(CNN) — As Catholic bishops in Rome began a major meeting on modern family life two weeks ago, Pope Francis encouraged them to speak candidly and “without timidness.” He certainly got what he asked for. Bishops bickered. Conservatives contemplated conspiracy theories. Liberals lamented their colleagues’ rigidity. Through it all, the Pope stayed silent. Even when Read more
Now that the dust is beginning to settle on the tumultuous Synod of Bishops on the family, conclusions are up in the air as to what it all meant. Given the clear divisions that ran through the summit, it should be no surprise that after-the-fact interpretations are also all over the map. For some, the Read more
Although the Synod of Bishops on the family has sparked frank discussions about the direction of the church, the American archbishop who represents U.S. Catholics at the event said Friday it is “doing what it’s supposed to do.” In an interview with NCR, U.S. bishops’ conference president Archbishop Joseph Kurtz said the synod is starting Read more
If Francis doesn’t soon make it clear that the synod can’t abandon Catholic teaching, his pontificate could spin out of control. Cardinal Burke is right: the group responsible for reporting the synod is manipulating the presentation of what’s actually happening. The presentation earlier this week of the so-called “mid-term report” of the extraordinary synod of Read more
One of the Vatican’s top canon lawyers at the Synod of Bishops on the Family says the current process for the annulment of marriages in the Catholic Church could be streamlined and expanded to the benefit of very many people whose marriages have broken down. This could be one of the positive fruits of the Read more
By most accounts, Pope Francis wants the synod on the family to be a messy, earnest affair — high on dialogue and low on posturing. By most accounts, Pope Francis wants the synod on the family to be a messy, earnest affair — high on dialogue and low on posturing. The Oct. 5-19 extraordinary Synod Read more
A spokesman for the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands said that an increase in population, far from being a “nightmare” could mean social and economic growth for the country. Papua New Guinea does not need to promote family planning or practices such as contraception and abortion,” said Fr Giorgio Read more
An interview with Cardinal André Vingt-Trois, Archbishop of Paris, one of the three presidents of the Synod on the Family. La Croix: The synod was preceded by a questionnaire sent to the parishes. Were you surprised by the influx of replies from local churches? Cardinal Andre Vingt-Trois: Yes, I was. There was very little time Read more
More than half (106 bishops) of the almost two hundred individuals participating in the Extraordinary Synod on the Family hail from Asia, Latin America, Africa and Oceania. It would be very short-sighted of us to therefore focus our attention exclusively on hot issues affecting European societies and Churches which are facing the challenge of secularism, Read more
“We need to stress the weaknesses and at the same time the complexity of the family in the Melanesian context”, according to Catholic Bishop Arnold Orawae of Wabag. He said this at a press conference in Port Moresby as he was setting out to Rome to attend the synod on the family with Pope Francis. Read more