It is not a question whether or not it makes a difference or increases church attendance It is a matter of justice and applying the teaching of Jesus. Nobody checked the sexual orientation or marriage status at the last supper.It is a scandal that people are turned away from the Eucharistic because of a particular status. When the church authorities wake up to the mind of the people the Holy Spirit will do the rest.

Joss, yes a very good point. What about the other questions. Do they not matter anymore?

Margaret I am a sinner too. Thanks for your reply and forgive me for any offence.

Denis, I don't know what your situation is, but as a divorced Catholic I'd be more likely to return to Mass-going on a regular basis if I didn't feel such a pariah because of the Church's attitude to those in second marriages, even though I'm not in one myself. I'm sure others would be the same, even though, not unreasonably, some would not.

Although, I must admit, the Church's attitude to the gay people amongst our family and friends and the wider community needs to change as well before there is a real impact on my church-going practices (i.e. less Lutheran, more Catholic)

What we sinners need to find is more Christianity in the Catholic church.

Thanks both to Phuu and cmarkod.
I don't mean to be unfeeling to those who find themselves in this sad situation, but I feel it is totally wrong to assume that any change in the Church's position on this matter will bring people back. I read Cardinal Marx's comments on this, only to feel he is addressing an audience, the vast majority of whom couldn't care less what the Church teaches, or what "accomodation" it makes regarding receiving communion.

When, as a member of the laity, I discovered through the media that the Pope had invited Catholics to respond to the pre-synod survey I realised there had been not a word of this in the parish. I e-mailed my then parish priest to ask when parishioners would be given details of how to go about it. He responded that news would appear in the bulletin and indeed, so it was that an e-mail address was provided the following week.

I duly downloaded the document, did some reading around the laity-unfriendly bishop-speak paper and responded.
This must have taken me some three hours. No doubt it would have been easier if I'd had theology degree.

Imagine my surprise when I discovered that the same parish priest had been tasked with writing a diocesan summary of the responses.

I have little confidence that my views would have been acceptable let alone reflected in the summary.

I well remember a respected priest of some decades ago telling me the Catholic Church had never claimed to be democratic. This I accept. Nevertheless, it seems sad that the vast wisdom of Vatican II, the opening up of the church, has been put on hold by careerist princes of the church, portly or otherwise.

Mercifully, we have a new parish priest who lives the gospel and leads us with that same Vatican II wisdom and humility so that we, as laity, do not feel quite so far down the food chain.

I think I should probably have sent my response direct to the Pope.

Denis - In the Lineamenta there are 46 questions about the family, only one of which is about "accommodation for divorced and remarried". How come the survey seems to have been reduced to this single question?
Surely the role of families as missionaries in the world is crucial? It doesn't seem to have been raised yet.

Denis,
Is not the impact on the individuals what matters?

I think it will make a difference to those people who currently feel rejected by the Church. In our Diocese, the Bishop has tasked a small team of laity to analyse responses to the consultation and to produce a report and I am one of those people. Consultation, involvement and feedback are great ways to shepherd and bring the people with you and I applaud any Bishop who is taking this approach. I am somewhat disappointed though as to the number of responses to date and the responses are skewed to the over 50's. I am also involved in local politics and canvassing indicates an apathy for voting, particularly among younger people. It makes me wonder what strategies would be useful for engaging more respondents, in particular, more young people?

This issue has become a hot button one in what seems like a very short period of time, but how many people really think that if a greater accommodation is made for divorced and or remarried Catholics that, that will have any real impact on the life of the Church. My guess is that it will not make one iota of difference.