relatio - CathNews New Zealand https://cathnews.co.nz Catholic News New Zealand Mon, 20 Oct 2014 04:02:21 +0000 en-NZ hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.1 https://cathnews.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/cropped-cathnewsfavicon-32x32.jpg relatio - CathNews New Zealand https://cathnews.co.nz 32 32 70145804 Francis puts disputed paragraphs into final synod document https://cathnews.co.nz/2014/10/21/francis-puts-disputed-paragraphs-final-synod-document/ Mon, 20 Oct 2014 18:00:40 +0000 http://cathnews.co.nz/?p=64647

The final report from the synod on the family has narrowed down aspects of a "welcoming" preliminary report, especially concerning gay people. The preliminary report, issued half way through the synod, asked if the Church community was welcoming to gay people. It noted that gay people have "gifts and qualities to offer to the Christian Read more

Francis puts disputed paragraphs into final synod document... Read more]]> The final report from the synod on the family has narrowed down aspects of a "welcoming" preliminary report, especially concerning gay people.

The preliminary report, issued half way through the synod, asked if the Church community was welcoming to gay people.

It noted that gay people have "gifts and qualities to offer to the Christian community" and acknowledged some positive aspects of same-sex relationships.

But final document, the relatio synodi, restated norms from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

It stated that there "is no foundation whatsoever" to compare homosexual marriage to heterosexual marriage.

But it said gay people "should be welcomed with respect and sensitivity" and that discrimination against gays "is to be avoided".

The paragraph containing this text did not get the traditional two thirds majority (122 votes) needed to be included in the final report, with 118 bishops voting for it and 62 against.

But this may have indicated the some progressive bishops felt the final text had been too watered down or restrictive.

Two other proposed paragraphs also did not get to the two thirds threshold, but did get absolute majority votes.

Both concerned the issue of Communion for divorced and remarried people.

One proposed: "Any access to the sacraments should be preceded by a penitential journey under the responsibility of the diocesan bishop."

But Pope Francis decided to include these three paragraphs in the final report anyway, in the interests of maximum transparency, a Vatican spokesman said.

Bishops' conferences will use the document, described as a work in progress, in preparation for the 2015 synod.

The final report was the product of revisions last week of small working groups of bishops.

In a three-page "message" on Saturday, the synod fathers called for the Church to be "a house with doors always open to welcome everyone".

In his final address at the synod, Pope Francis called on the prelates to "feed the flock" and to search for lost sheep.

The Pontiff directed them to avoid the temptation to become a "hostile rigorist" concerned only with enforcing Church doctrine.

He also warned against being a "destructive do-gooder" that advocates "false mercy" instead of truth telling.

Sources

Francis puts disputed paragraphs into final synod document]]> 64647 Prelates attack synod half way document https://cathnews.co.nz/2014/10/17/prelates-attack-synod-half-way-document/ Thu, 16 Oct 2014 18:15:14 +0000 http://cathnews.co.nz/?p=64514

Some of the Church's senior prelates have been sharply critical of the document released half way through the synod on the family. The text - known as the relatio -sought to summarise the discussions at the gathering so far. It has been described as a "pastoral earthquake" and suggests the Church should recognise the good in unions Read more

Prelates attack synod half way document... Read more]]> Some of the Church's senior prelates have been sharply critical of the document released half way through the synod on the family.

The text - known as the relatio -sought to summarise the discussions at the gathering so far.

It has been described as a "pastoral earthquake" and suggests the Church should recognise the good in unions outside marriage.

But Australian Cardinal George Pell said the document was an "incomplete resumé" of what the synod fathers had said, and it needed to be "enhanced and corrected".

"In seeking to be merciful, some want to open up Catholic teaching on marriage, divorce, civil unions, homosexuality in a radically liberalising direction, whose fruits we see in other Christian traditions," he told The Tablet.

American Cardinal Raymond Burke called for the relatio to be set aside completely, with a new document produced that presents the Church's true teaching and pastoral practice together.

He said that the document "lacks a solid foundation in the Sacred Scriptures and the Magisterium".

Polish Archbishop Stanisław Gądecki told Vatican Radio that the document departs from the teaching of St John Paul II and that traces of anti-marriage ideology can be seen in it.

"It focuses on exceptions, but what is needed is the proclamation of truth," he said.

South African Archbishop Wilfred Napier complained that the document will be seen by many as Church teaching and as reflecting the views of the whole synod, when it doesn't.

But he said much of it did correspond to what has been said, and it "has a lot of very good, very good things".

Following the reading of the relatio to the synod assembly on Monday, 41 prelates made speeches about the text and suggested additions or changes.

Other criticisms included a lack of treatment of sin, little sign of support for those trying to live up to the ideal of Christian marriage, and the risk of conforming to the mentality of the world.

The relatio is being discussed and revised by the synod fathers and will be presented to the Pope on Saturday.

Sources

Prelates attack synod half way document]]> 64514