Pope Francis has appointed staunch critic, South African Cardinal Wilfrid Napier to an otherwise unchanged group of organisers for part two of the Synod on the Family in 2015.
Napier was one of a number of strong public critics and at a press conference on October 14 said the initial Synod document’s message of openness to modern society had conveyed an incorrect message.
“The message has gone out: This is what the synod is saying, this is what the Catholic church is saying.
“The message has gone out and it’s not a true message”, Napier said.
“Whatever we say hereafter is going to be as if we’re doing some damage control”.
Napier will serve as one of four delegate presidents of the 2015 synod, alongside French Cardinal André Vingt-Trois, Philippines Cardinal Luis Tagle, and Brazilian Cardinal Raymundo Assis.
Pope Francis, Friday, also re-appointed two other key officials from the 2014 synod to serve again in 2015: Hungarian Cardinal Péter Erdő will again serve as the synod secretary; and Italian Archbishop Bruno Forte will again serve as its special secretary.
The Vatican, in a statement on Friday also said bishops’ conferences around the world will shortly receive the preparatory documents for the 2015 Synod.
Due for distribution at the beginning of December, Friday’s statement does not hint at the form the working document.
The preparatory document for the 2014 Synod made headlines because it contained a wide-ranging questionnaire.
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