Summary |
- Programme of the Pope's visit to the European Parliament and the Council of Europe |
- The Pope to visit France in 2015 |
- Second General Congregation |
- Third General Congregation |
- Other Pontifical Acts
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- General Audience: “divisions between Christians wound Christ” |
- Fourth General Congregation: the Synod Fathers discuss current proposals on family pastoral and the situation in Africa, threatened by Ebola |
- Fifth General Congregation: critical situations within the family, the question of mixed marriages, and mercy and truth for the divorced and remarried |
- Other Pontifical Acts |
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- Francis to the Synod Fathers: “Speak clearly, listen with humility, accept with an open heart” |
- Summary of the Relatio ante disceptationem |
- Nurturing “God's dream”, guided by the Holy Spirit |
- Angelus: “A Bible for every family, to read often” |
- Prayer vigil for the Synod: may the Synod Fathers be able to listen to God and to the People |
- Francis to disabled athletes: your testimony is a great sign of hope |
- Christians in the Middle East: the Church cannot remain silent before the persecution of her children |
- In brief |
- Audiences |
- Other Pontifical Acts |
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Programme of the Pope's visit to the European Parliament and the Council of Europe
Vatican City, 7 October 2014 (VIS) – The programme of the Holy Father Francis' visit to the European Parliament and the Council of Europe, scheduled to take place on Tuesday, 25 November, was published today.
The Pope will leave from Rome's Fiumicino airport at 7.55 a.m., arriving in Strasbourg at 10 a.m., where he will be received privately. At 10.35 he will address the European Parliament and at 12.05 p.m. will speak before the Council of Europe. At 1.50 p.m. he will depart for Rome, where he will arrive at Ciampino airport at 3.50 p.m. |
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The Pope to visit France in 2015
Vatican City, 7 October 2014 (VIS) – The director of the Holy See Press Office, Fr. Federico Lombardi S.J., today announced the Holy Father's intention to make an apostolic trip to France during 2015. |
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Second General Congregation
Vatican City, 7 October 2014 (VIS) – The second general Congregation, held yesterday afternoon, opened the discussions of the Extraordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops. The theme, according to the agenda set forth in the Instrumentum Laboris, was: “God’s Plan for Marriage and the Family” (Part I, Chapter 1), and “The Knowledge and Acceptance of the Teachings on Marriage and the Family from Sacred Scripture and Church Documents” (Part I, Chapter 2).
Based on the premise that the family is the basic unit of human society, the cradle of gratuitous love, and that taking 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 – it 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 a series of rules, it is important to maintain the principles while changing the concrete forms of their implementation. In short, as Benedict XVI said, novelty in continuity: the Synod does not call Doctrine into question, but reflects on the Pastoral, or rather spiritual discernment for the application of such Doctrine in response to the challenges faced by contemporary families. In this sense, mercy does not eliminate the commandments, but it provides the hermeneutic key to them.
Furthermore, it was underlined that even imperfect situations must be considered with respect: for instance, de facto unions in which couples live together with fidelity and love present elements of sanctification and truth. It is therefore essential to look first and foremost at the positive elements, so that the Synod may infuse with courage and hope even imperfect forms of family, so that their value may be recognised, according to the principle of graduality. It is necessary to truly love families in difficulty.
In the context of a society in which there prevails a sort of “ego-latry”, leading to defamiliarisation, it is important to acknowledge the loss of a sense of the covenant between a man ( and a 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 concerned with power than with service, and for this reason she does not inspire the hearts of men and women. It is therefore necessary to return to the imitation of Christ, and to rediscover humility: the reform of the Church must begin with the reform of the clergy. If the faithful see pastors who imitate Christ they will therefore draw close to the Church once more, enabling her to proceed from the act of evangelising to being inherently evangelical.
The theme of the essential value of sexuality within marriage was also considered: sexuality outside marriage is discussed so critically that married sexuality can appear almost as a concession to imperfection. The Synod indicated, more briefly, the need for a greater formation of priests in relation to policies in favour of the family and the re-launching of the transmission of faith within the family.
During the hour of free discussion, from 6 to 7 p.m., two suggestions emerged: that the Synod send a message of encouragement and appreciation to families in Iraq, threatened by extermination perpetrated by Islamic fundamentalists and forced to flee so as not to renounce their faith. The suggestion was subject 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. |
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Third General Congregation
Vatican City, 7 October 2014 (VIS) – The general debate continued throughout today’s third general Congregation. The theme according to the order of the Instrumentum Laboris was: “The Gospel of the Family and the Natural Law” (Part I, Chapter 3) and “The Family and Vocation of the Person in Christ” (Part I, 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 to 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, His Beatitude 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 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 severe, 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 – it was shown – suffering families do not seek rapid pastoral solutions, and they do not wish to be a mere statistical figure, 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 yesterday 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 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 shown also in holiness, as the family educated in holiness is the icon of the Trinity, 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 between 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. |
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Other Pontifical Acts
Vatican City, 7 October 2014 (VIS) – The Holy Father has accepted the resignation from the office of auxiliary of the archdiocese of Krakow, Poland, presented by Archbishop Jan Zajac upon reaching the age limit.
General Audience: “divisions between Christians wound Christ”
Vatican City, 8 October 2014 (VIS) – This morning, punctual as always, the Holy Father entered St. Peter's Square in an open-top Jeep to greet the faithful in attendance at this Wednesday's general audience. He dedicated his catechesis to the “many brothers who share with us our faith in Christ, but who belong to other confessions or to traditions different to our own”. He emphasised that even today the relations between Christians of different confessions are not always characterised by respect and cordiality, and asked, “What is our current attitude to this situation? Are we indifferent or do we firmly believe that we can and must walk towards reconciliation and full communion?”.
The Pope emphasised that the divisions between Christians wound the Church and Christ, and remarked that Jesus wanted his disciples to remain united in His love. This unity was already under threat in Jesus' time, explained Pope Francis, and He urged his disciples to speak unanimously, so “by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you be in agreement and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same purpose”.
The bishop of Rome also mentioned that throughout history the devil has tempted the Church with the intention of dividing her. Unfortunately, the Church has been marked by serious and painful divisions that have at times been long-lasting, continuing until the present day. For this reason, “it is very difficult to reconstruct the reasons and, above all, to find possible solutions. … What is certain is that, in one way or another, behind all these lacerations there is always arrogance and selfishness, which are the cause of every disagreement and which make us intolerant, incapable of listening and of accepting those who have a vision or a position different from our own”.
“Now, faced with this, is there anything that we as members of the Holy Mother Church, can and should do? Without doubt there must be no lack of prayer, in continuity and in communion with Jesus. And together with prayer, the Lord asks of us a renewed openness: He asks us not to close ourselves against dialogue and encounter, but rather to accept all that is valid and positive that is offered to us even from those who think differently to us or who adopt different positions. Let us not focus on what divides us, but rather on that which unites us, seeking to know and love Christ better and to share the richness of His love. … We are divided against ourselves. However, we all have something in common: we believe in Jesus Christ, the Lord … in the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. We walk together, we are on the same path … let us help each other! Let us receive communion on the way. This is spiritual ecumenism: walking the path of life together in our faith in Jesus Christ the Lord”.
Continuing on the theme of communion, the Holy Father told the faithful present that today he is very thankful to the Lord, since it is seventy years since his first communion. “Receiving the First Communion means entering into communion with others, with our brothers in our Church, and also with all those who belong to different communities but who believe in Jesus”.
Francis concluded by encouraging all to walk together towards full unity. “History has separated us, but we are on the path to reconciliation and communion. And when it seems that our goal is too distant or we are discouraged, we may be comforted by the idea that God cannot cover His ears to the voice of His own Son, and cannot fail to respond to His prayer and ours, that all Christians are truly one”. |
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Fourth General Congregation: the Synod Fathers discuss current proposals on family pastoral and the situation in Africa, threatened by Ebola
Vatican City, 8 October 2014 (VIS) – The general debate continued during the fourth general Congregation, following the order of the Instrumentum Laboris. The theme was “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 suggestion 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 it, 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 humanity 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 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 in 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, 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. – attention 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 wishing 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. |
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Fifth General Congregation: critical situations within the family, the question of mixed marriages, and mercy and truth for the divorced and remarried
Vatican City, 8 October 2014 (VIS) – In the fifth general Congregation, which took place tis morning and which the Holy Father did not attend on account of the general audience, 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 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 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 it becoming “deified” and to families being sacrificed on the altar of profit. It is necessary to re-emphasise 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. |
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Other Pontifical Acts
Vatican City, 8 October 2014 (VIS) – The Holy Father has:
- appointed Bishop Fausto Tardelli of San Miniato, Italy, as bishop of Pistoia (area 821, population 228,600, Catholics 219,300, priests 119, permanent deacons 22, religious 178), Italy.
- Bishop Celso Morga Iruzubieta, secretary of the Congregation for the Clergy, as coadjutor of the archdiocese of Merida-Badajoz (area 17,405, population 597,300, Catholics 588,100, priests 311, religious 637), Spain.
- appointed Msgr. Levi Bonatto, of the personal prelature of the Holy Cross and Opus Dei, as auxiliary of the archdiocese of Goiania (area 13,320, population 2,024,000, Catholics 1,221,000, priests 208, permanent deacons 14, religious 573), Brazil. The bishop-elect was born in Sao Jose dos Pinhais, Brazil in 1957 and was ordained a priest in 1996. He holds a degree in economics from the Federal University of the State of Parana and a degree in canon law from the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome, and has served in a number of pastoral roles, including chaplain of the “Castelo” cultural centre in Campinas and of the “Alfa e Esplanada” cultural centre in Sao Jose dos Campos; spiritual father for seminarians in the diocese of Sao Jose dos Campos; chaplain of the “Os Pinhais” professional centre for girls with limited economic resources, and professor of canon law and theology at the “Studium Generale” of Opus Dei in Sao Paulo. He is currently chaplain of the “Marumbi” cultural centre, coordinator of the “Santa Cruz” priestly society in the State of Parana and confessor at the “Sao Jose” minor seminary of Curitiba. |
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