The key working document, or instrumentum laboris, that bishops will use at their synod in Rome this October was published last week. Close analysis reveals an institution for which marriage, sex and the family remain problematic, suffering a huge gap between theory and practice
If I were a bishop, I would by now be profoundly depressed. I would have been hoping for some glimpse of light concerning a series of exceedingly difficult questions that are crucial to the Catholic Church’s entire well-being. These refer to the vast gulf that by all accounts has opened up between Catholic theory and Catholic practice regarding marriage, sexuality and family life.It is a gap that Pope Francis clearly hoped could be narrowed when he convened not one but two meetings of the synod of bishops,
03 July 2014, The Tablet
A Church ill at ease with itself
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User Comments (1)
Oh no! Here we go again! How many times must we see the church move to the brink of real, meaningful appreciation of the lives of the laity only to step back and erect another contrived "solution". I absolutely agree that this time we may see far greater numbers either drift away from the church or, at the least, cease to place credence on any of its teaching and pronouncements. We are at a crossroads; at a time when Christianity is under fire from many directions. We need, from this Synod, outcomes that will unite and arm all Catholics to withstand the forces of evil which daily grow in strength.
Mary McAleese so perfectly hit the nail on the head with her comments, but could we still hope that the 150 men might understand that they hold the key to either a revitalised church, or possibly the greatest schism since the reformation.