Bishops get 10,000 responses to synod survey

The French Catholic Church has received more than 10,000 responses to the Vatican survey for October’s synod on the family, according to Montpellier Archbishop Pierre-Marie Carré, vice president of the bishops’ conference, writes Tom Heneghan.

Many respondents hoped consultation would become a regular practice. Most wanted the Church to continue promoting ideals but recognise they are often not easy to achieve, the archbishop told the Catholic newspaper La Croix. Many want the Church to show more mercy towards the divorced and remarried, while a significanat minority upholds the traditional teaching about marriage.

The synod was bound to disappoint some Catholics, but Pope Francis’ conclusion, due a year after the synod, will be decisive, the archbishop said.