A new book, "The Synodal Process Is a Pandora's Box: 100 Questions and Answers," addresses the "serious situation" brought on by the synod, Cardinal Raymond Burke (pictured, centre) says.

Pope Francis is risking confusion and even schism in leading the upcoming Synod on Synodality in Rome, Burke writes in the book's preface.

"Synodality and its adjective, synodal, have become slogans behind which a revolution is at work to change radically the Church's self-understanding, in accord with a contemporary ideology which denies much of what the Church has always taught and practised," he continues.

It should concern all Catholics "who observe the evident and grave harm" that it has brought on the church.

The word synodality, the cardinal added, is "a term which has no history in the doctrine of the Church and for which there is no reasonable definition."

It leads to "confusion and error and their fruit — indeed schism," he says in the preface.

He backs this view citing the German Synodal Path, where church leaders consulted with lay and religious Catholics in Germany between December 2019 and March 2023.

Female ordination and blessing same-sex couples were among the issues the German consultation explored.

"With the imminent Synod on Synodality, it is rightly to be feared that the same confusion and error and division will be visited upon the universal Church. In fact, it has already begun to happen through the preparation of the Synod at the local level," Burke wrote.

The only way to uncover the "ideology at work" within the Vatican and "undertake true reform," was to turn to the "unchanging and unchangeable doctrine and discipline of the church," Burke's preface says.

He entrusted to the Virgin Mary his prayer that "the grave harm which presently threatens the Church be averted."

The synod on synodality

Francis's aims for the synod are to promote inclusivity, transparency and accountability in the Church.

After three years of world-wide consultations with Catholics, bishops and lay Catholics will gather in Rome in October under the rubric of "Synodality: Communion, Participation and Mission."

Agenda items drawn from concerns Catholics raised in diocesan forums include LGBTQ Catholics' inclusion and female leadership.

Those topics have convinced conservative Catholics that the synod will lead to changes in Catholic doctrine on questions of morality and sexuality.

The authors, the publisher and Burke

Co-authors José Antonio Ureta and Julio Loredo de Izcue are South American scholars and activists.

The publisher Tradition, Family and Property says "despite its potentially revolutionary impact, the debate around this synod has been limited primarily to ‘insiders' and the general public knows little about it."

Burke has long been a vocal opponent of Pope Francis's vision for the church.

He and three other cardinals publicly questioned Francis's decision in "Amoris Laetitia" for divorced and remarried Catholics to receive the Eucharist. Burke has also criticised efforts in the church to promote the welcoming of LGBTQ faithful.

Source

• Religion News Service
• America Magazine

They say their decisions are in line with Pope Francis's 2016 document on the family, Amoris Laetitia.

One of the bishops, Renato Marangoni, wrote a formal apology for having "ignored" these couples in parish life.

He said he wants to speak to families "that have experienced situations which led you to separation or also to divorce, and beyond this, to begin new unions for which some have chosen to remarry civilly or not to get married,".

He also wants to open "a relationship of awareness, respect and dialogue" with these couples.

"For a long time, we declared that you couldn't be fully admitted to the sacraments of penance and the Eucharist, while in many of you was the desire to be supported by the gift of the sacraments and the affection of the community"

It's in these complicated situations "that personal responsibility needs to be supported and helped, precisely in its fragility," and invited divorced or separated couples to a "friendly and family-style meeting" this coming Sunday.

Radio Spada, a well-known traditional Catholic site, responded to the letter, saying "there's no call to abandon a gravely sinful situation that puts the eternal destiny of one's soul at risk, no mention of the high Christian values of chastity and the holiness of the family, no reference to the unity and indissolubility of marriage.

"More than a letter of a successor of the Apostles, it's a letter of a successor of the Apostates,".

However, another Italian bishop, Corrado Pizziolo, is preparing to publish guidelines on implementing Amoris.

These will allow divorced and remarried Catholics without an annulment to receive the sacraments on a case-by-case basis.

Vatican-watcher Francesco Grana says Marangoni and Pizziolo's decisions are "important initiatives".

They "mark a change in mentality, especially within the Italian Church" and are a sign "that the processes strongly desired and initiated by Bergoglio are beginning to bear fruit," Grana said.

Describing Amoris is an invitation from the pope, Pizziolo said it involves not only paying attention, "but also to act operatively, both in ordering the announcement of the Gospel, and in the attention, care and integration of wounded families."

He says the guidelines, which will be released this week, have been prepared "in filial obedience to the indications of the pope."

"Amoris Laetitia does not intend to take away any ecclesial or canonical discipline and to therefore admit all possible situations of couples to all ecclesial acts," Pizziolo said.

The novelty is in "providing for certain couples who do not fully live Christian marriage, beyond what opportunities already existed before, the possibility of accessing participation in the sacrament."

Source

• Crux
• Image: The Guardian

Amoris Laetitia encourages both clergy and members of the laity to accompany and care for families and others in situations of particular need. Amoris Laetitia also includes an extended reflection on the meaning of love in the day-to-day reality of family life.

The National Centre for Religious studies (NCRS) has produced a group reflection and discussion resource based on teachings of Amoris Laetitia.

Blessed to be Family sets out a programme for individual parishes, or interested persons, to form groups and work through the material. This is the latest in a series of booklets produced by NCRS which are designed to encourage warm discussion around faith and community. Each week of the programme builds on the last and encourages open conversation, reflection and prayer within groups.

The booklets are designed to support personal and parish faith formation. Like the other booklets in this series ‘Blessed to be Family' provides an excellent opportunity for personal reflection and growth as a community. (While it would work with two or three, it is ideally suited to groups of between 5 and 8 people.)

Price: FREE until the first 500 copies donated by the National Centre for Religious Studies are used.

(Afterwards, $1 each + P&P for orders of 10 or less. Orders for 10 or more P&P included.)

Click here for Further information

Or contact: Colin MacLeod, Director Tel. 04 818 8386 Email. c.macleod@tci.ac.nz

Supplied

Keynote speaker Dr Rocio Figueroa, a lecturer in systematic theology at Good Shepherd College in Auckland, spoke about the importance of persevering in love and joy, based on the post-synodal apostolic exhortation the Joy of Love. Continue reading in NZ Catholic