
The Bishop of Rome in fact called for a
climate of “collegiality and synodality for
the good of the Church and of the family”.
And so began the discussion of the Congregations which included the report of
the General Secretary of the Synod of
Bishops, and the Relatio ante disceptationem
by the Relator General.
Before the Congregations commenced
Monday, the Holy Father celebrated the
opening Mass for the Synod the day before on Sunday in St Peter’s Square.
SEE
PAGES
The good wine
of the family
GIOVANNI MARIA VIAN
6-16
Prayer vigil for Synod on Saturday
When joy is missing
Set for 20 October
A Consistory on the Middle East
PAGE 4
General Audience Catechesis
Let us not give
in to division
PAGE 3
The Holy Father announced,
at the start of the third Congregation of the Synod of
Bishops on Tuesday, 7 October, that the Consistory to be
held on 20 October, the day
after the close of the Synod,
will be dedicated to the
Middle East. The Consistory
will work on the basis of considerations which emerged
from
the
meeting
with
apostolic nuncios of that region and will feature an address by Cardinal Parolin,
Secretary of State. The Pope
invited all Cardinals in
Rome, together with six Patriarchs of the Middle East
and the Patriarch of Jerusalem for Latins.
Beatification of Sr Miriam Teresa
Demjanovich in Newark, New Jersey
The Holy Father meets with
the Bishops of Ghana
Saints do
but one thing
At the service of unity
and dialogue
PAGE 4
PAGE 19
The Synod of Bishops is the outcome of the Conciliar years and is
due to the farsighted courage of
Paul VI, who instituted it half a
century ago, shortly before the
end of the Second Vatican Council. Since then, there have been
many Synod Assemblies and they
have indeed contributed to the
maturation of that episcopal collegiality envisaged by the Council.
In Christian Tradition, however,
the path of the Synod and collegiality are ancient, and have never
been abandoned despite the vicissitudes that have deeply marked
the history of the Church.
Pope Francis has decided to
continue on this path, proceeding
at a faster pace. Thus, it was most
significant that he personally
greeted every participant in the
Extraordinary Assembly of the
Synod on the Family before the
start of their work. Of even greater significance were his words of
welcome, with which he emphasized the “spirit of collegiality and
synodality”, adding that they are
“for the good of the Church and
of the family”.
For this reason the Pontiff
spoke about how to choose those
who will for the most part bear
the weight of the Synod work,
and he highlighted that, for the
designation of President Delegates, of papal appointment, he has
chosen to follow the recommendations of the Post-Synodal Council
elected by the participants at the
last Assembly. “You bring the
voice of the Particular Churches”,
he said, and “you bring this voice
in synodality”: speaking with honesty and listening with humility.
To this unequivocal invitation
Francis immediately added his
equally clear and firm reassurance:
“And do so with great tranquility
and peace, so that the Synod may
always unfold cum Petro et sub
Petro, and the presence of the
Pope is a guarantee for all and a
safeguard of the faith”. Within
this framework, he then repeated,
it is necessary that everyone collaborate “so that the dynamic of
synodality shine forth”, illuminated by the Spirit given by the
CONTINUED ON PAGE 2
L’OSSERVATORE ROMANO
page 2
Friday, 10 October 2014, number 41
VATICAN BULLETIN
AUDIENCES
— Fr Alphonse Karamba, Diocesan Administrator of N'Djaména
Thursday, 2 October
Cardinal Mauro Piacenza, Major
Penitentiary
Cardinal Juan Luis Cipriani Thorne,
Archbishop of Lima, Peru
Archbishop Pedro Ricardo Barreto
Jimeno, SJ, of Huancayo, Peru
His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV, Catholicos Patriarch of the Assyrian
Catholic Church of the East, with
his entourage
Members of the Episcopal Conference of Chad, on a visit ad Limina
Apostolorum:
— Bishop Rosario Pio Ramolo,
OFM, Cap., of Goré
— Bishop Miguel Angel Sebastián
Martinez, MCCJ, of Lai, Apostolic
Administrator sede vacante “et ad nutum Sanctae Sedis” of Doba
— Bishop Joachim Kouraleyo Tarounga of Moundou
— Bishop Jean-Claude Bouchard,
OMI, of Pala
— Bishop Goetbe Edmond Djitangar of Sarh
— Bishop Henri Coudray, SJ, titular Bishop of Silli, Apostolic Vicar
in Mongo
Holy See to the Council of Europe
in Strasbourg
Bishop Hugo Nicolás Barbaro of
San Roque de Presidencia Roque
Sáenz Peña, Argentina
Bishop Fernando Martín Croxatto,
titular Bishop of Fissiana, Auxiliary
of Comodoro Rivadavia, Argentina
Friday, 3 October
Cardinal Jaime Lucas Ortega y
Alamino, Archbishop of San Cristobal de La Habana, Cuba
H.E. Mr Mahinda Rajapakse, President of the Democratic Socialist
Republic of Sri Lanka, with his entourage
Saturday, 4 October
Cardinal Marc Ouellet, PSS, Prefect
of the Congregation for Bishops
Archbishop Joseph Edward Kurtz of
Louisville, USA, President of the
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, together with Cardinal
Daniel N. DiNardo, Archbishop of
Galveston-Houston, Vice-President;
Msgr Ronny E. Jenkins, General
Secretary, and Msgr Brian Bransfield, Associate General Secretary
Archbishop Wojciech Załuski, titular
Archbishop of Diocleziana, Apostolic Nuncio in Burundi
Msgr Paolo Rudelli, Special Envoy,
and Permanent Observer of the
CHANGES
IN
EPISCOPATE
The Holy Father appointed Fr Stane
Zore, OFM, as Archbishop of Ljublijana, Slovenia. Until now he has
been Minister Provincial of his Order (4 Oct.).
Archbishop-elect Zore, 56, was
born in Sel pri Kamniku, Slovenia.
He graduated in Philosophical
Theology. He made his solemn vows
as a Friar Minor on 4 October 1984
and was ordained a priest on 29
June 1985. He has served in parish
ministry and as: rector of the national Shrine of Brezje and of Sveta
Gora; custodian of several fraternities; Master of Novices; minister provincial of the Province of the Holy
Cross in Slovenia; and President of
the Conference of Men and Women
Religious in Slovenia (KORUS)
The Holy Father accepted the resignation of Bishop Kieran Thomas
Conry of Arundel and Brighton,
Great Britain. It was presented in
accord with can. 401 § 2 of the
Code of Canon Law (4 Oct).
The Holy
nation of
Bishop of
Auxiliary
Father accepted the resigBishop Jan Zając, titular
Taddua, from his office as
of the Archdiocese of
The good wine
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
“Lord Jesus, Son of the Holy
Family of Nazareth”.
In his homily during the opening Mass of the Synod and also
during the prayer vigil for the
success of the Assembly’s work,
Francis spoke about the family
with words that penetrated the
heart of countless people. They
were words born from meditation
on Scripture, on the image of the
vineyard as a symbol of the
People of God, on the prophecy
of Isaiah, on the parables of Jesus
and on those of wine, the fruit of
the grapevine and sign of the unending feast.
Thus, with simple words, the
Pope explained the profound
need for the “good wine” of the
family that lives in the heart of
today’s women and men. And
thus the interest aroused in many
circles during this long Synodal
journey, announced at last February’s Consistory, will also continue until next year’s Ordinary Assembly. Indeed, the deeper the
roots of the family are, Francis
said, “the more possible it is to
go out and go far in life without
getting lost”.
G.M.V.
L’OSSERVATORE ROMANO
WEEKLY EDITION
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IN ENGLISH
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With a group of survivors from
last year’s tragedy near Lampedusa
Krakow, Poland. It was presented in
accord with cann. 411 and 401 § 1 of
the Code of Canon Law (7 Oct.).
The Holy Father appointed Archbishop Celso Morga Iruzubieta as
Coadjutor Archbishop of MéridaBadajoz, Spain, transferring him
from the titular episcopal See of Alba marittima. Until now he has been
secretary of the Congregation for the
Clergy (8 Oct.).
Archbishop Morga Iruzubieta, 66,
was born in Huércanos, Spain. He
was ordained a priest on 24 June
1972. On 29 December 2010 he was
raised to the dignity of Archbishop
and assigned the titular See of Alba
marittima. He was ordained a bishop on 5 February 2011.
The Holy Father appointed Bishop
Fausto Tardelli as Bishop of Pistoia,
Italy. Until now he has been Bishop
of San Miniato (8 Oct.).
Bishop Tardelli, 63, was born in
Lucca, Italy. He was ordained a
priest on 29 June 1974. He was ordained a bishop on 2 May 2004,
subsequent to his appointment as
Bishop of San Miniato.
The Holy Father appointed Fr Levi
Bonatto from the clergy of the Personal Prelature of the Holy Cross
and Opus Dei, as Auxiliary Bishop
of Goiânia, Brazil, assigning him the
titular episcopal See of Accia. Until
now he has been chaplain of the
Marumbi Cultural Centre in Curitiba (8 Oct.).
Bishop-elect Bonatto, 56, was
born in São José dos Pinhais. He
holds a degree in economics and in
canon law. He was ordained a priest
on 10 March 1996. He has served as:
chaplain to various cultural centres
and to the Os Pinhais Professional
Institute for girls in restricted circumstances; professor of canon law
and theology at the Opus Dei Studium Generale; and confessor at São
José Minor Seminary in Curitiba,
Brazil.
CARDINAL
“I ask all the men and women of
Europe to open the door of their
hearts”. Visibly moved by the stories of the survivors of the tragedy
on the coast of Lampedusa, Sicily,
last year. Pope Francis again drew
attention to the plight of migrants.
He met with survivors and their
families on Wednesday afternoon, 1
October, in a small hall adjacent to
the Paul VI Hall. The tragedy occurred on on 3 October 2013,
claiming the lives of 368 people in
the Mediterranean Sea.
Following the Holy Father’s visit
to Lampedusa last year on 8 July,
the first visit of his Pontificate, the
Bishop of Rome returned in spirit
to the island in Sicily, spending
half an hour with some 40 Eritrean
men and women, 20 of whom survived the sinking. They came to
Rome from various countries in
Europe where they have since been
granted refuge.
During the audience, one of the
refugees asked for the Pope’s support in the process of recognizing
the still unidentified bodies. Another spoke to the Holy Father in
his native language and a young
girl thanked him for the various
forms of aid given to migrants.
GIOVANNI MARIA VIAN
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TAKES
POSSESSION
October, Cardinal Andrew
Soo-jung, Archbishop of
took possession of the Title
Crisogono, Rome.
On 5 October, Cardinal Leopoldo
José Brenes Solórzano, Archbishop
of Managua, took possession of the
Title of San Gioacchino ai Prati di
Castello, Rome.
NECROLO GY
Archbishop Angelo Mottola, titular
Archbishop of Cercina, Apostolic
Nuncio Emeritus in Montenegro,
died at age 79 (8 Oct.).
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number 41, Friday, 10 October 2014
L’OSSERVATORE ROMANO
page 3
At the General Audience the Pope points to the path toward Christian unity
Let us not give in to division
During the General Audience in St
Peter’s Square on Wednesday, 8
October, Pope Francis continued his
catechesis on the nature and beauty of
the Church, recalling the divisions
among those who share faith in Christ.
“Many have resigned themselves to this
division which, in the course of history,
has often been the cause of conflict and
of suffering”. However, the Pope asked,
“Are we too, resigned, if not actually
indifferent, to this division? Or do we
firmly believe that one can and must
walk in the direction of reconciliation
and of full communion?”.
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Good morning,
In recent catecheses, we have tried
to highlight the nature and the
beauty of the Church and we have
asked ourselves what it means for
each of us to belong to this people,
the People of God, which is the
Church. We must not forget,
however, that there are so many
brothers and sisters who share with
us the faith in Christ, but who belong to other confessions or to traditions different from ours. Many have
resigned themselves to this division
— even within our Catholic Church
many are resigned — which, in the
course of history, has often been the
cause of conflict and of suffering,
also of war and this is a disgrace!
Today too, relations are not always
characterized by respect and courtesy.... But, I wonder: we, how do
we feel about all this? Are we too,
resigned, if not actually indifferent,
to this division? Or do we firmly believe that one can and must walk in
the direction of reconciliation and of
full communion? Full communion,
that is, for everyone to be able to
partake together in the Body and
Blood of Christ.
Divisions among Christians, while
they wound the Church, wound
Christ; and divided, we cause a
wound to Christ: the Church is indeed the body of which Christ is the
Head. We know well how much Jesus had at heart that his disciples
should remain united in his love. It
suffices to consider his words, written in the 17th Chapter of the Gospel according to John, in Jesus’
prayer to the Father when his passion was imminent: “Holy Father,
keep them in thy name, which thou
hast given me, that they may be one,
even as we are one” (Jn 17:11). This
unity was already threatened while
Jesus was still among them: in the
Gospel, in fact, it is recorded that
the Apostles argued among themselves about who was the greatest,
the most important (cf. Lk 9:46).
The Lord, however, emphatically insisted on unity in the name of the
Father, allowing us to understand
how much more credible our proclamation and our witness will be if
we are first able to live in communion and to love each other. That is
what his Apostles, with the grace of
the Holy Spirit, would then deeply
understand and take to heart, so
much so that St Paul would reach
the point of imploring the community of Corinth with these words:
“I appeal to you, brethren, by the
name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that
all of you agree and that there be no
dissensions among you, but that you
be united in the same mind and the
same judgment” (1 Cor 1:10).
During her journey in history, the
Church has been tempted by the
Evil One, who seeks to divide her,
and unfortunately it has been
marked by deep and painful
schisms. They are divisions that at
times, have been long and drawn
out in time, up until today, which is
why it is now difficult to reconstruct
all the motivations and especially to
find possible solutions. The reasons
which have led to the fractures and
schisms may be the most diverse:
from disagreement on dogmatic and
moral principles and on theological
concepts and pastoral differences, to
political motives and convenience, to
disputes caused by dislikes and personal ambition.... What is certain is
that, in one way or another, arrogance and selfishness have always
been behind these lacerations, rendering us intolerant, incapable of
listening and accepting one with a
vision or a position different from
ours.
Now, faced by all of this, is there
something that every one of us, as
members of the Holy Mother
Church, can and must do? Certainly,
there must never be a shortage of
prayer, in continuity and in communion with that of Jesus, prayer for
the unity of Christians. And together with prayer, the Lord asks us for
renewed openness: He asks us not
to be closed to dialogue and to encounter, but to welcome all that is
valid and positive which is offered
even by someone who thinks differently from us or who takes a different stand. He asks us not to fix our
gaze on what divides us, but rather
on what unites us, seeking to know
and love Jesus better and to share
the richness of his love. And this
means a concrete adherence to the
Truth, together with the capacity for
reciprocal forgiveness, to feel a part
of the same Christian family, to consider oneself a gift for the other and
together to do many good things
and works of charity.
It is grievous but there are divisions, there are many divided Christians, we have split amongst
ourselves. But we all have something
in common: we all believe in Jesus
Christ, the Lord. We all believe in
the Father, in the Son, and in the
Holy Spirit, and we all walk together, we are on the journey. Let us
help one another! You think this
way, you think that way.... In all
communities there are good theologians: let them debate, let them seek
theological truth because it is a duty,
but let us walk together, praying for
one another and doing works of
charity. And like this, we are in communion on the journey. This is
called spiritual ecumenism: to journey on the path of life, everyone together in our faith, in Jesus Christ
the Lord. They say that one should
not talk about personal things, but I
cannot resist the temptation. We are
speaking about communion... communion among us. And today, I am
so thankful to the Lord because 70
years ago today, I made my First
Communion. To make our First
Communion we must know what it
means to enter into communion
with others, in communion with the
brothers and sisters of our Church,
but also in communion with those
who belong to different communities
but who believe in Jesus. Let us
thank the Lord for our Baptism, let
us thank the Lord for our communion, in order that this communion
become joint communion with
everyone, together.
Dear friends, let us therefore proceed toward full unity! History has
separated us, but we are on the path
toward reconciliation and communion! And this is true! And we must
defend it! We are all on the path toward communion. And when the
goal seems too distant, almost unreachable, and we feel gripped by
despair, let us be comforted by the
idea that God cannot close his ears
to the voice of his Son Jesus or fail
to grant his and our prayer: that all
Christians may truly be one.
SPECIAL
GREETINGS
I greet the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in
today’s Audience, including the various groups from England, Wales,
Scotland, Ireland, Australia, Slovenia, Norway, Finland, Nigeria, Saudi
Arabia, Taiwan, the Philippines,
Malaysia and the United States of
America. In a particular way, my
greeting goes to the ecumenical and
interreligious
Delegation
from
Taiwan and the group from the Institutum Romanum Finlandiae. Upon
you and your families, I invoke joy
and peace in the Lord Jesus. God
bless you all!
Lastly, I turn a special thought to
the young people, to the sick and to
newlyweds. The month of October is
dedicated to praying the Rosary.
Dear young people, may you always
invoke the intercession of the Virgin
Mary, that she enlighten you in
every need; dear sick people, especially you of the Cooperativa Cura e
Riabilitazione, may the comfort of
the Marian prayer accompany you in
your life every day; and you, dear
newlyweds, may you strengthen your
marital bond with prayer.
L’OSSERVATORE ROMANO
page 4
Friday, 10 October 2014, number 41
Prayer vigil for the Synod on the family
If the wine
of joy is missing
On Saturday evening, 4 October, the Holy Father spoke at the prayer vigil for the
Synod, which was to open the next day, and prayed for all families to have the
“wine of joy” and the “zest for life” in their homes. The following is a translation
the Holy Father’s address, which he delivered in Italian.
Dear Families,
Good evening!
Evening falls on our assembly. It is
the hour at which one willingly returns home to meet at the same
table, in the depth of affection, of
the good that has been done and received, of the encounters which
warm the heart and make it grow,
good wine which hastens the unending feast in the days of man.
It is also the weightiest hour for
one who finds himself face to face
with his own loneliness, in the bitter
twilight of shattered dreams and
broken plans; how many people
trudge through the day in the blind
alley of resignation, of abandonment, even resentment: in how many
homes the wine of joy has been less
plentiful, and therefore, also the zest
— the very wisdom — for life. Let us
make our prayer heard for one another this evening, a prayer for all.
It is significant how — even in the
individualistic culture which distorts
bonds and renders them ephemeral
— in each person born of woman,
there remains alive an essential need
for stability, for an open door, for
someone with whom to weave and
to share the story of life, a history to
belong to. The communion of life
embraced by spouses, their openness
to the gift of life, the mutual protection, the encounter and the memory
of generations, educational support,
the transmission of the Christian
faith to their children.... With all
this, the family continues to be a
school unparalleled in humanity, an
indispensable contribution to a just
and supportive society. (cf. Apostolic
Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, nn.
66-68). And the deeper its roots, the
more possible it is in life to go out
and go far, without getting lost or
feeling a stranger in a foreign land.
This horizon helps us to grasp the
importance of the Synod Assembly
which opens tomorrow.
The convenire in unum around the
Bishop of Rome is indeed an event
of grace, in which episcopal collegiality is made manifest in a path of
Sr Miriam Teresa Demjanovich beatified in Newark
Saints do but one thing
“The saints did but one thing —
the will of God. But they did it
with all their might.” These were
the spiritual words of Sr Miriam
Teresa Demjanovich (1901-1927),
the young religious from the
United States of America, who was
beatified by Cardinal Angelo Amato, Prefect of the Congregation
for the Causes of Saints, on behalf
of Pope Francis on Saturday, 4 October, in Newark, New Jersey.
The celebration was held in the
Cathedral of the Sacred Heart,
where Archbishop John J. Myers of
Newark made the welcoming remarks, recalling John Paul II’s visit
on the same day 19 years before, 4
October 1995. The Pope Saint,
called “the People of God of New
Jersey”, according to the Prelate,
“living stones called to build up
the Church in faith, hope, and
love”. This was a message that Sr
Miriam Teresa “embraced very
readily, and shared with us as a
gift”.
The daughter of Slovak immigrants, who belonged to the GreekRuthenian Church, she is the first
Catholic of New Jersey to be raised
to the honour of the altars.
Sr Miriam Teresa, said Bishop
Arthur J. Serratelli of Patterson in
his homily, now “belongs to that
circle of chosen souls whom God
himself elects for special graces,
not merely for themselves, but for
all his people”. When she died, he
recalled, “she had left behind —
both in her life and in writings —
the proof that doing God’s will in
all things bridges the distance
between heaven and earth”. He
continued: “the Church is slow, patiently slow, in making saints”,
while “God does not need much
time to draw us to himself, only
our will to please him in all
things”.
Blessed Sr Demjanovich is a witness to this, since her earthly life
was brief and especially because
only 28 months had passed
between the time when she entered
the Congregation of the Sisters of
Charity of St Elizabeth at Convent
Station on 11 February 1925 and her
death on 8 May 1927.
spiritual and pastoral discernment.
To find what the Lord asks of his
Church today, we must lend an ear
to the debates of our time and perceive the “fragrance” of the men of
this age, so as to be permeated with
their joys and hopes, with their
griefs and anxieties (cf. Gaudium et
Spes, n. 1). At that moment we will
know how to propose the good
news on the family with credibility.
We know, in fact, that in the Gospel, there is a strength and tenderness capable of defeating that which
creates unhappiness and violence.
Yes, in the Gospel there is salvation
which fulfills the most profound
needs of man! Of this salvation —
the work of God’s mercy and grace
— as a Church, we are a sign and instrument, a living and effective sacrament (cf. Apostolic Exortation
Evangelii Gaudium, n. 112). Were it
not so, our edifice would be only a
house of cards, and pastors would
be reduced to clerics of state, on
whose lips the people would search
in vain for the freshness and “the
fragrance of the Gospel” (ibid., 39).
The essence of our prayer thus
emerges within this framework. For
the Synod Fathers we ask the Holy
Spirit first of all for the gift of listening: to listen to God, that with him
we may hear the cry of the people;
to listen to the people until breathing in the will to which God calls
us.
Along with listening, we invoke
openness toward a sincere, open and
fraternal discussion, which leads us to
carry with pastoral responsibility the
questions that this epochal change
brings with it. Let us allow it to flow
back into our hearts, never losing
peace, but with serene trust which in
his own time the Lord will not fail
to lead us back into unity. Does
Church history not perhaps — we
know it does — recount many similar
situations, which our Fathers were
able to overcome with persistent patience and creativity?
The secret lies in a gaze: and it is
the third gift that we implore with
our prayer. Because, if we truly intend to walk among contemporary
challenges, the decisive condition is
to maintain a fixed gaze on Jesus
Christ, to pause in contemplation
and in adoration of his Face. If we
accept his way of thinking, of living
and of relating, we will never tire of
translating the Synod work into
guidelines and paths for the pastoral
care of the person and of the family.
Indeed, every time we return to the
source of the Christian experience,
new paths and undreamed-of possibilities open up. This can be intuited
In the Square
Approximately 80,000 people
gathered in response to Pope
Francis’ invitation to the prayer
vigil on the eve of the opening of
the Synod. Beginning at 6 pm
and leading up to the arrival of
the Pontiff at the start of the
prayer service itself, there were
Bible readings and video was
broadcast of some of Francis’
reflections on the family, and
testimony were given by three
couples on Christian marriage
and family life. When the the
Pope arrived in the Square, the
vigil began with a reading of the
Gospel passage recounting the
wedding at Cana, the Holy
Father’s homily, the invocation of
the Holy Spirit, and the singing
of the Our Father followed. The
symbolic lighting of the seven
lamps marked the closing of the
prayer vigil, followed by the
80,000 flames which progressively
joined in.
from the Gospel: “Do whatever he
tells you” (Jn 2:5). These are words
which contain the spiritual testament
of Mary, “the friend who is ever
concerned that wine not be lacking
in our lives” (Apostolic Exhortation
Evangelii Gaudium, n. 286). Let us
make these words our own!
At that point, the three things:
our listening and our discussion on
the family, loved with the gaze of
Christ, will become a providential
occasion with which to renew — according to the example of St Francis
— the Church and society. With the
joy of the Gospel we will rediscover
the way of a reconciled and merciful
Church, poor and a friend of the
poor; a Church “given strength that
it might, in patience and in love,
overcome its sorrows and its challenges, both within itself and from
without” (Lumen Gentium, n. 8).
May the Wind of Pentecost blow
upon the work of the Synod, on the
Church, and on the whole of humanity. May it untie the knots which
prevent people from encountering
one another, heal the wounds that
bleed, and rekindle much hope;
there are so many people without
hope! May we be granted this creative charity which allows one to love
as Jesus loved. And may our message reclaim the vivacity and enthusiasm of the first missionaries of the
Gospel.
number 41, Friday, 10 October 2014
L’OSSERVATORE ROMANO
page 5
Eucharistic celebration in the Vatican Basilica opens the Synod of Bishops
God’s dream
On Sunday, 5 October, Pope Francis
presided at the celebration of Holy
Mass in the Vatican Basilica on the
occasion of the opening of the third
Extraordinary General Assembly of the
Synod of Bishops on the theme: “The
Pastoral Challenges to the Family in
the Context of Evangelization”. The
following is the English text of the
Pope’s homily, which was given in
Italian.
Today the prophet Isaiah and the
Gospel employ the image of the
Lord’s vineyard. The Lord’s vineyard is his “dream”, the plan which
he nurtures with all his love, like a
farmer who cares for his vineyard.
Vines are plants which need much
care!
God’s “dream” is his people. He
planted it and nurtured it with patient and faithful love, so that it can
become a holy people, a people
which brings forth abundant fruits
of justice.
But in both the ancient prophecy
and in Jesus’ parable, God’s dream
is thwarted. Isaiah says that the vine
which he so loved and nurtured has
yielded “wild grapes” (5:2,4); God
“expected justice but saw bloodshed,
righteousness, but only a cry of distress” (v. 7). In the Gospel, it is the
farmers themselves who ruin the
Lord’s plan: they fail to do their job
but think only of their own interests.
In Jesus’ parable, he is addressing
the chief priests and the elders of
the people, in other words the “experts”, the managers. To them in a
particular way God entrusted his
“dream”, his people, for them to
nurture, tend and protect from the
animals of the field. This is the job
of leaders: to nurture the vineyard
with freedom, creativity and hard
work.
But Jesus tells us that those farmers took over the vineyard. Out of
greed and pride they want to do
with it as they will, and so they prevent God from realizing his dream
for the people he has chosen.
The temptation to greed is ever
present. We encounter it also in the
great prophecy of Ezekiel on the
shepherds (cf. ch. 34), which St Augustine commented upon in one his
celebrated sermons which we have
just reread in the Liturgy of the
Hours. Greed for money and power.
And to satisfy this greed, evil pastors
lay intolerable burdens on the
shoulders of others, which they
themselves do not lift a finger to
move (cf. Mt 23:4)
We too, in the Synod of Bishops,
are called to work for the Lord’s
vineyard. Synod Assemblies are not
meant to discuss beautiful and clever ideas, or to see who is more intelligent.... They are meant to better
nurture and tend the Lord’s vineyard, to help realize his dream, his
loving plan for his people. In this
case the Lord is asking us to care for
the family, which has been from the
beginning an integral part of his
loving plan for humanity.
We are all sinners and can also be
tempted to “take over” the vineyard,
because of that greed which is always present in us human beings.
God’s dream always clashes with the
hypocrisy of some of his servants.
We can “thwart” God’s dream if we
fail to let ourselves be guided by the
Holy Spirit. The Spirit gives us that
wisdom which surpasses knowledge,
and enables us to work generously
with authentic freedom and humble
creativity.
My Synod brothers, to do a good
job of nurturing and tending the
vineyard, our hearts and our minds
must be kept in Jesus Christ by “the
peace of God which passes all understanding” (Phil 4:7). In this way
our thoughts and plans will correspond to God’s dream: to form a
holy people who are his own and
produce the fruits of the kingdom of
God (cf. Mt 21:43).
Venerating relics of exemplary couples
A prayer in Chinese for the Synod
Fathers, in Filipino for the injured
and those suffering from scandal, in
Portuguese for those enduring war
and in Swahili for all families: these
were the intentions raised in St
Peter’s Basilica on Sunday, 5
October, at the inaugural Mass for
the third Extraordinary General
Assembly of the Synod of Bishops.
Concelebrating were 191 cardinals,
patriarchs, bishops and priests.
During the opening procession,
after coming down the central nave,
the Bishop of Rome stopped to
pray in front of the pillar of St
Andrew, where the relics of St
Teresa of the Child Jesus were
placed, along with those of the
Saint’s parents: Blesseds MarieAzélie Guérin and Louis Martin,
and of Blesseds Maria Corsini and
Luigi Beltrame Quattrocchi, a
married couple from Rome.
Accompanied by the hymn Laudes
regiae, Pope Francis reached the
Altar of the Confession, where he
venerated an icon commissioned by
the Pontifical Council for the
Family for the day for the elderly
and grandparents last week. The
image is of the Presentation of
Jesus in the Temple described in
the Gospel of Luke (2:22-38).
Francis homily was brief but, as
usual, rich in content.
At the Angelus the Pope recalls the new Blessed from the US
A Bible for every family
“A Bible for every family” was how Pope Francis summarized the spirit of the
initiative promoted by the Pauline publishing house, who distributed 5,000
copies of the sacred text to the faithful at the Angelus on Sunday, 5 October, in
St Peter’s Square. The following is a translation of the Holy Father’s address
which he gave in Italian, and some of the special greetings to groups before and
after the Marian prayer.
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Good morning,
This morning, with the Eucharistic
celebration in St Peter’s Basilica, we
inaugurated the Extraordinary General Assembly of the Synod of
Bishops. The Synod Fathers, who
have come from every part of the
world, will experience together with
me two intense weeks of listening
and discussion, made fruitful by
prayer, on the theme “Pastoral
Challenges to the Family in the
Context of Evangelization”.
Today the Word of God presents
the image of a vineyard as a symbol
of the Lord’s Chosen People. Like
a grapevine, the people require
great care, they require patient and
devoted love. This is what God
does with us, and this is what we
Pastors are called to do. Taking
care of the family is also a way of
working in the Lord’s vineyard, in
order that it may produce the fruits
of the Kingdom of God (cf. Mt
21:33-43).
But in order that the family walk
well, with trust and hope, it must
be nourished with the Word of
God. For this reason it is a happy
coincidence that precisely today our
Pauline brothers and sisters wish to
distribute a large number of Bibles,
here in the Square and in many
other places. Let us thank our Pauline brothers and sisters! They are
doing so on the occasion of the
Centenary of their foundation by
Bl. Giacomo Alberione, a great
apostle of communication. So
today, as the Synod on the Family
opens, with the help of the Paulines
we can say: a Bible for every family! “But Father, we have two, three
of them...”. But where have you
hidden them?... The Bible, not to
place it on a shelf, but to keep it at
hand, to read it often, every day,
both individually and together,
husband and wife, parents and children, maybe in the evening, especially on Sundays. This way the
family grows, walks, with the light
and power of the Word of God!
This is the Bible that the Pauline
brothers and sisters are giving you:
CONTINUED ON PAGE 7
L’OSSERVATORE ROMANO
page 6
Friday, 10 October 2014, number 41
Pope Francis’ invitation to the Synod Fathers at the opening of the General Congregations
With honesty and humility
“It is necessary to say with parrhesia all
that one feels”: Pope Francis used the
term of Greek origin, meaning absolute
candour, as he addressed the Bishops
gathered in the new Synod Hall on
Monday Morning, 6 October. It was a
direct invitation, outlining the style that
must characterize the work of the Synod
Fathers: “speaking honestly” and
“listening with humility”.
Your Eminences,
Your Beatitudes,
Your Excellencies,
Brothers and Sisters,
I give you my warm welcome to this
meeting and I thank you from my
heart for your caring and qualified
presence and assistance.
On your behalf, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to all the
people who have worked with dedication, with patience and with competence, for many months, reading, evaluating, and elaborating the themes,
texts and studies for this Extraordinary General Assembly. Allow me to
address a special and warm ‘thank
you’ to Cardinal Lorenzo Baldisseri,
Secretary General of the Synod, to
Bishop Fabio Fabene, Undersecretary,
and with them to all the Relators,
writers, consultants, translators and to
And then the real work began
Following the Pope’s solicitation to “speak honestly”
and “listen with humility”, the Synod opened with
five open interventions, making up the First General
Congregation on Monday morning, 6 October.
Thus, when Cardinal Vingt-Trois, President Delegate, gave the green light for discussion after the Relatio ante disceptationem, Cardinal Rodríguez Maradiaga
took the floor, responding to the invitation of the Secretary General Cardinal Baldisseri, who called for general “feedback”. He highlighted a contradiction: all aspects of life are attentively prepared for except marriage, which at times, he said, we approach hastily and
even recklessly. There are couples who decide to get
married only a short time after they meet, without any
formation. According to the Cardinal from Honduras,
what is lacking is a catechumenate, not as a pre-Cana
course but rather as a thorough catechetical formation
process. This could begin from the time of Confirmation preparation and lead the young person to the
commitment to either marriage or consecration to
God in religious life. Thus, it also would mean developing a new kind of youth ministry.
For his part, Cardinal Martínez Sistach expressed
satisfaction with the fact that the Relatio takes into account the recommendations suggested by the Bishops’
Conferences and the individual dioceses. In this way,
the Archbishop of Barcelona indicated, it also takes
account of what the People of God are saying, and
this direct connection will also help the Synod Fathers
to create a more realistic outline for the discussion.
Archbishop Okada from Japan wished to recall the
heroic witness of lay people in his country who
learned how to preserve the faith in times of persecution and pass it on from family to family. It is a witness, he said, which Japanese Bishops reintroduced in
1993 in order that it not be lost today. Indeed, he explained, it is important to reinforce the faith inside the
home and to create a community of families that can
communicate the Gospel.
A “positive reaction” to the guidelines dictated by
the Relatio then came from Cardinal Napier, who
primarily emphasized the image of the Good Samaritan next to the people wounded by life. The South
African Cardinal stated that, for this reason, it is important to return to the basics, to the fundamentals, to
the authentic family life made of knowing each other
and mutual commitment to one another, thereby reflecting the Trinity.
In the fifth and last open intervention, Cardinal
Marx affirmed that the Church also needs a public
debate on the the themes of the Synod. He asked that
the family situation be looked at as it is today, taking
into account the myriad changes, for better and for
worse, of recent years. It is important to bear them in
mind, he recommended, responding with the Gospel
to today’s new situation.
The first congregation began at 9:00 am with the
singing of the Veni Creator Spiritus and the Terce prayer in the presence of the Pope and 181 Synod Fathers.
In his homily, Cardinal Martínez Sistach recalled that
the Synod is an “ecclesial and evangelizing service”,
underscoring above all the manner of fraternity and of
joy. But “we will bear in mind”, the Cardinal stated,
“the families who have not been able to experience
the beauty of the intimate community of life and of
love in their marriage”. Then, with the address of Cardinal President André Vingt-Trois, the real work
began.
The morning’s key events were Pope Francis’ address and the reports of Cardinal Baldisseri and Cardinal Erdő, followed by the first series of open interventions. Of significance, on the president’s table
there was an image of the Holy Family, a gift of the
Bishops’ Conference of the Democratic Republic of
Congo.
Archbishop Forte, Special Secretary, and Archbishop Aguilar Retes, President of CELAM, participated together with Cardinals Erdő and Vingt-Trois in the first
press conference at the Holy See Press Office after the
morning meeting.
Archbishop Forte highlighted that the high number
of answers to the questionnaire showed how, within
the Church, there is a desire to participate. Archbishop Aguilar Retes presented the issues of Latin American families and, in particular, the fractures caused by
migration. He further underlined the growing number
of families of single mothers with children, and he reintroduced the collegial manner of the 2007 Aparecida
Conference as the work method.
the entire staff of the Secretariat of
the Synod of Bishops.
They have worked tirelessly, and
continue to work, for the successful
outcome of this Synod: Thank you so
very much and may the Lord repay
you!
I likewise thank the Post-Synodal
Council, the Relator and the Special
Secretary; the Bishops’ Conferences,
which have worked very hard and
with them, I thank the three President
D elegates.
I thank also you, dear Cardinals,
Patriarchs, Bishops, priests, men and
women religious and lay men and women for your presence and for your
participation which enriches this work
and to collegiality and synodality spirit
for the good of the Church and of
the family! I also wanted this spirit of
synodality in the election of the Relator, the Special Secretary and the
President Delegates. The first two
were elected directly by the Post-Synodal Council, by participants who attended the last Synod. However, given that the President Delegates must
be chosen by the Pope, I asked that
Post-Synodal Council to propose a
few names, and I have appointed
those proposed to me.
You bring the voice of the Particular Churches, assembled at the level
of local Churches through the Bishops’ Conferences. The Universal
Church and the Particular Churches
are divine institutions; the local
Churches are thus understood as human institutions. You will give voice
in synodality . It is a great responsibility: to bring the realities and problems of the Churches, in order to help
them to walk on that path that is the
Gospel of the family.
One general and basic condition is
this: speaking honestly. Let no one
say: “I cannot say this, they will think
this or this of me...”. It is necessary to
say with parrhesia all that one feels.
After the last Consistory (February
2014), in which the family was discussed, a Cardinal wrote to me, saying: what a shame that several Cardinals did not have the courage to say
certain things out of respect for the
Pope, perhaps believing that the
Pope might think something else.
This is not good, this is not synodality,
because it is necessary to say all that,
in the Lord, one feels the need to say:
without polite deference, without hesitation. And, at the same time, one
must listen with humility and welcome, with an open heart, what your
brothers say. Synodality is exercised
with these two approaches.
For this reason I ask of you, please,
to employ these approaches as brothers in the Lord: speaking with parrhesia and listening with humility.
And do so with great tranquility
and peace, so that the Synod may always unfold cum Petro et sub Petro,
and the presence of the Pope is a
guarantee for all and a safeguard of
the faith.
Dear brothers, let us all collaborate
so that the dynamic of synodality shine
forth.
Thank you.
L’OSSERVATORE ROMANO
number 41, Friday, 10 October 2014
page 7
Report of the General Secretary of the Synod of Bishops during the First Congregation
Collegiality
on the journey
On Monday morning, 6 October, in the
Vatican’s Synod Hall, in the presence
of the Pope Francis, the First General
Congregation of the Third Extraordinary General Assembly of the Synod of
Bishops convened. Present at the meeting were 253 participants. The following is an English translation of the inaugural report given by Cardinal
Lorenzo Baldisseri, General Secretary,
courtesy of the Holy See Press Office.
Most Holy Father,
Eminences and Excellences,
Synod Fathers,
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
With great honour and excitement, I address, for the first time as
General Secretary, the Third Extraordinary General Assembly of the
Synod of Bishops, after my appointment on 21 September 2013. I would
like to express my gratitude to Your
Holiness for having convened, at the
beginning of your pontificate, this
Assembly, which is a particularly
high manifestation of episcopal collegiality, to treat the topic: The Pastoral Challenges of the Family in the
Context of Evangelization.
In your first homily in the Sistine
Chapel (14 March 2013), Your Holiness, giving an indication of the
spirit of your pontificate, spoke
three words: “walk”, “build” and
“profess”, giving the first place to
“walking”. To walk together is indeed “syn-odos”, “Synodus”. The
Church, the community of believers
in Christ, is walking towards the
house of the Father, a missionary
Church in the streets of the world
who proclaims and professes faith in
Jesus Christ, as an institution and in
the various charisms and ministries
which express through communion a
Gospel way of life and witness.
Your Holiness, I would also like
to express gratitude for the good
news and grace, joyously welcomed
and received by the synod fathers
and the whole Church, of the beatification of Pope Paul VI, which will
be celebrated next Sunday, October
19, at the conclusion of this Extraordinary General Assembly. This
event is a significant part of this Assembly, which gathers synod members from around the world and a
part of the broader movement of
communion which in these days is
expressed by a number of initiatives
of prayer for the success of the synod.
Beatifying Pope Paul VI in conjunction with the synod is not only
an important sign of collegiality and
synodality but reflects the appropriateness of this action, because, after
almost 50 years, the same Pope who
Maximo Cerezo Barredo, “The Holy Family”
led, concluded and implemented the
Second Vatican Council, also established the Synod of Bishops and
guided it in its initial years. Next
year, in 2015, gathered once again in
synod, we will have the joy of celeb-
At the Angelus
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5
one for every family. But be careful
not to cheat: take it with one hand,
not with two, with one hand to
take it home!
I ask everyone to support the
work of the Synod with prayer, invoking the maternal intercession of
the Virgin Mary. At this time, we
unite spiritually to those, in the
Shrine of Pompeii, who are raising
the traditional “Petition” to Our
Lady of the Rosary. May peace be
obtained, for families and for the
entire world!
After the Marian Prayer the Holy
Father said the following:
Dear brothers and sisters, yesterday in the United States, Sr Miriam Teresa Demjanovich, of the Sisters of Charity of St Elizabeth, was
beatified. Let us give thanks to
God for this faithful disciple of
Christ, who lived a deeply spiritual
life.
And now I cordially greet all of
you, faithful Romans and pilgrims
from Italy and various countries.
In particular, I greet the students
from Australia and those from the
St Bonaventure Gymnasium in
Dillengen, Germany, young people
from Jordan, the St John de Matha
Society and the faithful from St
Paul’s Parish in Bergamo.
I greet all the pilgrims who have
come by bicycle from Milan in
memory of St Gianna Beretta
Molla, a saintly mother of a family,
witness of the Gospel of life, and I
encourage them to continue their
initiative of solidarity for the most
vulnerable people.
Please do not forget: pray for
the Synod, pray that Our Lady
watch over this Synodal Assembly.
I wish you all a happy Sunday.
Pray for me. Have a good lunch.
Arrivederci!
rating these two anniversaries.
I now wish to address
the 253 participants in this
synodal assembly, presided
over by the Supreme
Pontiff,
Pope
Francis,
Head of the Episcopal College and Pastor of the Universal Church, and extend
to you a warm and heartfelt welcome.
I greet the synod fathers from the
five continents who are the heads of
the 13 synods of bishops of the Eastern Catholic Churches sui iuris, the
presidents of the 114 episcopal conferences and the 3 representatives of
the Union of Superiors General.
Fraternal greetings also to the 26
Heads of the Departments of the
Roman Curia, the 15 members of the
13th Ordinary Council and the 26
members appointed by the Pope.
I extend a special greeting to the
8 fraternal delegates, representing
Churches and ecclesial communities
which, with the Catholic Church,
share in the Church’s concern and
work towards effective action on behalf of the family.
Furthermore, I cordially greet the
16 experts and 38 auditors, women
and men, chosen from among a
great number of specialists and persons involved in family ministry. I
want you to know that your expertise, your personal witness and that
of your communities enrich the synod’s work.
I extend my cordial greetings to
the press liaisons, the assistants,
translators, technical personnel and,
in particular, His Excellency, the
Undersecretary, recently raised to
the episcopate and to the collaborators of the General Secretariat of the
Synod of Bishops. I am grateful for
your generous and valuable contribution in preparation for this synodal assembly.
According to the Synod’s statutes
(Ordo Synodi Episcoporum), the Extraordinary General Assembly of the
Synod of Bishops, by its very
nature, is viewed as an assembly
with specific goals in both the material to be treated and its rapid formulation for good the universal
Church. In this manner, this synodal
assembly is different from ordinary
or special assemblies not only in the
category and number of its members
but also in the brevity of its duration.
To set in motion a new synodal
dynamic and to seize the urgency attached to the assigned topic, The
Pastoral Challenges of the Family in
the Context of Evangelization, the
Holy Father chose this type of assembly, when, on 8 October 2013, he
announced the Extraordinary General Assembly of the Synod, 5 - 19 October 2014, which we are now celebrating.
8 October 2013 is an important
date, because the General Secretariat
of the Synod of Bishops, together
with its Ordinary Council, warmly
received the intention of the Holy
Father to set a definite time-frame
for the synod — to be described later
— namely, that it take place in two
stages, or maybe three, if you include, the Consistory of Cardinals
on 20-21 February. The criterion
which has guided this new synodal
process is that respecting established
norms, of moving ahead and attending to the necessary steps to achieve
the goal in an effective and timely
manner.
I will now report on the various
activities of the General Secretariat
in the time which has elapsed
between the 13th Ordinary General
Assembly in 2012, on the preparations of this Extraordinary General
Assembly and on the prospects and
novelty of this Synod and end with
a conclusion.
Activities by the 13th Ordinary
General Assembly in 2012
On 28 October 2012, the Ordinary General Assembly concluded, according to customary practice at the
time, with the “Propositions” which
were submitted to the Holy Father,
Pope Benedict XVI. At this synodal
assembly the 13th Ordinary Council
of the General Secretariat was
formed, composed of 15 members, 12
of which were elected by the assembly, and 3 appointed by the
Holy Father. To date, this Council
has met seven times.
The first meeting was held at the
very end of the Ordinary General,
28 October 2012, during which the
members became acquainted with
their work and tasks to be undertaken.
The second meeting, held on 26
November 2012, had two items on
the agenda: 1) the examination of
the material from the 13th Ordinary
General Assembly and the drafting
of a possible post-synodal document; and 2) the beginning of the
consultation process for a topic for
the 14th General Assembly, scheduled for 2015, on the occasion of the
50th anniversary of the closing of
the Second Vatican Council.
During the third meeting, which
took place on 23 and 24 January
2013, the Ordinary Council continued work on the final draft of the
post-synodal document and analyzed the proposals for the topic of
the next General Assembly. The
meeting concluded with the formulation of three possible topics, the
first of which had a Christological
and anthropological theme with particular reference to the Vatican II
document, Gaudium et spes, 22.
Shortly thereafter came the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, on 11
CONTINUED ON PAGE 8
page 8
L’OSSERVATORE ROMANO
Friday, 10 October 2014, number 41
Collegiality on the journey
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7
February 2013, and the election of
his successor, Pope Francis, on 13
March 2013. Following his election,
the new Pope, at the fourth meeting
of the 13th Ordinary Council, which
took place on 13 and 14 June, received in audience the former General Secretary, Archbishop Nikola
Eterović, and the members of the
Ordinary Council. At that meeting,
the Holy Father, Pope Francis was
given the text summarizing the results of the 13th Ordinary General
Assembly on evangelization and the
outcome of the consultation on the
topic of the next Ordinary General
Assembly. Shortly thereafter, during
a private audience with the General
Secretary on 4 July, the Holy Father,
formulated, in principle, a topic related to the vocation of the human
person and the family.
I now turn to the remote and immediate preparation of the Third
Extraordinary
General
Meeting
which solemnly began yesterday
with the concelebrated Mass with
the Holy Father by the synod fathers and the priest-participants of the
Synod.
The Preparation of the Third
Extraordinary General Assembly
After the fourth meeting of the
Ordinary Council on 23 August
2013, Pope Francis again received in
audience the General Secretary,
Archbishop Nikola Eterović. At this
time, he decided to convoke the
Third Extraordinary General Assembly, choosing as a topic the pastoral challenges of the family.
Subsequently, on 21 September
2013, Pope Francis entrusted to me
the task of guiding the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops,
and, at the same time, while inviting
me to revitalize and strengthen the
Synod, he expressed his desire to
hold as soon as possible the Third
Extraordinary General Assembly of
the Synod on the topic which he
had unofficially announced.
Shortly thereafter, on 7 and 8 October, the Holy Father presided over
the fifth meeting of the members of
the 13th Ordinary Council. During
this meeting, the preparation process
for the Extraordinary General Assembly immediately began with an
initial drafting of the Preparatory
Document. The text, submitted for
the consideration of the council
members, included a series of questions which was to be widely distributed to all those customarily contacted by the General Secretariat, and,
on a larger scale, to the whole
Church, so as to begin a consultation process on the pastoral challenges of the family. After making
approved changes to the document,
it was mailed and released to the
public.
On 8 October 2013, at the conclusion of the meeting, the Holy Father
convoked the Third Extraordinary
General Assembly, definitively formulating the synod’s topic, namely,
The Pastoral Challenges of the Family
in the Context of Evangelization. At
that same meeting, the Holy Father
officially entrusted the preparation
of the Extraordinary General Assembly to the 13th Ordinary Coun-
cil, elected during the 13th Ordinary
General Assembly in 2012.
Subsequently, on 14 October 2013,
the Holy Father, Pope Francis, appointed the General Rapporteur,
Cardinal Péter Erdő and the Special
Secretary, Archbishop Bruno Forte,
already members of the 13th Ordinary Council, which in close cooperation with the General Secretariat of
the Synod of Bishops, prepared
themselves to fulfill, in the best
manner possible, their respective
tasks.
On 5 November 2013, at a press
conference, the Preparatory Document
(Lineamenta) was then presented in
six languages (English, French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish and German). This event initiated a wideranging consultation within the
whole Church, which engaged local
communities in prayer and reflection
on the topic for the synod assembly.
The series of questions sparked great
interest among the bishops and the
faithful. This can be seen in the
high percentage of responses received, namely, 83.11% of the total
number of those regularly contacted
by the General Secretariat (88.59%
of the episcopal conferences; 65.38%
of the Departments of the Roman
Curia, 76.92% of the synods of the
Eastern Churches sui iuris). In addition to these responses, numerous
comments came from individuals
and groups, both inside and outside
the Church.
The observations, given as responses to the series of questions in
the Preparatory Document, were the
object of intensive analysis and
study by the General Secretariat and
the members of the Ordinary Council at a sixth meeting, taking place
on 24 and 25 February 2014 and
presided over by the Holy Father,
during which the first draft of the
Instrumentum laboris was presented.
This document was composed by a
team of 9 experts who read, studied
and summarized the responses to
the questions.
On 15 March 2014, between the
sixth and seventh meetings of the
Ordinary Council, the Holy Father
appointed
the
synod’s
three
Presidents-Delegate, Cardinal André
Vingt-Trois, Archbishop of Paris,
Cardinal Luis Antonio G. Tagle,
Archbishop of Manila and Cardinal
Raymundo Damasceno Assis, Archbishop of Aparecida. Likewise, in
this period, on 8 April 2014, the
Holy Father elevated the Undersecretary to the dignity of bishop,
Fabio Fabene, assigning him the titular see of Acquapendente. On that
occasion, the Holy Father wrote a
letter to the General Secretary expressing his desire to promote collegiality and to develop further collegiality in the Church.
The volume of material, collected
and organized by the General Secretariat in response to the series of
questions in the Preparatory Document, was summarized in the drafting of the Instrumentum laboris or
“work document”, the text of which
was discussed and approved at the
seventh meeting of the Ordinary
Council, held on 13 and 14 May
2014. Translated in the same six languages as the Preparatory Document,
this document was made public in a
press conference on 26 June 2014
and received a wide distribution on
the website of the Holy See.
As to the make-up of this synodal
assembly, the synod statutes set
forth in Ordo Synodi Episcoporum
(Art. 5 § 2) stipulate that for an extraordinary general assembly the
Heads of Eastern Catholic Churches
sui iuris and the presidents of the
national or multi-national episcopal
conferences come as ex officio members, as too, the heads of the departments of the Roman Curia. Three
religious are elected by the Union of
Superiors General. According to the
same synod norms (Art. 5 § 4), the
Holy Father has the prerogative of
appointing other members at his
discretion.
Consequently, 191 synod fathers
are participating at this extraordinary assembly, divided into the following three categories: 162 ex ufficio,
3 ex electione and 26 ex nominatione
pontificia. The composition of the
synodal assembly from the vantage
point of the five continents is: 42
from Africa, 38 from America, 29
from Asia, 78 from Europe and 4
from Oceania.
The ex ufficio members are the
heads of the 13 synods of bishops of
the Eastern Catholic Churches sui
iuris, the presidents of the 114 episcopal conferences and the heads of
25 departments of the Roman Curia.
To these, the Holy Father wished to
add as ex ufficio members, the members of the 13th Ordinary Council,
who were entrusted with preparing
the Extraordinary General Assembly.
Three religious, elected by the Union of Superiors General are members ex electione. Finally, 26 members
from different parts of the world are
taking part in the synod assembly ex
nominatione pontificia: 14 cardinals, 5
archbishops, 3 bishops and 4 priests.
In all, among the 191 synod fathers, 61 are cardinals, 1 a cardinal patriarch, 7 patriarchs, 1 major archbishop, 66 archbishops (including 2 metropolitans, 3 titulars, 2 emeriti), 47
bishops (including 1 titular bishop, 2
apostolic vicars, 1 apostolic exarch
and 1 emeritus), 1 auxiliary bishop, 1
priest and 6 religious.
Moreover, according to Art. 7 of
the Ordo Synodi, others participants
were invited to take part in this synodal assembly as experts or consultants to the Special Secretary (16),
auditors (38) and fraternal delegates
(8), from different nations and cultures. With regards to the auditors,
since the synod is to treat the topic
of the family, special attention was
given to the participation of married
couples, parents and heads of families (12). A married couple was
chosen to be among the 16 experts.
We are grateful for the presence of
the fraternal delegates who represent
other Churches and ecclesial communities. Indeed, they share the
Catholic Church’s concern for the
evangelization and pastoral care of
families in today’s world.
While engaging in the routine administrative activities in preparation
for the Third Extraordinary General
Assembly, the General Secretariat
was involved in other activities related to the synod in an attempt to
give attention to some specific issues
which are closely linked with the
general topic. In this regard, several
so-called interdicasterial meetings
were held, which involved representatives of the Roman Curia as well as
some professors of the Pontifical
Universities in Rome. These meetings played an important part in the
study and research which has been
very useful in the process of summarizing the responses, drafting the
text of the Instrumentum laboris and
the preparation of the General Secretariat in dealing with the work of
the synod.
Finally, for this Extraordinary Assembly, the General Secretariat has
promoted initiatives of prayer for the
family. In particular, on Sunday, 29
December 2013, the Solemnity of the
Holy Family, special events were
simultaneously planned in three important places of worship: the Basilica of the Annunciation in Nazareth in the Holy Land, the Basilica
of the Holy House of Loreto in
Italy and the Shrine of the Holy
Family in Barcelona. In addition,
during the Angelus prayer that same
Sunday, the Holy Father gave his
support to the initiative and invited
the whole Church to pray for the
successful outcome of the synod assembly. On this occasion, the Prayer
for the Synod on the Family, specially
composed by the Holy Father, was
published in different language versions.
Furthermore, Sunday, 28 September was set apart as a special day of
prayer for the synod. For this occasion, the General Secretariat invited
every episcopal conference and other
church organizations to join in the
prayer for families and the work of
the synod. In this regard, the General Secretariat drafted and sent to the
episcopal conferences worldwide
suggestions for the prayer of the
faithful which could be used in the
celebration of Mass on that Sunday.
From this day forward and for the
duration of the synod, when we
gather to undertake our work, the
faithful, in an initiative of the Diocese of Rome, will be praying for
the synod in the Basilica of Saint
Mary Major in Rome, in the Chapel
of the Salus Populi Romani, where
the relics of St Theresa of the Child
Jesus and her parents, Blesseds
Louis and Zelie Martin, as well as
the relics of the married couple, the
Blesseds Luigi and Maria Beltrame
Quatrocchi are exposed for veneration.
Prospects and New Aspects
This broad description of the
General Secretariat’s activities, especially in the preparation for the Extraordinary Assembly opening today,
reveals some new aspects and prospects for the further development
of the Synod of Bishops, as foreseen
by Pope Paul VI in the Introduction
of the motu proprio Apostolic Sollicitudo.
Clearly, the first new aspect regards the synodal movement as desired by the Holy Father, a movement which takes place in two
stages: the present Extraordinary
Synod and the Ordinary General
Assembly next year. This is an important and opportune time, a
Kairos for the whole Church, where
bishops and the faithful allow themselves to be guided by the Holy
Spirit so as to bring about that syn-
number 41, Friday, 10 October 2014
odality oftentimes referred to by the
Holy Father as an important element of the Church’s life and his
pontificate. All of us, unable to put
off our responsibility, are called to
reflect and thoroughly examine, enlightened by the Gospel and the
Church’s faith, the subject of the
family. In the preparatory journey
and our gathering with the Bishop
of Rome, we see realized the teaching of Pope Francis, who never tires
of reminding us that “we must walk
together: the people, the bishops
and the Pope. Synodality should be
lived at the various levels” (cf. Interview, La Civiltà Cattolica, September
2013 (n. 164: 19 September 2013: 465466). Referring to the mission of the
Successor of St Peter to confirm the
brothers in the faith, the Holy Father added: “To confirm in unity: the
Synod of Bishops, in harmony with
the primate. Let us go forward on
the path of synodality, and grow in
harmony with the service of the
primacy.... This should inspire us to
work always to overcome every conflict which wounds the body of the
Church. United in our differences:
there is no other Catholic way to be
united. This is the Catholic spirit,
the Christian spirit: to be united in
our differences. This is the way of
Jesus” (Homily, the Solemnity of Sts
Peter and Paul, 29 June 2013).
This synodal spirit of fraternal
communion characterized the preparatory phase of this synodal assembly, in which the People of God
was heard in its variety of bishops,
priests, deacons and lay faithful. In
the series of questions in the Preparatory Document not only did the the
episcopal conferences and those contacted by right by the General Secretariat express themselves but also
many individual priests and lay
faithful or associations of lay people
expressed their views on the burning
issues regarding the family in our
time. The responses and observations to the questions revealed a
widespread reality in dioceses and
parishes of associations and groups
made up of men and women who
work to support the family in different situations on every continent.
The number of responses received
have resulted in part by the topic of
the synod which touches upon the
pastoral life of communities and the
concern which the bishops have
long had for the family as well as a
spirit of freedom and sincerity which
was desired. This broad freedom of
expression must also characterize
this synodal assembly, because expressing one’s convictions is always
L’OSSERVATORE ROMANO
positive as long as it is done in a respectful, loving and constructive
manner. We are all aware that in
freedom fraternal communion grows,
discussion is enriched and the most
appropriate pastoral choices regarding the family are singled out. In
fact, it is important for a person to
express himself without fear or suspicion. Feeling free to express what
is believed or what it is doubtful
shows what distinguishes a human
being from other creatures and
makes him a responsible person before God and men. Consequently,
discussion at the synod is to be
open. When differences arise, participants in their various roles are
called not to stress their own interests or point of view but to seek
the truth which is not an abstract
concept or the result of philosophical or theological speculation, but the
person of Christ, the God-man, man
born-in-time, and Son of the Father:
“I am the way, the truth and the
life” (Jn 14:6). He is the point of departure. The first evangelizer is Jesus, who came down to walk among
us and came to be known by his
word and signs and, finally, with the
witness of his life.
Among the aids provided to the
synod fathers and the other participants is the Vademecum or “Handbook”, an essential tool in following
the proceedings of the Assembly. I
would like to indicate some new elements which affect the organization
of work and relate to the internal
methodology of this Assembly. Because of its extraordinary character,
this synod’s duration and number of
participants is reduced, thus requiring greater attention to the scheduling of work and methodology.
The synod calendar, located at the
end of the Vademecum, indicates that
starting with the Second Congregation, intervention in the synod hall
to take place during the first week
are to proceed in an orderly fashion
according to topics corresponding to
the various parts and chapters of the
Instrumentum laboris. Consequently,
on Monday afternoon, speakers will
treat two topics: God’s Plan for Marriage and the Family (Part 1, chap. 1)
and The Knowledge and Acceptance of
the Teachings on Marriage and the
Family from Sacred Scripture and
Church Documents (Part 1, chapter 2).
The Third General Congregation
will be limited to two other issues:
The Gospel of the Family and the Natural Law (Part 1, chap. 3) and The
Family and Vocation of the Person in
Christ (Part 1, chap. 4). The afternoon of the same day will be dedic-
ated to The Pastoral Program for the
Family: Various Proposals Underway
(Part II, chap. 1). Wednesday morning, during the Fifth General Congregation, discussion will continue
with The Pastoral Challenges of the
Family (Part II, chap. 2), while the
afternoon session will focus on Difficult Pastoral Situations (Part II, chap.
3). The Seventh General Congregation will concentrate on The Pastoral
Challenges Concerning an Openness to
Life (Part III, chap. 1), while the
Eighth General Congregation will
address the topic: The Church and the
Family in the Challenge of Upbringing
(part III, ch. 2).
Each of these topical sessions will
open with a brief introduction by
the President-Delegate of the day,
followed by a real-life testimony by
auditors specifically chosen because
of the subject to be treated, with priority given to married couples. In
this way, their personal life experiences on the subject can be enlightening and provide a lay perspective
to enrich the synodal discussion.
During the meetings of the Small
Groups, to take place in the second
week of the synod, the procedure in
discussing the Relatio post disceptationem will also be by topic.
Another novelty in synodal methodology is the Relatio Synodi,
namely, the document summarizing
this synod’s work, which, after opportune amendments from the Small
Groups, will be presented in plenary
session in a final draft for the approval of the Assembly. This means
that there will be no “Propositions”
as in other synodal assemblies.
The Relatio Synodi, once approved
by the Assembly, will be given to the
Holy Father for his consideration. It
will also serve as the starting point
for the preparation of the second
stage of the synod process, namely,
the 14th Ordinary General Assembly
to be held in October 2015. In other
words, this Relatio, with the necessary changes, will become the Preparatory Document for the next synod, which will then be sent to the
customary recipients by right, who,
after having discussed and thoroughly examined the material, will
return it to the General Secretariat
for the drafting of the Instrumentum
laboris of the 14th Ordinary General
Assembly.
The dissemination of news about
the Extraordinary Assembly is also
different from previous synods. This
service will be handled by the Holy
See Press Office with the assistance
of the Commission for Information.
The Bulletin of the Synod of Bish-
page 9
ops will be replaced by the regular
Bulletin of the Holy See Press Office containing general information,
which will be further treated in daily
Briefings under the guidance of the
Director of the Holy See Press Office in collaboration with synod
press liaisons and with the participation of some synod fathers. In addition, a Twitter service will transmit,
summarily and in real-time, the most
pertinent news developments in the
synod’s work.
The Relatio ante disceptationem
also has an element of novelty, in
the sense that this time the document was composed with the help of
the interventions of the synod fathers which we submitted to the General Secretariat before the beginning
of the Synod. The General Secretariat requested that the synod fathers
send their intervention in advance
and possibly indicate the main topic
so as to ensure a more orderly treatment in the synod hall. Clearly, the
intent was not to manage the content of the interventions, but to respond better to the synodal and collegial sense of the synod fathers,
who are the bearers of the experiences and needs of the particular
Churches and other local bodies. In
this way, the Relatio is a secure basis
on which to work during the interventions in the hall in the first week
of work. The Relatio post disceptationem, which will conclude the
work for the first week will be given
to synod fathers for their consideration in the circuli minores (small
groups). They will study it and
make their contribution, following
the procedure described in the Vademecum in drafting and preparing the
Relatio Synodi, the final document
which will be a full summary, structured according to parts, chapters,
and numbers.
Conclusion
The Church is essentially a communion; indeed it is, as Pope Paul
VI said on 11 October 1969, in his
Homily at the opening of the First
Extraordinary General Assembly of
the Synod of Bishops: “[The
Church] in her double reference to
Christ in communion with God and
communion in Christ with believers
in him, and virtually with all humanity”. What is collegiality if not a
communion, a solidarity, a fraternity,
a charity? What is synodality if not
the original dynamics of the life and
journey of the Church as a community, a People of God, walking
together in “an exercise articulated
in various charisms and ministries
for proclaiming, bearing witness and
fostering the coming of the kingdom
among men”? (P. Coda, “Rinnovamento a cinquant’anni dal Vaticano
II”, Il Regno, 12/2014, p. 429).
I pray that this synodal assembly
might be the privileged place of this
synodal collegiality, which proclaims
the Gospel by walking, and that it
might be imbued with a new openness to the Spirit, by an approach
and manner of life and witness
which ensures a unity in diversity
and apostolicity in catholicity.
May the Holy Spirit enlighten the
participants in this assembly. May
the protection of the Virgin Mary be
ours and may the saints and those
who are blessed intercede for the
successful outcome of this Synod.
L’OSSERVATORE ROMANO
number 41, Friday, 10 October 2014
The Relator General’s report before the open discussion
With the spirit
of the good Samaritan
The following is the ‘Relatio ante disceptationem’ given by Cardinal Péter Erdő,
Archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest, Hungary, on Monday, 6 October, during the
First General Congregation of the Third
Extraordinary General Assembly of the
Synod of Bishops.
Holy Father,
Your Excellencies,
Jesus Christ is our Master before all
others and our only Lord. He alone
has the “words of eternal life” (Jn
6:68). This is also true regarding the
vocation of the person and the family.
The message of Christ is not easy to
accept, because it places demands, requiring a conversion of heart. Nevertheless, it is a truth which sets us free.
The fundamental goal of the Christian
proposal for the family must be “the
joy of the Gospel” that “fills the heart
and the whole life of those who encounter Jesus” and who “accept his offer of salvation” and thereby experience
liberation “from sin, sorrow, inner
emptiness and loneliness”, as taught by
Pope Francis in Evangelii gaudium (1).
For this reason, it is appropriate to recall the importance of the themes of
hope (cf. Gaudium et Spes, 1) and
mercy, so much emphasized by Pope
Francis (cf. Evangelii gaudium, 119, 198).
This proclamation, then, is expressed
in a proposal, in a dialogue and journeying together. Pope Paul VI, in his
classic Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii
nuntiandi (3) insisted: “It is absolutely
necessary for us to take into account a
heritage of faith that the Church has
the duty of preserving in its untouchable purity, and of presenting it to the
people of our time, in a way that is as
understandable and persuasive as possible”.
The basis and the content of this
proclamation is the faith of the Church
on marriage and the family, summarized in various documents, especially in
Gaudium et Spes, Familiaris consortio of
Pope St John Paul II — who Pope
Francis called the “Pope of the Family”
— The Catechism of the Catholic Church
and many other texts of the Magisterium. The family today is not only the
object of evangelization but also the
primary agent of proclaiming the good
news of Christ in the world, which necessitates a continual understanding
and realization of the Gospel of the
Family as the Spirit suggests to the
Church. The most serious of family
problems themselves are considered
“signs of the times” to be discerned in
the light of the Gospel and read with
the eyes and heart of Christ and from
his perspective in the house of Simon
the Pharisee (cf. Lk 7:36-50).
1. The Gospel of the Family in the
Context of Evangelization
a) The Method of Discernment concerning
the Family
The search for pastoral responses
takes place in the cultural context of
the present moment. Many people
today have difficulty in thinking in a
logical manner and reading lengthy
documents. We live in an audio-visual
culture, a culture of feelings, emotional
experiences and symbols. Places of pilgrimage, in many countries — even in
highly secularized ones — are increasingly popular. Tens of thousands of
married couples, for example, have visited the Marian shrine of Šaštin, Slovakia, to invoke the help of the Virgin
Mary in their marital difficulties. Many
look upon their lives not as a life-long
endeavour but a series of moments in
which great value is placed on feeling
good and enjoying good health. From
this vantage point, any firm commitment seems insurmountable and the future appears threatening, because it
may happen that in the future we will
feel worse. Even social relationships
may appear as limitations and
obstacles. Respect and “seeking the
good” of another person can even call
for sacrifice. Isolation is oftentimes
linked, therefore, with this cult of a
momentary well-being. This general
culture is reflected in the large number
of responses to the series of questions
in the Preparatory Document of this synodal assembly, that highlight situations
which are verifiable almost everywhere
in the world, namely, the decline of
civil marriages and the increasing trend
of living together without any religious
or civil marriage. Avoiding marriage is
seen as not only a sign of individualism
but also a symptom of the crisis of a
society already burdened by formalisms, obligations and bureaucracy.
Avoiding marriage is seen as a sign of a
poor character and a weakness in the
individual in facing increasingly “complicated” structures. In this context, we
must proclaim the Gospel of the Family.
Yet, the culture of the word has not
disappeared. The transmission of the
Gospel takes place, while keeping in
mind the richness of the teaching of
the Church. We need the power of the
Holy Spirit to seek paths to truth in
charity, responses which express justice
and mercy at the same time, because
these two are inseparable. Hesed and
tzedaka, mercy and justice in the Old
Testament, are the attributes of God
that exist together in him. We confidently invoke his assistance in our work.
It should be pointed out that the
Gospel of the Family is first of all the
good news of a grace given by the
Holy Spirit in the Sacrament of Marriage, a renewed opportunity, offered to
a person in his fragility, to welcome
and celebrate, with joy and gratitude,
at both the personal and communal
levels. The obligations arising from
marriage must not be forgotten, but
seen as the demands of the gift which
the gift itself makes possible. The wise
words of Pope Francis are applicable
here: “If something should rightly disturb us and trouble our consciences, it
is the fact that so many of our brothers
and sisters are living without the
strength, light and consolation born of
friendship with Jesus Christ, without a
community of faith to support them,
without meaning and a goal in life”
(Evangelii gaudium, 49).
The crystal clear and whole truth of
the Gospel gives the light, meaning
and hope which humanity needs today.
The Church must offer this “truth
cure” so that it can be recognized in
the present moment as a “remedy” for
Paula Modersohn-Becker, “The Good Samaritan” (1907)
the many problematic, oftentimes burdensome, family situations. In other
words, without detracting from the
truth, this must also be proposed from
the perspective of those who “struggle”
to recognize it as such and to live it.
b) The Method of Work for the Synod
In the present culture, where we are
inclined to forget essential truths and
the wider picture and are tempted to
get lost in details, it is particularly useful for the bishops of the local communities to be offered clear guidelines
to help those living in difficult situations. Indeed, it is unrealistic to expect that by themselves they will find
the right solutions in conformity with
the truth of the Gospel and nearness to
individuals in particular situations. In
this regard, episcopal collegiality, which
has a privileged expression in the Synod, is called to lend this character to its
proposals, blending a respect for and
promotion of the specific experiences
of the individual episcopal conferences
in a search for shared pastoral
guidelines. This must also apply at the
level of the local churches, avoiding the
improvisations of a “do-it-yourself ministry” which ends in making the acceptance of the Gospel of the Family more
difficult. It should also be recalled that
the Extraordinary General Assembly of
2014 is the first step in a journey which
will lead the Church to the Ordinary
General Assembly of 2015. It follows
that the language and the indications
of this synod must be such as to promote the most elevating theological examination so as to listen with the utmost attention to the message of the
Lord, while encouraging, at the same
time, the participation and listening of
the entire community of the faithful.
For this reason, it is important to pray
that our work will produce the best
fruit; what God wants.
2. The Gospel of the Family and
Family Ministry
a) The Educational Challenge of the
Family: School of Humanity, School of
Social and Ecclesial Relations and School
of Holiness
The care of the bishops and faithful
towards younger generations is expressed, in a particular way, in their effort at forming those who undertake,
with courage and hope, the road leading to marriage. Therefore, it is the
proper task of the pastoral care of families to take up the educational chal-
lenge, in its various stages, of educating young people in love, in preparation for marriage, after marriage and
especially in more difficult situations,
so that the family might be a real
school of humanity, a school of social
and ecclesial relations and a school of
holiness. The family is the school of humanity, because it is the school of love
in the life and development of a person
(cf. Gaudium et Spes, 52: Family:
“School of Humanity”) and because of
the relationship which marriage requires and establishes between spouses
and between parents and children (cf.
Gaudium et Spes, 49; Familiaris consortio, 11). The family is a school of social
relations, because it helps a person develop his social skills and builds society
(cf. Familiaris consortio, 15, 37). In a
similar manner, the family is the womb
of the Church’s life, which teaches us to
live in communion with the Church
and to be active participants in it (cf.
Familiaris consortio, 48, 50). Finally, the
family is also the school of holiness, in
which the path towards sanctification
of married couples and children is undertaken and sustained (cf. Gaudium et
spes, 48; Familiaris consortio, 56, 59). For
these reasons, the Church proclaims the
value and beauty of the family. In this
way, the Church renders crucial service
to a world which asks, almost begs, to
be enlightened by hope.
The multi-faceted profile of the family which emerges in the Instrumentum
laboris, shows how, in different sociocultural contexts, a consensus might
exist — broader than first thought —
that marriage and family are goods originating in the culture of humanity, a
legacy which must be guarded, promoted and, when necessary, defended.
Today, the majority of human beings
seek personal happiness in life in a permanent bond between a man and a woman, together with the children of their
union. Today, the family is certainly encountering many difficulties, but it is
not an outdated model, because of a
widely diffused indication among the
young of a renewed desire to form a
family. This is demonstrated in the witness of many happy marriages and
Christian families. These positive experiences are not to be overlooked,
despite the widespread serious and irregular situations.
Among the members of the Church,
the fundamentals of the teaching on
marriage in the New Testament and
The Catechism of the Catholic Church appear well-enough known. But, the specific aspects of doctrine and the
Church’s Magisterium on marriage and
family are not always sufficiently well-
known by the faithful. Apart from the
question of knowledge, the teaching on
marriage and the family is oftentimes
not put into practice. This does not
mean that the teaching, in principle, is
put in doubt by the vast majority of
believers and theologians. In the form
in which it is presented by the Second
Vatican Council (cf. Gaudium et spes,
47-52), and summarized in the Instrumentum laboris, this teaching enjoys a
broad consensus among practicing
Catholics. This is the case, particularly
with regard to the indissolubility of
marriage and its sacramental nature
among those who are baptized. The
teaching on the indissolubility of marriage as such is not questioned. Indeed,
it is unchallenged and for the most
part observed also in the pastoral practice of the Church with persons who
have failed in their marriage and seek a
new beginning. Therefore, what is being discussed at this synod of an intense pastoral nature are not doctrinal
issues, but the practical ones — nevertheless inseparable from the truths of
the faith.
Finally, two clear aspects emerge
from the Instrumentum laboris on homosexuality. First, there is a broad consensus that people with a homosexual
orientation should not be discriminated
against, as reiterated in The Catechism of
the
Catholic
Church
(2357-2359).
Secondly, it is quite clear that the majority of the baptized — and all episcopal conferences — do not expect that
these relationships be equated with
marriage between a man and a woman,
nor is there a consensus among a vast
majority of Catholics on the ideology
of gender theories.
Instead, many want to see a change
in the traditional roles in society which
are culturally conditioned and in discrimination against women, which continues to be present, without denying,
in the process, the differences by nature
between the sexes and their reciprocity
and complementarity.
Therefore, feelings of doom or surrender have no place in the Church. A
legacy exists of a faith clearly and
widely shared, from which the synod
assembly can depart and of which the
faithful ought to be rendered more
aware through a more intense catechesis on marriage and the family. On the
basis of this fundamental conviction, a
shared reflection is possible on the missionary tasks of Christian families and
on the issues of a just pastoral response
to difficult situations.
It would be desirable that this Synod, starting from the common basis of
faith, might look beyond the group of
Catholics who practice their faith and,
considering the complex situation of
society, treat the social and cultural difficulties which weigh heavily on marriage and family life today. We are not
page 10/11
dealing with only problems involving
individual behaviour but the structures
of sin hostile to the family, in a world
of inequality and social injustice, of
consumerism, on the one hand, and
poverty, on the other. Rapid cultural
change in every sphere is distorting
families, which are the basic unit of society, and putting into question the traditional family culture and oftentimes
destroying it. On the other hand, the
family is fast becoming the last welcoming human reality in a world determined almost exclusively by finance
and technology. A new culture of the
family can be the starting point for a
renewed human civilization.
b) Soundness and Clarity in Formation
Programmes
At this time, taking a closer look at
the pastoral care of families who are
just beginning the process of formation, reveals an uncertainty among
many young people who, with hope,
aspire for a stable and enduring love.
Turning to the Church, they ask —
though not always explicitly — for the
wherewithal to conquer their legitimate
fears and a hearing by a community
which bears witness to them on the
beauty and the reality of married life,
despite its real difficulties, particularly
in relationships and economic situations. The desire for a family borne in
their hearts needs to be affirmed and
supported by a solid catechesis which
also invites them to be a part of the
community of believing families. These
communities are present in many parishes around the world and are a very
encouraging sign of our times.
In this sense, engaged couples need
to be assisted in coming to a clear understanding of what marriage is in the
Creator’s plan, namely, a covenant
which, between baptized persons, has
always enjoyed the dignity of a sacrament (CIC, can. §§ 1055: 1-2). The fundamental elements and essential qualities of this plan (unity, fidelity, fruitfulness), not simply disregarded but positively excluded by an act of will, make a
marriage invalid. On the other hand, a
person’s faith assists in the reception of
sacramental grace, for which Christian
marriage is verified, in the responsible
pursuit of its essential goods. Despite
the words of the liturgy which the
bride and groom speak explicitly, many
approach the Sacrament without a clear
awareness before the Lord of assuming
an unconditional and life-long commitment to welcome the other and make a
total gift of self to the other. Indeed,
under the influence of the existing culture, many reserve the “right” not to
observe conjugal fidelity, to divorce
and remarry, if the marriage might not
be successful or not be open to life.
The calm and courageous assumption
of this responsibility, however, is a sign
of a personal choice of faith, without
which the Sacrament, though valid, is
not effective. Marriage, in fact, besides
being a personal relationship and a
spiritual bond, is necessarily also an institution of society. This means that the
marital status of the person in front of
God, a reality that is not perceivable by
the human senses, must be upheld in
the truest way possible, also by the
community. Therefore, some assumptions are necessary about the marital
status of the person. From the very
nature of presumptions, there is,
however, the possibility of a discrepancy between what is expected and the
actual, sacramental state of the person.
In fact, even if love is not in itself a
reality, which is the subject for review
and verification by a third party, the institution of marriage and the family is
undoubtedly a reality, given its important social and ecclesial relevance.
Over the centuries, the Church has
wanted to safeguard the truth of what
it means to be human even with juridic
norms designed to ensure that this free
commitment, which is consciously undertaken in an act of consent, would
not be equated with any other commitment. The Church’s pastoral effort in
assisting engaged couples to marry will
have more and more to show the value
and attractiveness of a life-long bond.
c) The Family: the Star of Evangelization
In addition to the primary, special
vocation of the family in the human
and Christian upbringing of children,
the mission of family members is to
transmit the faith and bear witness to
the faith before others. The family is
also the core of the parish community.
In many countries of the world, vibrant
communities exist in parishes, composed of married couples or entire families, who meet regularly, pray together,
study and thoroughly discuss The Catechism of the Catholic Church, read the
Bible and talk about everyday problems, difficulties and the beauty of life
lived in common by couples and treat
questions concerning the upbringing of
their children. In other words, they
strive to combine faith with life. They
help each other in times of illness, unemployment or other problems. Many
of them participate in the work of
Caritas. Many help in the preparation
of engaged couples for marriage in
strengthening their relationship of
friendship which is to endure long after
their wedding. Groups of young Catholic mothers with young children also
accommodate mothers without any religious affiliation or non-believers, thus
creating a new form of mission. Families are forming various new communities which assist couples in crisis or help
women in existential or psychological
difficulty. It seems important to promote such initiatives and encourage
them throughout the Church.
d) Pastoral Action in Crisis Situations
The Instrumentum laboris notes “the
loss of a sense of meaning, or even the
breakdown within a family, can be the
means of strengthening the marriage
bond. Families, willing to offer support
to a couple in this difficult situation,
can help them overcome this crisis. In
particular, the parish must draw near
married couples and the family as the
‘family of families’” (63).
e) Difficulties within the Family and Outside Pressures
The widespread difficulty in creating
a serene atmosphere of communication
in some families is due to multiple
factors: business and economic worries;
differing views on the upbringing of
children from various models of parenting; a reduction in time for dialogue
and relaxation. In addition, there are
disruptive factors like separation and
divorce, with the consequences of a
blended family, and, conversely, single
parenting, where a relationship with the
other parent is confused or limited, if
not totally absent. Finally, this lack of
communication can result from a widespread selfish mentality that closes in
upon itself, with the disturbing consequence of the practice of abortion.
The same selfishness can lead to the
false idea of parents that children are
objects or their property, who can be
produced by them as they desire.
Especially where poverty is widespread, women and children in particular suffer from violence and abuse.
However, in even the most developed
countries disruptive factors are present
due to various forms of dependence,
such as alcohol, drugs, gambling, pornography, sexual addiction and other
forms of social networking. Faced with
these challenges, the Church feels an
urgency to evangelize the family
through a proclamation which is simple
and essential, encouraging the value of
personal relationships, sensitivity towards the poor, the ability to make responsible use of the mass media and the
new technologies, while respecting the
dignity of persons, especially the weakest and most defenseless, who pay the
highest price in loneliness and marginalization.
With regard to external pressures, increasing job insecurity is a nightmare
for many families; migration often creates large imbalances in the family,
such as those experienced by people
who move from their own country —
oftentimes because of war and poverty
— or by those receiving them in their
own country. The concrete support of
the Church for these families is unable
to be done without a pro-active commitment through appropriate policies
by governments and public agencies responsible for the protection and promotion of the common good.
3. Difficult Pastoral Situations
a) The Church as the “House of the
Father” (Evangelii gaudium, 47)
Pope Francis has said: “The family is
experiencing a profound cultural crisis,
as are all communities [...]. In the case
of the family, the weakening of these
bonds is particularly serious because
the family is the fundamental cell of
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L’OSSERVATORE ROMANO
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Friday, 10 October 2014, number 41
With the spirit of the Good Samaritan
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10
society” (Evangelii gaudium, 66).
In this regard, the Instrumentum
laboris notes: “Under the heading of
so-called marriage difficulties, the responses consistently recount stories
of great suffering as well as testimonies of true love. ‘The Church is
called to be the house of the Father,
with doors always wide open, [...]
where there is a place for everyone,
with all their problems’ (Evangelii
gaudium, 47)” (80). True pastoral urgency calls for providing the opportunity for these persons to take care
of their wounds, to heal and resume
their journey of life, together with
the entire ecclesial community.
To address these situations properly, the Church must first affirm the
indispensable value of the truths of
the indissolubility of marriage,
already founded in the original plan
of the Creator (Gen 1:27; 2:24; cf.
Mt 19: 4-9). With regard to the sacramental dignity, however, which the
baptized enjoy, the Church affirms
its foundation in the profound connection between the marriage bond
and the indissoluble union between
Christ and the Church (Eph 5:2233). Secondly, renewed and appropriate action needs to be taken in
the pastoral care of the family, which
is to lend support to the couple in
their commitment to mutual faithfulness and their dedication to their
children.
Furthermore,
thought
needs to be given on how best to accompany people who find themselves in these situations, so they do
not feel excluded from the life of the
Church. Finally, forms and suitable
language needs to be devised to proclaim that all are and remain God’s
children and are loved by God the
Father and the Church as Mother.
b) Truth and Mercy
In recent decades, the issue of
mercy has emerged more prominently as an important perspective in
proclaiming the Gospel. The mercy
of God, already presented extensively in the Old Testament (cf. Ex
34:6; 2 Sam 24:14, Ps 111:4, etc.), is
supremely revealed, especially in the
actions and preaching of Jesus. In
the Parable of Merciful Father (cf.
Lk 15:11-32), as well as in the entire
New Testament, mercy is a core
teaching: God is rich in mercy (cf.
Eph 2:4). According to St Thomas
Aquinas, mercy is the most important attribute of God (cf. Summa
theol II / II q. 30 a. 4; Evangelii gaudium, 37); mercy expresses the absolute sovereignty of God and manifests the creative fidelity to himself
of God who is love (cf. 1 Jn 4: 8,16).
To receive this mercy the prodigal
son returns to the Father, asks for
forgiveness and begins a new life.
The most decisive manifestation of
divine mercy towards humanity is
the Incarnation of Christ and the
work of salvation. According to the
Gospel of St Mark, Christ himself
begins the proclamation of the
Good News with the call to conversion: “Repent and believe in the
Gospel” (Mk 1:15). Indeed, God
never tires of forgiving the sinner
who repents and he does not tire of
giving him this possibility again and
again. This mercy is not a justifica-
tion to sin but rather the sinner’s
justification, to the extent that he
converts and aims to sin no more.
Mercy means to give beyond what
is due, ordered or by way of help.
Only God’s mercy can achieve true
forgiveness of sins. In sacramental
absolution, God forgives us through
the ministry of the Church. What remains for us to do is to bear witness
to God’s mercy and to perform the
spiritual and corporal works of
mercy which were already known in
Old Testament times. The privileged
place for putting these acts of mercy
into action is precisely in the family.
The meaning of mercy for the
Church today was emphasized by
Pope St John XXIII at the opening
of the Second Vatican Council. He
said that the Church in every age
must oppose error. Today, however,
the Church must have recourse to
the medicine of mercy rather than to
oppose error with the weapons of rigidity. In this way, the Pope gave a
basic tenor to the Council. Pope St
John Paul II again reverted to this
spirit in his second encyclical Dives
in Misericordia (1980) and designated
the Second Sunday of Easter as Divine Mercy Sunday. Pope Benedict
XVI presented the subject in the encyclical Deus caritas est (2005). At
the beginning of his pontificate,
Pope Francis said: “God never tires
of forgiving, ever! [...] We sometimes tire in asking for forgiveness”
(Angelus, 17 March 2013). In the case
of family, marriage and the value of
its indissolubility, the words of Pope
Francis apply: “The salvation which
God offers us is the work of his
mercy. No human efforts, however
good they may be, can enable us to
merit so great a gift. God, by his
sheer grace, draws us to himself and
makes us one with him. He sends
his Spirit into our hearts to make us
his children, transforming us and
enabling us to respond to his love
by our lives. The Church is sent by
Jesus Christ as the sacrament of the
salvation offered by God” (Evangelii
gaudium, 112). The Church is “a
place of mercy freely given, where
everyone can feel welcomed, loved,
forgiven and encouraged to live the
good life of the Gospel” (Evangelii
gaudium, 114).
Mercy, the central theme of God’s
revelation, is highly important as a
hermeneutic for the Church’s actions
(cf. Evangelii gaudium, 193 ff.). Certainly, she does not do away with
truth nor relativize it, but seeks to
interpret it correctly in the hierarchy
of truths (cf. Unitatis redintegratio, 11;
Evangelii gaudium, 36-37). Nor does
she do away with the demands of
justice.
Consequently, mercy does not
take away the commitments which
arise from the demands of the marriage bond. They will continue to
exist even when human love is
weakened or has ceased. This means
that, in the case of a (consummated)
sacramental marriage, after a divorce, a second marriage recognized
by the Church is impossible, while
the first spouse is still alive.
c) Cohabitation and Civil Marriages
The responses to the questions
and their summarizing in the Instrumentum laboris point out various dif-
ficult or irregular situations which
cannot be strictly treated in the
same manner (cf. 52), but require
discernment on a case to case basis.
In this sense, a new dimension of
pastoral care of the family today reveals itself through considering the
reality of civil marriages and, despite
the differences, even cohabitation.
Consequently, when these relationships are obviously stable in a publicly recognized legal bond, they are
characterized by deep affection, display a parental responsibility towards their offspring and an ability
to withstand trials and they can be
seen as a seed to be nurtured on the
path towards celebrating the Sacrament of Marriage. Very often,
however, couples choose to cohabitate not in light of the possibility of
a future marriage, but without any
intention to marry at all.
The Church cannot fail to take
advantage of an opportunity, even in
situations which, at first sight, are
far from satisfying the criteria of the
Gospel, and to draw close to people
in order to bring them to a conscious, true and right decision about
their relationship. There is no human situation which cannot become
the occasion for the Church to find
adequate language to help people
understand the value of the marital
union and family life in the light of
the Gospel. The challenge which
faces us today is being able to show
the best part of these situations
which oftentimes is not understood
or capable of being grasped.
d) The Pastoral Care of Divorced and
Remarried Persons
First of all, among the great number of pastoral challenges keenly felt
today is that of divorced and civilly
remarried persons (see Familiaris
consortio, 84). Indeed, in some countries this problem is not present, due
to the fact that civil marriages do
not exist. In other countries, the
percentage of divorced and remarried tends to decrease because of the
unwillingness to contract a new marriage — even civil one — after the
failure of the first marriage. The responses to the questions show that
this problem has different nuances
in different regions of the world (cf.
Instrumentum laboris, 98-100).
In light of what has already been
said, the situation does not put in
question Christ’s words (cf. Mt 19:312) or the truth of the indissolubility
of marriage (cf. Denzinger - Hünermann, 1327, 1797, 1807; Gaudium et
spes, 49) or even maintain that these
are no longer in force. Furthermore,
it would be misleading to concentrate only on the question of the reception of the sacraments. The answer, then, can be sought in a more
comprehensive pastoral care of the
young and those in marriage preparation. An intensive pastoral care programme on marriage and the family
is also needed, especially for those
in crisis situations.
As regards the divorced who are
civilly married, many have said that
the distinction needs to be made
between the one who is guilty for
the break-up of the marriage and the
innocent party. The Church’s pastoral care should extend to each of
them in a particular way.
Divorced and civilly remarried
persons belong to the Church. They
need and have the right to receive
care from their pastors (cf. Sacramentum charitatis, 28). They are invited to listen to the Word of God,
to participate in the Church’s liturgy
and prayer and perform the good
works of charity. The Church’s pastoral care must be extended to them
in a very special way, taking into account the unique circumstances of
each person. Consequently, in each
particular Church, at least one duly
prepared priest is needed, who can
offer counsel, without charge, as a
first step for the parties in ascertaining the validity of their marriage. Indeed, many spouses are unaware of
the criteria for the validity of a marriage, much less the possibility that
a marriage can be invalid. After divorce, this verification must be carried out in a pastoral dialogue on
the causes of the failure of the previous marriage and identifying possible grounds for nullity, while
avoiding every appearance of a
formal bureaucratic process or any
economic interest. If all this is done
in a serious manner in search of the
truth, the declaration of nullity process for the parties will be truly a
liberating experience in conscience.
e) Matrimonial Cases According to
Canon Law and Those Outside the
Juridical Process
The Instrumentum laboris describes
a rather broad consensus in favour
of simplifying marriage cases from
the pastoral point of view (cf. 98102) and recounts increasing instances of a divorce mentality in the
valid celebration of the Sacrament.
With this in mind, it does not seem
hazardous, as mentioned earlier, to
believe that many marriages celebrated in the Church may be invalid.
To ensure an effective and streamlined process in the possibility of invalidity of the bond, many feel that
the procedure needs review; in the
first place, the obligation for two appeals of confirmation on the declaration of nullity of the marriage bond
and proceed to the second instance
only if, within a defined framework,
there is no appeal from either or
both parties or from the defender of
the bond. A possible solution of this
kind should, in any case, avoid any
type of mechanics or impression of
granting a divorce. Nevertheless, in
some cases, other guarantees might
be necessary, for example, the obligation of the defender of the bond to
make an appeal so as to avoid solutions which are unjust and scandalous.
Secondly, the aforementioned prevalence of a divorce mentality in
many societies and given the practice of civil courts or tribunals to
grant divorces frequently leads
parties to enter into a canonical marriage, while reserving the right to divorce and to contract another wedding should difficulties occur. This
simulation, even without their being
fully aware of the ontological and
canonical aspects, renders a marriage
invalid. To prove that a person did
not consider marriage indissoluble,
the party who went through this
simulation of marriage needs to admit and attest to the circumstances
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L’OSSERVATORE ROMANO
4. The Family and the
Gospel of Life
a) Proclaiming the Gospel of Life
Marc Chagall, “The Holy Family”
and other elements (cf. CIC, can.
1536 § 2, 1679). If such a procedure
already exists in judicial practice, it
is conceivable that in some cases, the
same can be done as part of an administrative process. Furthermore,
according to authoritative proposals,
the faith of those to be married
needs to be evaluated in ascertaining
the validity of the Sacrament of
Marriage, according to the general
principle that the validity of a sacrament requires that the party intends
to do what the Church does (cf. Benedict XVI, Discourse to the Tribunal
of the Roman Rota, 26 January 2013,
4). This via extra-giudiziale (a solution outside the juridical process) —
according to them — could provide a
manner to know, discern and thoroughly examine whether, because of
invalidating circumstances, the process could conclude with a declaration of nullity by the diocesan bishop, who would also propose a way
to raise consciousness and conversion in the concerned party in light
of a possible future marriage, where
this simulation would not be repeated.
Thirdly, resolving certain cases
can possibly be done by reverting to
the “Pauline Privilege” (cf. CIC, can.
1143-1147) or the “Petrine Privilege”
(in marriages of disparity of cult).
Finally, we must also keep in mind
the possibility of the nullity of a ratified and not consummated marriage, “by favour”.
f) The Practice
Churches
of
the
Orthodox
The Instrumentum laboris relates
that some responses suggest further
examining the practice of some of
the Orthodox Churches, which allows the possibility of a second or
third marriage, marked by a penitential character (cf. 95). Examining
this matter is necessary to avoid any
questionable interpretations and
conclusions which are not sufficiently well-founded. In this regard,
studying the history of the discipline
of the Churches in the East and
West is important. Possible contributions might also come from considering the disciplinary, liturgical
and doctrinal traditions of the Eastern Churches.
Given the diversity of culture and
traditions in the different areas that
make up the Catholic Church, the
contribution of individual episcopal
conferences provide great assistance
in the work of evangelization and
the inculturation of the Gospel.
Similar to what takes place in episcopal communion, this synergy in
proclamation needs to be done cum
Petro et sub Petro.
Openness to life is not extraneous
to conjugal love, nor is it imposed
from without nor is it optional or a
matter of choice; openness to life is
an essential part, an intrinsic requirement of conjugal love, because
this love is directed towards communion and communion begets life. In
the Western world, it is not uncommon to find couples who deliberately choose not to have children.
Paradoxically, on the other extreme,
there are those who do everything
possible to have a child. In both
cases, the possibility of procreating a
child is reduced to one’s ability of
self-determination and to an attitude
which puts oneself at the centre,
where the wishes, expectations and
realization of one’s own plans are
done without consideration of others.
Conjugal love and a married
couple’s relationship in general must
never become a closed circle. Welcoming children implies accepting
the other and others with whom one
learns to discover and build the human family. To welcome a child is
not just bringing another human being into the world but procreating
him in his unique otherness and giving him the gift of life.
The idea of openness to life cannot be limited to conception and
birth, but finds its fullness in the
upbringing of children and offering
them support in their development.
Even this aspect requires an outlook
which touches upon the dynamics of
culture and society, especially the relationship between various generations.
b) The Family in a Relational Context
It is also true, however, that welcoming life, assuming responsibility
in procreating life and the care required are possible only if the family
is not conceived as an isolated unit
but an active part in a network of
relationships. Education in accepting
a child comes about in a relational
context, one of relatives, friends and
institutions, both civil and ecclesial.
Increasing importance is being given
to not leaving the family and families on their own, but to accompanying and supporting them in their
everyday journey. When this does
not happen, tensions and inevitable
fatigue occur in communication in
the life of the family and in the relationship
between
spouses
or
between parents and children, which
can sometimes be so dramatic as to
explode into acts of destructive
madness. Family tragedies are oftentimes the result of desperation,
loneliness and a painful cry which
no one knew how to discern.
To truly welcome life within the
family and provide for its constant
care, from conception to natural
death, requires the rediscovery of the
meaning of a diffused and concrete
solidarity; and the reawakening in
the community of its responsibility
for formation, especially the ecclesial
community; creating, at the institutional level, the conditions which
make this care possible so as to
make the members of the community see that welcoming the birth
of a child as well as assistance to the
elderly is a social good to be protected and promoted. Ecclesial communities need to organize programmes of pastoral care to meet
the needs of the family. The tendency towards the privatization of
love needs to be overcome. The
Western world risks making the family a reality entrusted exclusively to
the choices of the individual, totally
detached from a regulatory and institutional framework. A similar
privatization weakens family ties and
gradually empties them of their
meaning.
The relationships which give life
to a family and the relationships
which are established within it are
the point of intersection between
private and social life. In traditional
societies, the social dimension of
marriage and the family is so much
under the control of the community
that it is sometimes suffocating. A
right balance must be struck
between these different dimensions,
both essential to the life of the family and the person, who always has
private and social aspects.
Family life provides an experience
of how the transcendent dimension
might be present in a person’s innermost choices. Opening themselves
to life makes the spouses experience
a mystery which transcends us. The
love which unites the couple and becomes the beginning of a new life is
the love of God.
c) The Responsibility of the Church
and Education
The Church is called to proclaim
and witness the supreme dignity of
the human person. The Church does
not limit herself to words, telling the
faithful and all people of good will
what they should do but she expresses solidarity with them in
deeds. She shares their hopes, their
desires and their difficulties. This is
a strong sign of credibility in the
eyes of the world.
In this sense, particular care needs
to be given to education in love and
sexuality. Indeed, to know how to
appreciate it and explain its value is
first and foremost. In this regard,
the importance of programmes of
formation needs to be stressed. Witness on the part of adults adds credibility to the ideals which must be
presented with clarity. Undoubtedly,
younger generations are inspired by
a married couple’s testimony of a
strong, enduring love and faithfulness, which is seen in tenderness, respect, mutual acceptance, forgiveness and able to grow over time
without being lost in the present
moment. At the same time, however,
trivializing, superficialities and forms
of “tolerance” which hide a basic indifference and inability to be attentive, need to be avoided.
Moreover, in treating conjugal
love, continual attention needs to be
given to its personal aspect as set
forth by the Second Vatican Council
(cf. Gaudium et Spes, 49), while also
bearing in mind the great challenges
from the way love and family are
page 13
presented in many areas of the mass
media, another subject which deserves further study.
d) Topics relating to Humanae vitae
From this vantage point, the positive message of Humanae vitae can
be re-proposed through a suitable
historical hermeneutic, which knows
how to grasp historical factors and
concerns underlying its writing by
Paul VI. In other words, the Encyclical needs to be re-read as Pope
Paul VI indicated in the audience of
31 July 1968: “...the document does
not simply declare a prohibition in
moral law, namely, the exclusion of
an action which seeks to make procreation impossible (14). Instead, the
document mainly presents the positive aspects of morality in conjugal
life ordered to its mission of love
and fertility ‘in the integral vision of
the human person and his vocation,
not only that which is natural and
earthly but also that which is supernatural and eternal’ (7). While it clarifies a fundamental chapter of the
personal, marital, family and social
life of humanity, it is not a full treatment of matters concerning the human being in the field of marriage,
the family and integrity in behaviour, vast areas to which the teaching of the Church could, and perhaps should, return with a more inclusive, organic and detailed plan”.
He then specified that the moral
norm cited in the document needs
to be considered in light of the “law
of gradualness”, according to the
suggestions already made in 34 of
Familiaris Consortio: keeping in mind
that each person is a historical being, who “... knows, loves and accomplishes moral good in stages of
growth”.
Conclusion
If we look at the origins of Christianity, we see how it has managed —
despite rejection and cultural diversity — to be accepted and welcomed for the depth and intrinsic
force of its message. Indeed, Christian revelation has manifested the dignity of the person, not to mention
love, sexuality and the family.
The challenge for this synod is to
try to bring back to today’s world,
which in some way resembles that of
the early days of the Church, the attractiveness of the Christian message
about marriage and the family, highlighting the joy which they give,
but, at the same time, respond, in a
true and charitable way (cf. Eph
4:15), to the many problems which
have a special impact on the family
today and emphasizing that true
moral freedom does not consists in
doing what one feels or living only
by one’s feelings but is realized only
in acquiring the true good.
In a real way, we are called upon,
above all, to put ourselves alongside
our sisters and our brothers in the
spirit of the Good Samaritan (cf. Lk
10:25-37): being attentive to their
lives and being especially close to
those who have been “wounded” by
life and expect a word of hope,
which we know only Christ can give
us (cf. Jn 6:68).
The world needs Christ. The
world needs us too, because we belong to Christ.
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L’OSSERVATORE ROMANO
Friday, 10 October 2014, number 41
General Congregations of the Synod on the Family
Monday afternoon, 6 October
Second Congregation
During the second general Congregation, in the presence of the Holy
Father and 180 Synod Fathers, the
general debate began on the theme,
according to the Instrumentum Laboris: “God’s Plan for Marriage and
the Family” (Part 1, Chapter 1), and
“The Knowledge and Acceptance of
the Teachings on Marriage and the
Family from Sacred Scripture and
Church
Documents”
(Part
1,
Chapter 2).
Based on the premise that the
family is the basic unit of human society, the cradle of gratuitous love,
and that talking about the family
and marriage implies education in fidelity, it was reiterated that the family constitutes the future of humanity and must be protected.
From many quarters, however,
there has emerged the need to adapt
the language of the Church, so that
doctrine on the family, life and sexuality is understood correctly: it is necessary to enter into dialogue with
the world, looking to the example
offered by the Vatican Council, or
rather with a critical but sincere
openness. If the Church does not
listen to the world, the world will
not listen to the Church. And dialogue may be based on important
themes, such as the equal dignity of
men and women and the rejection of
violence.
The Gospel must not be explained, but rather shown — as was
said in the Assembly — and above
all, the lay faithful must be involved
in the proclamation of the Good
News, demonstrating the missionary
charism. Evangelisation must not be
a depersonalised theory, but must
instead ensure that families themselves give concrete witness to the
beauty and truth of the Gospel. The
challenge, it was said, is that of
passing from a defensive situation to
an active, proactive one, or rather,
reviving the capacity for proposing
the heritage of faith with a new language, with hope, ardour and enthusiasm, offering convincing testimonies and creating a bridge between
the language of the Church and that
of society.
In this sense, the use of a “biblical” rather than a “theological-speculative” catechesis was called for,
since, in spite of appearances to the
contrary, people are no longer satisfied by selfishness and instead seek
ideals. Humanity desires happiness
and the Christian knows that happiness is Christ, but no longer succeeds in finding the suitable language to communicate this to the
world. The Church, instead, must be
“magnetic”; it must work by attraction, with an attitude of friendship
towards the world.
With regard to couples in difficulty, it was emphasised that the
Church needs to be close to them
with understanding, forgiveness and
mercy: mercy, it was said, is God’s
first prerogative, but it must be seen
in the context of justice, as only in
this way will the whole of God’s
plan be respected.
Marriage is and remains an indissoluble sacrament; however, since
the truth is Christ, a Person, and not and for this reason she does not ina series of rules, it is important to spire the hearts of men and women.
maintain the principles while chan- It is therefore necessary to return to
ging the concrete forms of their im- the imitation of Christ, and to redisplementation. In short, as Benedict cover humility: the reform of the
Church must begin with the reform
XVI said, novelty in continuity: the
Synod does not call Doctrine into of the clergy. If the faithful see pasquestion, but reflects on the Pastor- tors who imitate Christ they will
al, or rather spiritual discernment for therefore draw close to the Church
the application of such Doctrine in once more, enabling her to proceed
response to the challenges faced by from the act of evangelising to being
contemporary families. In this sense, inherently evangelical.
The theme of the essential value
mercy does not eliminate the Commandments, but it provides the her- of sexuality within marriage was also
considered: sexuality outside marmeneutic key to them.
Furthermore, it was underlined riage is discussed so critically that
that even imperfect situations must married sexuality can appear almost
be considered with respect: for in- as a concession to imperfection. The
stance, de facto unions in which Synod indicated, more briefly, the
couples live together with fidelity need for a greater formation of
and love present elements of sancti- priests in relation to policies in fafication and truth. It is therefore es- vour of the family and the resential to look first and foremost at launching of the transmission of
the positive elements, so that the faith within the family.
During the hour of free discusSynod may infuse with courage and
hope even imperfect forms of family, sion, from 6 to 7 p.m., two suggesso that their value may be recog- tions emerged: that the Synod send
nised, according to the principle of a message of encouragement and apgraduality. It is necessary to truly preciation to families in Iraq,
threatened by extermination perpetlove families in difficulty.
In the context of a society in rated by Islamic fundamentalists and
which there prevails a sort of forced to flee so as not to renounce
“egolatry”, leading to
defamiliarisation, it
is important to acknowledge the loss
of a sense of the covenant between man
(and woman) and
God. The proclamation of the beauty of
the family, therefore,
must not be simply
aesthetic,
the
presentation of a
mere ideal to imitate,
but must instead
present the importance of definitive
commitment based
on
the
covenant
between
married
couples and God.
Another essential
point is the rejection
of clericalism: at
times the Church
seems more conBartolomé Esteban Pérez Murillo, “The Holy Family
cerned with power
with the infant St John” (1655-1660)
than with service,
their faith. The suggestion was subjected to vote and approved by a
majority.
Another call was the need to reflect on the married clergy of the
oriental Churches, as they, too, often
live through “family crises”, which
may extend to the question of divorce.
Tuesday morning, 7 October
Third Congregation
The general debate continued, in the
presence of the Holy Father and 184
Synod Fathers, into the third general Congregation. The theme according to the order of the Instrumentum
Laboris was: “The Gospel of the
Family and the Natural Law” (Part
1, Chapter 3) and “The Family and
Vocation of the Person in Christ”
(Part 1, Chapter 4).
At the opening of the Congregation, it was announced that the Ordinary Consistory, convoked by the
Holy Father for Monday 20 October, will be devoted to the situation
in the Middle East, on the basis of
the results of the meeting of various
Papal Representatives and Superiors
of the competent Dicasteries, held in
the Vatican from 2-4 October. The
theme of the Consistory will be
presented by Cardinal Secretary of
State Pietro Parolin. The meeting
will also be attended by six Oriental
Patriarchs and the Latin Patriarch of
Jerusalem, H.B. Fouad Twal.
The general debate then continued in relation to the issues stated
above. It was agreed that greater
preparation for marriage is necessary,
so that it is not only valid but also
fruitful. The suggestion was to look
not only towards remedies for failure
of the conjugal union, but also to
focus on the conditions that render
it valid and fruitful. It is necessary
to transmit a vision of marriage that
does not regard it as a destination,
but rather as a path to a higher end,
a road towards the growth of the
person and of the couple, a source
of strength and energy. The decision
to marry is a true vocation and as
such requires fidelity and coherence
The witness of two couples
From teaching to life
During the second Congregation on Monday afternoon, 6 October, a couple from Australia gave their
testimony on married life. Romano and Mavis Pirola,
married 55 years, with four children and eight grandchildren, are the directors of Australian Catholic Marriage and Family Council. They spoke about the important place that the faith has in their life as a couple
and how they have always paid attention to the Magisterium, even though the difficult language in Church
documents “seem to be from another planet”. Over the
years, they explained, “we came to see that the only
feature that distinguishes our sacramental relationship
from that of any other good Christ-centred relationship
is sexual intimacy”. They said that sexual union must
be reverenced within marriage “as an essential part of
their spirituality” or else it will be “extremely hard to
appreciate the beauty of teachings such as those of
Humanae Vitae”. They called for new ways and relatable language in order to touch peoples’ hearts. The
married couple then recalled that the domestic Church
“has much to offer the wider Church in its evangelizing role” in order to mediate between teachings and life.
The importance of groups which support the families was represented by a couple from the Philippines at
the third general Congregation which was held on
Tuesday morning. George and Cynthia Campos explained how the association Couples for Christ, to
which they have been actively committed to for years,
has been fundamental to overcoming various difficult
moments in their lives including: deciding not to terminate a pregnancy despite the high risk to the mother, and then, in 1998 Cynthia was diagnosed with
breast cancer with 3-6 months to live. The couple recalled how the group “gives, strengthens and sustains
us and our family in the daily challenges we face. But
how about those who do not have the privilege of having a support group? And so our mission continues
with greater passion”.
number 41, Friday, 10 October 2014
in order to become a true locus for
the growth and the protection of the
human being.
For this reason, married couples
must be accompanied throughout
their path in life, by means of intense and vigorous family pastoral
care. The path of preparation for the
marriage sacrament must therefore
be long, personalised and also strict,
without the fear of eventually leading to a reduction in the number of
weddings celebrated in Church.
Otherwise, there is the risk of filling
the Tribunals with marriage cases.
A further point that emerged during the discussion was the influence
of the mass media, at times intrusive, in presenting ideologies contrary
to the doctrine of the Church in relation to family and marriage. In
this respect, it was said, Catholics
must be protected but must also be
better prepared: the Church must
offer her teaching in a more incisive
manner, presenting doctrine not
merely as a list of prohibitions, but
also by drawing closer to the faithful, as Jesus did. In this way, acting
with empathy and tenderness, it will
be possible to reduce the gap
between doctrine and practice,
between the teachings of the Church
and the daily life of families. What
is needed is not a choice between
doctrine and mercy, but rather the
beginning of an enlightened pastoral
care to encourage above all those
families in difficulty, who are often
aware of a sense of not belonging to
the Church.
Today’s debate then turned again
to couples in difficulty and divorced
and civilly remarried persons, for
whom, it was said, that the Church
should offer not judgement but
truth, with a gaze of understanding,
because people follow the truth, and
will follow the Church if she speaks
the truth. The “medicine” of mercy
offers acceptance, care and support.
Also because suffering families do
not seek rapid pastoral solutions,
and they do not wish to be mere
statistical figures, but rather feel the
need to be inspired, to feel that they
are welcomed and loved. More space
must be allowed for a sacramental
rather than a juridical form of logic.
With regard to the approach to
the Eucharist by the divorced and
remarried, it was emphasised that it
is not the sacrament of the perfect,
but rather of those who are on the
way.
Like Monday afternoon, the debate focused on the need to renew
the language of the proclamation of
the Gospel and the transmission of
doctrine: the Church must be more
open to dialogue, and must listen
more frequently (and not only in exceptional cases) to the experiences
L’OSSERVATORE ROMANO
of married couples, because their
struggles and their failures cannot
be ignored; on the other hand, they
can be the basis of a real and true
theology. Again, in relation to language, some perplexity was expressed at the suggestion — included
in the Instrumentum Laboris — to
deepen the concept of biblical inspiration, of the “order of creation”
as a possibility of rereading “natural
law” more meaningfully: it was added that it is not enough to change
the vocabulary if a bridge to effective dialogue with the faithful is not
then created. In this sense, the much
foretold and widespread need for
change may be understood, it was
said, as pastoral conversion, to make
the proclamation of the Gospel
more effective.
In the Assembly, three specific dimensions of the family were presented: the vocation to life, the missionary aspect understood as witnessing
Christ through the family unity, and
acceptance of the other, as the family is the first school of otherness,
the place in which it is possible to
learn patience and slowness, in contrast to the frenzy of the contemporary world. A further dimension of
the family unit is also shown in holiness, as the Trinity is the icon of the
family educated in holiness, and of
the domestic Church in the service
of evangelisation, the future of humanity.
Other points indicated during the
third general Congregation related
to the importance of catechesis for
families, especially for children, and
prayer within domestic walls, so that
it may give rise to a true generation
of faith, enabling its transmission
from parents to children. Finally, the
need for a more thorough formation
for priests and catechists was underlined.
Tuesday afternoon, 8 October
Fourth Congregation
In the presence of the Holy Father
and 182 Synod Fathers, the general
debate continued on the morning of
8 October following the order of the
Instrumentum Laboris, with the
theme “The Pastoral Program for the
Family: Various Proposals Underway”
(Part II, Chapter 1).
Firstly, the link between the crisis
of faith and the crisis of the family
was underlined: it was said that the
first generates the second. This is
because faith is seen mostly as a set
of doctrinal mores, whereas it is
primarily a free act by which one entrusts oneself to God. This gave rise,
among other things, to the sugges-
tion of devising a “Vademecum”
dedicated to the catechesis of the
family, so as to strengthen its evangelising mission. Furthermore, the
weakness of the faith of many baptised persons was underlined; this
often leads to the marriage of
couples who do are not appropriately aware of what they are undertaking.
Secondly, a great challenge facing
families today was mentioned: that
of the “dictatorship of unitary
thought” that aims to introduce into
society those countervalues that distort the vision of marriage as a union between a man and a woman.
The crisis of values, atheist secularism, hedonism, and the ambition of
power destroy families today, distorting them, weakening people and
consequently rendering society fragile. It is therefore important to recover in the faithful the awareness of
belonging to the Church, as the
Church grows by attraction and the
families of the Church attract other
families.
For its part, the Church, an expert
in humanity, must underline the
beauty and the need everyone has
for the family, as it is indispensable.
It is necessary to reawaken in hu-
page 15
or a social need, but rather must be
understood as a vocational decision,
undertaken with suitable preparation
that cannot be improvised in a few
meetings, but must be carried out
over a period of time.
Attention then turned to how
work affects the dynamics of the
family: these are two dimensions
that must be reconciled, through increasingly flexible working hours,
new contractual models, and attention to geographical distances
between home and work. Furthermore, technology can lead to work
being brought home, making family
dialogue difficult.
Numerous interventions, especially in relation to Africa, drew attention to the many challenges the
family must face on this continent:
polygamy, levirate marriage, sects,
war, poverty, the painful crisis of migration, international pressure for
birth control, and so on. These are
problems that undermine family stability, placing it in crisis. In the face
of such challenges, it is necessary to
respond with in-depth evangelisation, able to promote the values of
peace, justice and love, an adequate
promotion of the role of women in
society, the thorough education of
children and the protection of rights
for all victims of violence.
In the hour dedicated to open
discussion — from 6 to 7 p.m. — atCONTINUED ON PAGE 16
Where we learn
to respect
differences
“Family” (African art)
manity the sense of belonging to the
family unit. In addition, as a reflection of God’s love, which is never an
isolated love, the family opens one
to relationships and bonds with others, thus becoming the foundation
for society.
Mention was also made of the
link between priests and families:
they accompany families in all the
most important stages of their lives,
sharing in their joys and difficulties;
families, in turn, help priests to experience celibacy as a full and balanced emotional life, rather than as
a sacrifice. In addition, the family
was defined as the “cradle of vocations” as it is precisely within the
domestic walls, in common prayer,
that the call to the priesthood is frequently heard.
A further link that was underlined
is that between baptism and marriage: without a serious and in-depth
Christian initiation, the meaning of
the sacrament of marriage is diminished. Therefore, it is to be emphasised that Christian marriage cannot
be seen solely as a cultural tradition
How can we as a Church, effectively share what we know to be
true in practical, simple and convincing ways, so that all men and
women are challenged and supported in order to live life-long
marriages and build homes that
reflect the domestic Church? This
was the question posed to the
Synod Fathers by Jeff and Alice
Heinzen. The husband and wife
from the Diocese of La Crosse,
Wisconsin presented their testimony on Tuesday afternoon, 7
October, at the beginning of the
fourth congregation. Recalling
what their parents taught them,
Mr and Mrs Heinzen spoke
about the difficulties they have
encountered in their dioceses in
identifying new ways of passing
on these values to the younger
generations.
At the fifth congregation the
next morning Jeannette Touré
from Côte d’Ivoire spoke about
how the family is the place where
we learn to respect differences.
Ms Touré, who has been married
to a Muslim fro 52 years, explained that the family must be
“an image of God” and a place
where, with mutual respect and
trust, one can truly learn how to
be one’s self, without hiding behind a mask or pretending to be
something else. Living as a family
requires generous commitment:
“it is an amazing adventure, a
challenge based on love and
faithfulness”, she said.
page 16
L’OSSERVATORE ROMANO
General Congregations
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15
tention returned to the need for a
new language in the proclamation
of the Gospel, with particular reference to the new media technologies.
With regard to the indissolubility of
marriage, it was highlighted that
today it would appear that the law
is opposed to the good of the person. In reality, the truth of the conjugal bond and its stability is inscribed within the person, and
therefore it is not a question of setting the law and the person in opposition to each other, but rather of
understanding how to help the person not to betray his or her own
truth.
Further reflection was proposed
in relation to families who have not
received the gift of children despite
hoping for them, and those in regions affected by the Ebola virus.
Finally, the image of the Church
as light was recalled, in the hope
that this may be not only the light
of a beacon that remains constant
and illuminates from afar, but also
a torch, or rather a “soft light” that
accompanies humanity on its path,
step by step.
The Pontifical Council for the
Family donated to the members of
the Synod a copy of the extensive
Enchiridion on the Family.
Wednesday morning, 8 October
Fifth General Congregation
During the fifth general Congregation the Holy Father was absent
due to the General Audience. With
the participation of 182 Synod Fathers the general debate continued on
the themes outlined in the Instrumentum laboris: “The Pastoral Challenges of the Family (Part II,
Chapter 2). The Crisis of Faith and
Family Life / Critical Situations
within the Family / External Pressures on the Family / Special Situations”.
First and foremost, the debate focused on the Church in the Middle
East and in North Africa. Both exist in difficult political, economic
and religious situations, with serious repercussions on families.
Where there are laws that impede
the reunification of families, poverty
leads to migration; where there is
religious
fundamentalism
and
Christians do not enjoy equal rights
with Muslim citizens, there are often difficult problems for families
resulting from mixed marriages.
Indeed, in these contexts, interreligious or so-called “mixed” marriages are present and on the increase in these contexts. It was said
that the challenge of the Church is
therefore to understand what form
of catechesis may be offered to children born of such a union and how
it is possible to respect to the unknown situation of those Catholics
who, united in mixed marriages,
wish to continue to practice their
religion. Such couples, it was said,
must not be neglected and the
Church must continue to take care
of them. A further challenge is also
represented by those Christians who
convert to Islam in order to marry:
also in this case, suitable reflection
is necessary.
The question is not simply interreligious, but at times also ecumenical: there are cases in which a
Catholic who has contracted a canonical marriage and is not able to
obtain a declaration of nullity
passes to another Christian confession, remarrying in a Church which
permits this. In any case, without
prejudice to the shared patrimony
of faith, the need to follow the path
of mercy in difficult situations was
underlined.
With regard to the question of
divorced and remarried persons, it
was highlighted that the Synod
must certainly take the issue into
consideration, with the prudence required for important matters, but
must also combine the objectivity of
truth with mercy for the person and
for his or her suffering. It is necessary to remember that many faithful
find themselves in this situation
through no fault of their own.
Mention was made of the commitment of the Holy See, whose
voice is always heard in the defence
of families at all levels — international, national and regional — with
the aim of emphasising its dignity,
its rights and duties, and always
noting that, as Benedict XVI said,
her “no” is in reality a “yes” to life.
Therefore, it was underlined that
the Church must combat the educational and religious silence in families, as there is no place for hesitation and greater commitment to
witnessing the Gospel is needed.
Creativity in pastoral ministry is always necessary.
The Assembly went on to reflect
on the indispensable contribution
of the lay faithful to the proclamation of the Gospel in the family: in
particular, the young, ecclesial
movements and new communities
provide a service of vital importance, carrying out a prophetic mission that runs counter to the current of our times. Listening to and
believing in the laity, therefore, is
shown to be essential, as it is in
them and with them that the
Church may find the answers to the
problems of the family.
Another theme taken into consideration was that of the precariousness of work and of unemployment.
The distress caused by the lack of a
secure job creates difficulties within
families, along with the poverty that
often prevents families from having
a home. Furthermore, a lack of
money often leads to its “deification” and to families being sacrificed on the altar of profit. It is necessary to re-emphasize that money
must serve rather than govern.
There was further reflection on
the need for greater preparation for
marriage, also with special attention
to emotional and sexual education,
encouraging a true mystical and familiar approach to sexuality. The
great contribution of grandparents
to the transmission of faith in families was then recalled and it was
highlighted how important it is for
the family unit to welcome the elderly with solidarity, care and tenderness. The same care must be reserved to the sick, to overcome the
“throwaway culture” that Pope
Francis frequently warns against.
Friday, 10 October 2014, number 41
Pope Francis to the Vatican Gendarmerie Corps
The bomb of discord
It is surely the Devil who sows “the
weeds of gossip”, which burst like
“bombs”, destroying “the life of
others” as well as “the life of the
Church”. It is not “an idea” but a
“mean, subtle” person who “knows
how to kill”. Pope Francis shared
these thoughts with the Gendarmerie Corps of Vatican City State during the Mass he celebrated on Saturday morning, 27 September, in
the chapel of the Governorate.
In his homily, the Pontiff drew
on the character of the Patron Saint
of the Corps, St Michael the
Archangel: “always attentive” in
“guarding the Church”. He “teaches
us this virtue of protecting”, which
encompasses the vocation of the
Vatican Gendarmerie Corps, which
Francis described as: “to protect
this State which serves the freedom
of the Church, the Bishop of Rome,
the Pope, in order that he may be
ing all the human virtues, prayer
too, and adoration, to fight in order
to protect”. One who guards, the
Pope pointed out, “cannot be, allow me to use the word, a ‘fool’; he
must be quick, he must be alert.
And you who are sentinels, as sentinels, with your attention, must be
alert, so that bad things do not
enter the State.
Referring to the alleged terrorist
threats against the Vatican recently
emphasized in the press, the Pope
placed emphasis on the Gendarmes’
security duties: “you sentinels”, he
said, “watch the doors, the windows, so a bomb does not enter”.
But, he added, “I want to tell you
something that is a bit sad: there
are bombs inside, there are extremely dangerous bombs inside. Be
careful, please. Because in the
night, in many bad lives, the enemy
has sown weeds”.
“Every seed of discord”, the Pontiff continued, “is a bomb which
destroys, it does not allow
the wheat to flourish, it
destroys life”. Is it “a
homemade bomb or an
atomic
bomb?”,
he
wondered. In any case, he
affirmed, it is a “dangerous” bomb. And “there
are so many of them”,
he stated, even if “the
worst bomb inside the
Vatican is gossip”.
Gossip, Pope Francis
continued,
“threatens the life of
the Church and the
life of the State every
day”. Because “every
man who gossips here
plants bombs, sows destruction”, he said, in that
“he kills the life of others”. And even if his
Maestro di Santa Verdiana
words were true, Francis
“Michael the Archangel kills the dragon” (1389)
explained, he still would
not have “the right to tell
free, in order that the Church may them to everyone”, but only “to the
be free”.
person in charge”. And here he ad“To protect”, the Pontiff under- dressed a terse invitation to the
lined, is “a beautiful word, the same Gendarmes: “Be sentinels of gosone that God entrusted to St sipers”.
Joseph as a vocation”, assigning
Gossip, he urged, “is one of the
him the mission “to protect Jesus, ills of this State”. And while “many
to protect God, and also to protect lay people, many priests, many
the Church afterward”. And, the nuns, many consecrated people,
Pope told the Gendarmes, “you are bishops, sow good wheat”, the Devguardians” at the school of the il “uses the laity too, some priests,
Archangel, who “teaches us how to consecrated people, sisters, bishops,
protect. He is brave, he praises cardinals”, even “Popes, to sow disGod”.
cord”. Thus, “we must be careful of
“Do you praise God? Praying, do this: do not sow discord”. It is a
you praise God like the Angel?”, “danger I too have”, Francis admitthe Pope asked those present. ted. Because “the Devil puts the de“These questions”, he added, “help sire inside you”.
to be good guardians, like the An“Do not plant bombs: this is the
gel who has the courage to drive favour I would like to ask of you”,
out demons”, even those who “tar- the Pontiff reiterated, calling the
nish the Church”, he stated. Be- Gendarmerie Corps to “guard, to
cause what it means is precisely “to be brave sentinels, so that the enprotect the People of God against emy may not sow the weeds of gosthe Devil”. The Pope indicated sip”. This is the commitment which
that, ironically, “although some say Francis indicated should also be
that the Devil is an idea, I want to followed by summoning up the
keep this idea far from me”.
courage to say, “Excuse me sir, ex“You”, he emphasized, “who cuse me ma’am, please Father,
guard against the Devil and against please Sister, excuse me Your Eminexternal temptations”. This is “a
CONTINUED ON PAGE 17
beautiful vocation: to fight, employ-
number 41, Friday, 10 October 2014
L’OSSERVATORE ROMANO
page 17
Morning Mass in the Domus Sanctae Marthae
Thursday, 2 October
We all have an angel
We all have an angel who is always
beside us, who never abandons us
and helps us not to lose our way.
And if we know how to be like children we can avoid the temptation of
being self-sufficient, which leads to
arrogance and even to extreme careerism. During the Mass celebrated
at Santa Marta, Pope Francis recalled the definitive role of guardian
angels in a Christian’s life.
There are two images — the angel
and the child — Francis pointed out,
which “the Church shows us in
today’s liturgy”. The Book of Exodus (23:20-23a), in particular, proposes “the image of the angel” that
“the Lord gives to his people to help
them on their journey”. It reads, in
fact: “Behold, I send an angel before
you, to guard you on the way and to
bring you to the place which I have
prepared”.
Thus, the Pope commented, “life
is a journey, our life is a journey that
leads us to the place that the Lord
has prepared”. But, he stated, “no
one walks alone: no one!”. Because
“no one can walk alone”. And,
“should one of us believe he is able
to walk alone, he would be greatly
mistaken” and “would fall into that
mistake, so harmful, which is arrogance: believing that one’s self is
great”. He would also end up having that attitude of “sufficiency” that
leads one to say: “I can, I can do it”
myself.
Instead, the Lord gives a clear indication to his people: “Go, you will
do what I tell you. You will journey
To Gendarmes
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 16
ence, please Your Holiness, do
not gossip, it isn’t permitted
here!”. It is a necessary resolution
because, he reaffirmed, “you must
prevent this planting of bombs
which destroy the Church and do
not sow life, which are incapable
of sowing wheat”.
What do you suppose will the
destiny be of one who feeds gossip? Referring to the Gospel passage from the liturgy, the Pope
recalled that “the sowers of
weeds, the gossipers are wicked,
they commit evil”. And thus, they
will “be cast into a burning fiery
furnace”, they will be condemned
“to shame and everlasting contempt”, as the Prophet Daniel
also warned. This will be the
“end of the gossiper”. The Gendarmerie Corps is charged “to be
vigilant, to be good sentinels, so
that this bomb of gossip, these
bombs do not enter here into this
house”. His concluding wish was
that, thanks “to your help, may
the life of all of us, may the last
page of life be: this was a good
person, who sowed good wheat”.
And, were that so “it would be all
too sad, may our last page not
be: this was a wicked one, who
planted the bomb of discord”.
Frederic James Shields,
“The Guardian Angel” (1878)
in your life, but I will give you help
which will continuously remind you
what you must do”. And thus “he
tells his people what the attitude
with the angel should be. The first
recommendation is: “Give heed to
him”. And then, “hearken to his
voice, do not rebel against him”.
Therefore, in addition to “respect”
one must also be able to “listen” and
“not rebel”.
At the basis, the Pope explained,
“is that docile but non-specific attitude of obedience owed to the Father, which is precisely filial obedience”. It is in essence “that obedience of wisdom, that obedience of
listening to advice and making a
better choice based on advice”. And,
he added, it is necessary “to have an
open heart to seek and heed advice”.
The Gospel passage from Matthew (18:1-5, 10) offers the second
image, that of the child. “The disciples”, the Bishop of Rome commented, “argued about who was the
greatest among them. There was an
internal dispute: careerism. These
men, who were the first bishops,
were tempted by careerism” and said
among themselves: “I want to become greater than you”. In this regard, Francis remarked: “It is not a
good example that the first bishops
did this, but it is the truth”.
From his side “Jesus teaches them
the true attitude”: calling a child to
him, he puts the child in their
midst, the Pope said, referring to
Matthew. And in doing so reveals
“the docility, the need for advice, the
need for help, because a child is the
very symbol of the need for help, of
docility in order to go forward”.
“This is the way”, the Pontiff indicated, and not that of determining
“who is the greatest”. In truth, he
stated, repeating the words of Jesus:
whoever humbles himself like a
child will be “the greatest”. And
here the Lord “makes that mysterious connection that cannot be explained, but it is true”. He says, in
fact: “See that you do not despise
one of these little ones; for I tell you
that in heaven their angels always
behold the face of my Father who is
in heaven”.
In essence, Francis suggested, “it
is as if he said: if you have this attitude of docility, this attitude of
listening to advice, of an open heart,
of not wanting to be the greatest,
that attitude of not wanting to walk
the path of life alone, you will be
closer to the attitude of a child and
closer to the contemplation of the
Father”.
“According to Church tradition”,
the Pope continued, “we all have an
angel with us, who guards us, who
makes us hear things”. After all, he
said, “we have often heard: ‘I should
do this this way... this is not good,
be careful!”. It is really “the voice of
our travel companion”. We can be
“certain that he will lead us to the
end of our life with his advice”. This
is why it is necessary to “hearken to
his voice, do not rebel against him”.
On the other hand, “rebellion, the
desire to be independent, is
something that we all have: it is arrogance itself, which our father
Adam had in the earthly paradise”.
At this point the Pope instructed to
each one: “Do not rebel, follow his
advice!”.
In truth, the Pope confirmed, “no
one walks alone, and none of us can
think he is alone: this companion is
always there”. Of course, it happens
that “when we don’t want to listen
to his advice, to hear his voice, we
tell him: ‘Go away!’”. But “it’s dangerous to drive away our travel companion, because no man, no woman
can advise him/herself: I can give
advice to another, but I cannot advise myself”. Indeed, Francis recalled, “it is the Holy Spirit who advises me, it is the angel who advises
me” and this is something “we
need”.
The Pope urged that this “doctrine on the angels” not be considered “a little imaginative”. It is
rather one of “truth”. It is “what Jesus, what God said: ‘I send an angel
before you, to guard you, to accompany you on the way, so you will
not make a mistake’”.
Francis concluded with a series of
questions so that each one can examine his/her own conscience:
“How is my relationship with my
guardian angel? Do I listen to him?
Do I bid him good day in the
morning? Do I tell him: ‘guard me
while I sleep?’ Do I speak with
him? Do I ask his advice? Is he beside me?”. We can answer these
questions today, Pope Francis said.
Each one of us can do so in order to
evaluate “the relationship with this
angel that the Lord has sent to
guard me and to accompany me on
the path, and who always beholds
the face of the Father who is in
heaven”.
Friday, 3 October
Salvation our way
Man experiences within himself “the
tragedy of not accepting God’s salvation” because he would prefer “to
be saved in his own way”. Jesus
even reaches the point of tears over
man’s “resistance”, and repeatedly
offers his mercy and his forgiveness.
However, we cannot say “Save us,
Lord, but” do it “our way!”, Pope
Francis noted during Mass at Santa
Marta.
In the Gospel passage from Luke
(10:13-16), Jesus “appears to be a
little angry”, and “he speaks to these
people to reason with them”, saying:
“If marvels had happened among
you in the pagan cities, you would
have already, for some time, been
wearing sack cloth and ashes, you
would have converted. But you, no”.
Thus, Jesus traces “the outline of the
whole history of salvation: it is the
tragedy of not wanting to be saved;
it is the tragedy of not accepting the
salvation of God”. It is as if we were
to say: “Save us, Lord, but” do it
“our way!”.
Jesus himself recalls many times
that “these people rejected the
prophets, they stoned those who had
been sent to them because they were
a bit troublesome”. The idea is always the same: “We want salvation,
but we want it our way! Not how
the Lord wants it”.
We are facing the “tragedy of resisting being saved”, the Pontiff said.
It is “a legacy that we have all received”, because “in our heart too,
there is this seed of resistance to being saved the way the Lord wants to
save us”.
In the context of the passage of
the Gospel according to Luke, Jesus
is seen “speaking to his disciples
who have returned from mission”.
And he says to them too: “‘He who
hears you hears me, and he who rejects you rejects me, and he who rejects me rejects him who sent me’.
Your fathers did the same with the
prophets”. Again the idea of wanting “to be saved” our way. Certainly
“the Lord saves us with our freedom”, the Pope indicated, adding,
however, that “we want to be saved,
not with freedom but with our own
autonomy”: we want to “make the
rules”.
This, Francis noted, is “precisely
the tragedy of the stories of salvation, from the first moment”. It is
first of all “a tragedy of the people”,
because “the people rebel many
times, in the desert for example”.
However, he added, “with trials, the
people mature: they become more
mature”. And thus, “they recognize
in Jesus a great prophet and they
also say: ‘God has visited his
people’”.
On the other hand, he continued,
“it is actually the ruling class to
close the doors to the way that God
wants to save us”. In this sense “the
powerful dialogues between Jesus
and the ruling class of his time are
understandable: they argue, they put
him to the test, they lay traps to see
if he falls”, because they have “resistance to being saved”.
In confronting this attitude Jesus
says to them: “I don’t understand
you! You are like those children: we
played the flute for you and you
didn’t dance; we sang a sad song for
you and you didn’t weep. What do
you want?”. The answer is again:
“We want salvation to be done our
way”. It comes back to this “closure”
to God’s modus operandi.
Then, “when the Lord goes forward”, the Pope recalled, “doubts
also begin in the group close to
them”. John mentions this in
CONTINUED ON PAGE 18
L’OSSERVATORE ROMANO
page 18
Friday, 10 October 2014, number 41
Morning Mass at the Domus Santcae Marthae
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17
Chapter 6 of his Gospel, giving
voice to all those who say of Jesus:
“This man is a bit strange, how can
he give us his flesh to eat? But perhaps it is a little strange”. Someone
probably said these things and,
Francis affirmed, even “his disciples
began to turn back”. Thus “Jesus
looked at the Twelve” and he told
them: “If you too want to go...”.
There is no doubt, the Pontiff explained, that “this word is harsh: the
word of the cross is always harsh”.
But it is also “the only door to salvation”. And “the faithful accept it:
they sought Jesus to be healed” and
“to hear his word”. Indeed, they
said: “This man speaks with authority, not like our class, the Pharisees,
the doctors of the law, the Sadducees, who spoke in terms that no
one understood”. For them salvation
was in fulfilling the countless commandments “that their intellectual
and theological fever had created”.
However, “the poor people could
not find an exit to salvation”. They
found it, though, in Jesus.
In the end, however, “they did the
same as their fathers: they decided
to kill Jesus”, the Pope stated. The
Lord finds fault with this manner of
behaviour: “Your fathers killed the
prophets, but to clear your conscience, you build them a fine
monument”. Thus, “they decide to
kill Jesus, that is, to put him out”,
because, they say, “this man will
bring us problems: we don’t want
this salvation! We want a well organized, reliable salvation. We don’t
want this one!”. As a result, “they
also decide to kill Lazarus, because
he is the witness to what Jesus
brings: life”, as Lazarus is “raised
from the dead”.
“With this decision, that ruling
class nullify God’s power”, the Bishop of Rome said, recalling that
“today in the prayer at the beginning of Mass, we splendidly praised
the omnipotence of God: Lord, let
your almighty power be revealed,
above all in mercy and forgiveness”.
The “tragedy of resistance to salvation” leads one not to believe “in
mercy and in forgiveness” but in
sacrifice. And it compels one to
want “everything well organized,
everything definite”.
It is “a tragedy”, Francis recalled,
which “even each one of us has inside”. For this reason he offered several questions for examining the
conscience: “How do I want to be
saved? My way? According to a
spirituality that is good, that is good
for me, but that is set, having
everything defined and no risks? Or
in a divine manner, that is, on the
path of Jesus, who always surprises
us, who always opens the doors for
us to that mystery of the almighty
power of God, which is mercy and
forgiveness?”.
The Pontiff assured that when Jesus “sees this tragedy of resistance,
and also when he sees ours, he
weeps”. He “wept in front of Lazarus’ tomb; he cried looking at Jerusalem” as he said, “You who kill the
prophets and stone all those who are
sent to you, how often would I have
gathered your children together as a
hen gathers her brood under her
wings!”. And he also weeps “facing
this tragedy of not accepting his salvation as the Father wants it”.
Pope Francis therefore urged us
to “consider that this tragedy is in
our heart”, asking that each of us
ask ourselves: “What do I think the
path of my salvation is like: that of
Jesus or another? Am I free to accept salvation or do I confuse freedom with autonomy, wanting my
salvation, the one that I believe is
fair? Do I believe that Jesus is the
master who teaches us salvation or
do I go everywhere to hire a guru
who teaches me about another
one?”. Do I take “a more reliable
path or do I seek refuge under the
roof of rules and of many manmade
commandments? And do I feel confident this way, and with — this is a
bit hard to say — this confidence, do
I buy my salvation, which Jesus bestows gratuitously, with the gratuitousness of God?”. All these questions, which “will do us good to ask
ourselves today”, culminated in the
Pope’s concluding proposal: “Am I
resistant to the salvation of Jesus?”.
Tuesday, 7 October
Lest we forget
What is prayer? It means “remembering our history, before God. Because our history” is “the history of
his love for us”. During the Mass at
Santa Marta, Pope Francis chose
“remembering” as the guiding principle of his homily.
To introduce his reflection, the
Holy Father first explained that the
Bible recalls so many times “that the
Lord chose his people and accompanied them during the walk in the
desert, throughout life”. In essence,
“He was close to them”, having
chosen them and having promised
“to lead them to a land of joy, of
happiness”; He walked with this
people and forged a covenant with
them.
Moreover, just as “God did with
his people”, the Pontiff added,
bringing the discussion up to date,
“He has done and does with each
one of us”. Indeed, Francis continued, “we have been chosen”. And it
is “a grace” so obvious that it would
suffice to ask: “Why am I a Christian and not that one there, far away,
who has never even heard Jesus
spoken of?”. It is “a loving grace”,
Francis highlighted, recalling that
the Lord “walks with us, on the path
of life”, he is “beside us”, having
promised us “joy and having made a
covenant with us”.
Then came an invitation to “remember this reality” in daily prayer,
not with abstract but specific recollection as St Paul does in the day’s
First Reading (Gal 1:13-24). St Paul
says, brethren, “you have heard of
my former life in Judaism, how I
persecuted the Church of God violently and tried to destroy it”.
The Pope noted, in this regard,
that the Apostle “begins his presentation” not by saying, “I’m good, I’m
this one’s son, I have a certain nobility...”. On the contrary, he shows
himself for what he is: “I was a persecutor, I was bad”. And in this way,
“Paul remembers his journey, and
thus he begins to remember from
the beginning”, as his words testify,
God, “who had set me apart before
I was born, and had called me
through his grace...”. The same is
true for us, the Bishop of Rome clarified, who “are Christians”, for
“each of us, because He has chosen
us and the choice is his. It’s not
ours. It is by grace, it is a gift”.
The call to “remember” arises
from the realization that this approach is “not a very common tendency among us. We forget things,
we live in the moment, and then we
forget the history”. However, the
Pope pointed out, “each of us has a
history: a history of grace, a history
of sin, a history of the journey”.
This is why “it’s good to pray with
our history”. Exactly like “Paul, who
recounts a piece of his history”, saying: “He chose me. He called me.
He saved me. He has been my companion along the way”. To the point
that even the people who knew
about his life also repeated the same
words: “He who once persecuted us,
now goes and proclaims the faith
which he at one time wanted to destroy”.
Therefore, “remembering one’s
own life is giving glory to God”.
And also, “remembering our sins,
from which the Lord saved us, is
giving glory to God”. After all, even
Paul “says that he boasts of only two
things: of his own sins and of the
grace of God Crucified, of his
grace”. In other words, the Apostle
“remembered his sins”, boasting of
having been a sinner, because Christ
Crucified saved him. “This”, the
Pope emphasized, “was Paul’s recol-
lection”. And “this is what Jesus
himself asks us to remember”.
It is enough to consider what the
Lord says to Martha: “You are
anxious and troubled about many
things” but only “one thing is needful”, while “Mary has chosen the
good portion”. Which? “Hearing
the Lord and remembering”. This is
because “one cannot pray every day
as if we had no history. Each of us
has his or her own. And with this
history at heart” we pray. In this
case our model is Mary; yet we are
more similar to Martha, because like
her “many times we are distracted by
work, by the day, by doing those
things we have to do”, and we wind
up forgetting our history.
The history of “our relationship
with God”, Pope Francis recalled, is
a history that “doesn’t begin on the
day of Baptism: it is sealed there”.
In reality, it begins “when God,
throughout eternity, watched us and
chose us”. In other words it is a history which “begins in the heart of
God”. And thus, to pray means “to
remember the choice that God made
about us; to remember our covenant
journey”. This means asking oneself
whether “this covenant has been respected” or not. And because fundamentally “we are sinners”, to pray
means first of all “to remember the
promise that God” makes to us and
that “he never betrays” this promise
“that is our hope”.
Leading up to his conclusion,
Pope Francis underlined that “this is
the true prayer”, recommending that
our prayer begin with the beautiful
Psalm 139[138], which was proclaimed during the day’s Liturgy of
the Word: “O Lord, thou hast
searched me and known me! Thou
knowest when I sit down and when
I rise up; thou discernest my
thoughts from afar. Thou searchest
out my path and my lying down,
and art acquainted with all my
ways.... For thou didst form my inward parts, thou didst knit me together in my mother’s womb. I
praise thee, for thou art fearful and
wonderful. Wonderful are thy
works!”. Because, he said, “this is to
pray”.
The Pope supports a Caritas internationalis campaign
No to indifference in
the face of hunger
“I was hungry and you gave me something to eat”. The words of our
Lord exhort us today, telling us not to look away, not to be indifference
when we see our neighbour is hungry”. Pope Francis states this in a
video message for of the Caritas Internationalis global campaign, “O ne
human family, food for all”.
“I encourage the faithful”, the Pontiff continues, “to participate in the
Caritas ‘Food for all’ campaign and to raise their voice in support of the
people who suffer hunger, especially during the ‘Week of action’ which is
taking place in the month of October”. The Pope is referring to the initiative which, for the first time, involves 160 national Caritas organizations
in a campaign launched by Francis himself on 10 December 2013 with the
aim of ending world hunger by by 2025.
At the centre of the project is the week of action, scheduled from 12 to
19 October, which envisions the concerted efforts of Caritas member organizations and parishes. Numerous activities are planned in more than
50 countries around the world and include support efforts for poor farmers and the sharing of the experiences of families in seeking to ensure adequate food every day. The campaign objective is to put pressure on governments in order to guarantee that the rights of farmers, especially women, are recognized by the law, both in order to end speculation on food
and to guarantee adequate safety nets to combat malnutrition in children.
number 41, Friday, 10 October 2014
L’OSSERVATORE ROMANO
page 19
Pope Francis assured the Bishops of
Ghana of his prayers for all of
“western Africa, which is suffering”
from the Ebola epidemic. The Bishops
were received by the Holy Father on
their “ad limina” visit on Tuesday
morning, 23 September. The following
is the English text of the Pope’s
address, which was consigned to the
Bishops.
Dear Brother Bishops,
I offer you a fraternal welcome on
the occasion of your visit ad Limina
Apostolorum. May your pilgrimage to
The Pope recommends generosity, openness, humility and patience to the Bishops of Ghana
the tombs of Sts Peter and Paul confirm you in the faith and in your
commitment to your ministry, and
build up the bonds of communion
between the Church in Ghana and
the See of Peter. I thank Bishop Osei-Bonsu for expressing the love and
And prayer for victims of the Ebola epidemic throughout Western Africa
devotion of your priests, religious
and laity, and indeed of the entire
Ghanaian people. I would ask you holiness in our priests, men and wo- thoughts. First, it is imperative that your country, and enables growth in
whatever
temporal
means
the an understanding of the dignity of
kindly to assure them of a continual men religious, and laity.
The work of conversion and evan- Church has at her disposal continue each person and a greater experience
remembrance in my prayers.
to be administered with honesty and of our common humanity. ThankGhana is blessed with a popula- gelization is not easy, but it bears
responsibility, in order to provide fully, Ghana has been spared much
tion that naturally and easily ex- precious fruit for the Church and
good witness, especially where cor- of the tribal, ethnic and religious dipresses its belief in God and which the world. Out of the spiritual vital- ruption has hindered the just advisions that have afflicted too many
seeks to honour him in the variety of ity of all the faithful come the vancement of society. The Lord will
other parts of Africa, a continent
religious traditions present in your Church’s numerous charitable, med- surely not fail to bless and multiply
whose promise, in part due to these
country. As pastors of the Church ical and educational endeavours, the works of those who are faithful
divisions, has yet to be fulfilled. I
established by the Lord to be the and her works of justice and equal- to him. Second, material poverty can
pray that you will be ever greater
light to the nations, you offer to ity. The varied services, carried out be an occasion to draw greater atpromoters of unity and leaders in
your country Jesus Christ, “the Way, in God’s name, especially for the tention to the spiritual needs of the
the service of dialogue! May you be
the Truth and the Life” (cf. Jn 14:6). poor and weak, are the responsibil- human person (cf. Mt 5:3), thus
firm in upholding the Church’s
You do so by bearing witness to the ity of the entire local Church, under leading to a deeper reliance on the
transforming power of his grace by the prayerful oversight of the bish- Lord, from whom all good things teaching and discipline, and unyieldpreaching the Good News, by celeb- op. I think in a particular way about come. While your communities ing in your charity. And may your
rating the sacraments, and by shep- the importance of the Church’s rightly make many efforts to allevi- generosity in offering Christ be
herding God’s people with humility health care apostolate, not only in ate extremes of poverty, so too the matched only by your humble and
and dedication. In this way, the Ghana, but throughout western Church is called, in imitation of patient openness to others.
With these thoughts, dear brother
Catholic community in Ghana, Africa, which is suffering at this time Christ, to work with humility and
faithful to the Lord’s command and from the outbreak of Ebola. I pray honesty, using the goods at her dis- Bishops, I commend all of you to
under your guidance, enriches soci- for the repose of the souls of all who posal to open minds and hearts to the intercession of Mary, Mother of
ety by proclaiming the dignity of have died in this epidemic, among the riches of mercy and grace flow- the Word of God and Our Lady of
Africa, and with great affection I imeach human person and by promot- whom are priests, men and women ing from the heart of Christ.
part my Apostolic Blessing, which I
ing their full human
I
pray
as
well
for
your
lay
catechwillingly extend to all the beloved
development. For it
ists,
without
whom
the
works
of
“The
Catholic
community
in
Ghana,
faithful
priests, religious and lay faithful of
is only in Jesus
evangelization
would
be
much
diyour country.
Christ, crucified and
to the Lord’s command and under your
minished in Ghana. I encourage you
risen, that the fullto improve and expand the educaguidance, enriches society by proclaiming the
ness of our dignity
tion and preparation provided for
and destiny can be
dignity of each human person and by
them, so that their labours may lead
seen and thus apto concrete and long-lasting results.
promoting their full human development”
propriated.
Almost three years have passed since
The 2009 Synod
Pope Benedict XVI urged the bishon Africa noted as a
ops and priests of the entire African
principal concern the need for the religious and healthcare workers continent “to be concerned for the
Church’s pastors to “inspire in who contracted this terrible disease human, intellectual, doctrinal, morChrist’s disciples in Africa the will while caring for those suffering. May al, spiritual and pastoral formation
On 4 October, the day the Cathto become effectively committed to God strengthen all healthcare work- of catechists” (cf. Africae Munus,
olic Church honours St Francis of
living out the Gospel in their daily ers there and bring an end to this 126). It is timely, then, to ask whethAssisi, in the Holy Land Jews celer and to what degree we have relives... (and to obey Christ who) tragedy!
ebrated Yom Kippur (Day of
I would ask you in a special way sponded to this summons to encourcalls constantly for metanoia, converAtonement) and Muslims, Eid alsion” (Africae Munus, 32). This re- to be close to your priests, support- age and form the next generation of
Adha (Festival of Sacrifice). This
quires in the first place, brothers, ing them as fathers, easing their bur- men and women who will pass on
coincidence also occurred in 1976
our own daily conversion, so that all dens and leading them with tender- the faith and build upon the legacy
and 1995. As Jews observed their
of our thoughts, words and actions ness. Please convey my heartfelt of our forebears. Concern for catholy day of prayer, repentance
may be inspired and directed by the gratitude to them and to all reli- echists also requires, as a matter of
and atonement, Muslims comgious men and women in Ghana, natural justice, attention to the maword of God. We must be men who
memorated Ishmael’s sacrifice
upon whom so much of the neces- terial assistance and recompense reare thoroughly transformed by the
and many made a pilgrimage to
sary work of evangelization depends, quired in order for them to carry out
grace of being ever more truly sons for their daily sacrifices. I ask the their tasks.
the Temple Mount.
of the Father, brothers of the Son, Lord to bless them continually with
Meanwhile, for the Feast of St
Finally, dear brothers, like Saint
and fathers of the community dedication, zeal and fidelity.
Francis, the Franciscan Custody
Paul, I wish you to go to the cities
guided by the Holy Spirit. Only
of the Holy Land invited ChristiDear brothers, the Church in and the countryside, to the markets
then can we offer credible witness to Ghana is justly respected for the and the streets, witnessing to Christ
ans to pray for peace and to com“the immeasurable greatness of his contribution she makes to the integ- and showing his love and mercy to
memorate the Journey of Assisi’s
power for us who believe” (cf. Eph ral development of individuals and all. Be close to other Christian leadSaint with three days of celebra1:19), living in holiness, unity and the entire nation. At the same time, ers and the heads of other religious
tion: with Vespers, which began
peace. From the grace of Christ ex- she often finds herself lacking in the communities. Ecumenical and interon 3 October to Sunday Mass
perienced in our own converted material resources necessary to fulfil religious cooperation, when carried
celebrated on 5 October in the
hearts comes the spiritual strength her mission in the world. In this re- out with respect and an open heart,
Church of St Salvatore of Jeruswhich helps us promote virtue and gard, I would offer you two contributes to the social harmony of
alem.
Serving unity and dialogue
A day of prayer
for Muslims, Jews
and Catholics
L’OSSERVATORE ROMANO
page 20
Friday, 10 October 2014, number 41
The Pope expresses his concern over war and violence in the Middle East in his address to Patriarch Mar Dinkha
IV
Shared suffering
“There is no religious, political or
economic reason that can justify what
is happening to hundreds of thousands
of innocent men, women and children”.
The Holy Father shared his concern
about current events in the Middle
East to Catholicos and Patriarch of
the Assyrian Church of the East, H.H.
Mar Dinkha IV, whom he received in
audience on Thursday morning, 2
October. The following is a translation
of Pope Francis’ address, which was
given in Italian.
Your Holiness,
Beloved Brothers in Christ,
It is a moment of grace and true joy
for me to be able to welcome you
here, at the Tomb of the Apostle
Peter. With affection I welcome
Your Holiness and I thank you for
the courteous words you addressed
to me also on behalf of the distinguished members of your Delegation. Through you, I express my
greeting in the Lord to the Bishops,
the clergy and the faithful of the Assyrian Church of the East. With the
words of the Apostle Paul, I pray
that “the peace of God, which
passes all understanding, will keep
your hearts and your minds in
Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:7).
Our meeting is marked by the
suffering that we share for the conflicts which are passing through various regions of the Middle East and
especially for the violence which is
striking Christians and those belonging to other religious minorities, especially in Iraq and Syria. How
many of our brothers and sisters are
suffering from daily persecution!
When we think of their suffering, it
is natural to move beyond any distinction of rite or confession: in
them it is the Body of Christ, which,
still today, is being wounded, struck,
humiliated. There is no religious,
political or economic reason that can
justify what is happening to hundreds of thousands of innocent men,
women and children. We feel deeply
united in intercessory prayer and in
the work of charity for these members of the Body of Christ who are
suffering.
Your Holiness, your visit is another step on the path of growing closeness and spiritual communion
between us, after the bitter misunderstandings of past centuries.
Twenty years ago, the Common
Christological Declaration signed by
you and by my Predecessor, Pope St
John Paul II, was a milestone on our
path toward full communion. By it
we acknowledged to confess the one
faith of the Apostles, the faith in
the divinity and humanity of
Our Lord Jesus Christ, united in
one person, without confusion or
change, without division or separation. To use the words of that
historic Document: united, we
confess “the same faith in the
Son of God who became man so
that we might become children
of God by his grace”. I wish to
assure you of my personal commitment to continue the journey
along this path, further deepening the relationships of friendship and of communion which exist
between the Church of Rome and
the Assyrian Church of the East.
I accompany with prayer the work
of the Joint Committee for Theological Dialogue between the Catholic
Church and the Assyrian Church of
the East, thanks to which the
blessed day is approaching, on
which we will be able to celebrate at
the same altar the sacrifice of praise,
which will make us one in Christ.
Until that day, let us feel we are
walking together in the presence of
the Lord, as Our Father Abraham
did on his pilgrimage of faith toward the Promised Land, knowing
that, although the destination seems
distant and we may taste it only in
hope, it is however the gift promised
by the Lord and, therefore, it will
not fail to become manifest. What
unites is much greater than what divides us; thus may we feel impelled
by the Spirit to exchange, from now
on, the spiritual treasures of our ecclesial Traditions, in order to live as
true brothers, sharing the gifts that
the Lord does not cease to bestow
on our Churches, as a sign of his
goodness and mercy.
Your Holiness, I thank you for
your visit and I invoke upon you,
your clergy and the faithful entrusted to your pastoral care, through
the intercession of the All Holy
Mother of God, an abundance of divine blessings.
of life and faith. There is no lack of
experience of different types of pastoral care of the family and of political and social commitment in supporting families, both those who live
traditional married lives and those
marked by problems or by breakup.
It is important to take these important experiences in the various contexts and in the life of the men and
women of today, as a propitious
time to exercise careful discernment
in order to “network” them, thus involving other diocesan communities.
The cooperation between Pastors
and families also extends to the field
of education. Indeed, the family,
which already fulfills its role with regard to its members, is a school of
humanity, brotherhood, love, communion which forms mature and responsible citizens. Open cooperation between the clergy and families
will favour the maturation of a spirit
of justice, of solidarity, of peace and
the courage of one’s convictions.
This will come about by supporting
parents in their responsibility to
educate their children, thus protect-
ing their inalienable right to provide
their children with the education
they deem most suitable. Parents, in
fact, remain the first and foremost
educators of their children, thus they
have the right to educate them according to their moral and religious
convictions. In this way, you will be
able to outline common and coordinated pastoral directives necessary to promote and effectively support Catholic schools.
Dear brothers, I encourage you to
maintain your commitment to promote the communion of the various
Churches in Europe, facilitating appropriate cooperation for fruitful
evangelization. I also invite you to
be a “prophetic voice” within society, above all where the process of
secularization, taking place on the
continent of Europe, tends to render
speaking of God increasingly marginal. May the heavenly intercession
of the Virgin Mary and Saints and
Patron Saints of Europe sustain you
in this task. I ask you to please pray
for me and I bless you from my
heart.
To the Council of the Bishops’ Conferences of the Continent
The way to speak of
God to Europe
An invitation “to be a ‘prophetic voice’ within society, since the process of
secularization taking place on the continent of Europe tends to make speaking of
God increasingly marginal” was addressed to the participants in the Plenary of
the Council of European Bishops’ Conferences. The Bishops were received in
audience in the Consistory Hall on Friday morning, 3 October. The following is a
translation of Pope Francis’ address, which was given in Italian.
Dear Brother Bishops,
I affectionately greet all of you on
the occasion of the Plenary Assembly of the Council of European
Bishops’ Conferences and I thank
Cardinal Péter Erdő for the words
with which he introduced this meeting.
As Pastors close to your community and attentive to the needs of
the people, you know well the complexity of the situation and the
pressing challenges to which the
mission of the Church is subjected,
also in Europe. As I wrote in the
Apostolic
Exhortation
Evangelii
Gaudium, we are called to be a
Church which “goes forth”, moving
from the centre to the peripheries to
go towards all, without fear and
without diffidence, with apostolic
courage (n. 20). How many brothers
and sisters, how many situations,
how many contexts, even the most
difficult, are in need of the light of
the Gospel!
I would like to thank you, dear
brothers, for the commitment with
which you have welcomed this text.
I know that this Document is increasingly the object of deep pastoral reflection and the starting point
for paths of faith and evangelization
in many parishes, communities and
groups. This too is a sign of communion and the unity of the
Church.
The theme of your Plenary: “Family and the Future of Europe”
presents an important occasion to
reflect together on how to value the
family as a precious resource for pastoral renewal. I feel it is important
for Pastors and families to work together in a spirit of humility and
sincere dialogue so that the respective parish communities may become
a “family of families”. In this context interesting experiences have
blossomed, which call for proper attention in view of furthering fruitful
cooperation in your respective local
Churches. Engaged couples who seriously live marriage preparation;
married couples who welcome foster
or adopted children; groups of families who in parishes or in movements help each other on the path