National Catholic Reporter
An unmistakable air of expectation mixed with uncertainty pervaded the atmosphere here as Pope Francis prepared to open in early October his global meeting of Catholic bishops to discuss issues of contemporary family life.
National Catholic Reporter
With the October Synod on the Family upon us, I've been rereading Eusebius' account of the Council of Nicea. He writes of the bishops whom Constantine called together in A.D. 325:
Back in February, I was sitting in a Rome restaurant with a member of the College of Cardinals the day after retired Cardinal Walter Kasper of Germany had delivered an impassioned appeal to fellow members of the church’s most exclusive club for relaxing the church’s ban on divorced and remarried Catholics receiving Communion. >>
For the first time in decades, bishops and cardinals will get back together to clash over radically opposed ideas, in particular on the yes or no to communion for the divorced and remarried. It is Pope Francis who wanted to reopen the dispute. With an unpredictable outcome
Say “family issues” to most Americans or Europeans, and they’re likely to flash on divorce, or the challenges of single-parent households, or perhaps same-sex relationships and the push for gay marriage.
What probably wouldn’t come naturally to mind is polygamy. Yet in many parts of the non-Western world, polygamy is a major feature of family life, and thus a major pastoral challenge for the Catholic Church.
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Thomas Reese | Sep. 12, 2014 Faith and Justice Synod on the Family PrintemailPDF The first synod I covered as a journalist was the 1980 Synod of Bishops on the family, which proved to be a month of fun and frustration. It was fun because it took place in October, the best month for visiting Rome.…
EN.RADIOVATICANA.VA
Cardinal Napier of South Africa on the upcoming synod on the family
Vatican City, 2014 (VIS) – The following is the full text of the presentation by Cardinal Lorenzo Baldisseri, secretary general of the Synod of Bishops, of the participants in the upcoming Synod in October 2014:
The makeup of Synod of Bishops on the family is disappointing
The list of those attending the Synod of Bishops on the family is a disappointment to those hoping for reform of the Curia and for those who hope that the laity will be heard at the synod.
Read the article
N.J. Viehland | Jun. 27, 2014
For Philippines Cardinal Luis Tagle, the Synod of Bishops on the family is a "hopeful" sign that the church is willing to listen to the difficulties families experience.
Thomas Reese | Jun. 27, 2014
Faith and Justice: There is little beautiful or inspiring in the new instrumentum laboris. If married life is as boring and joyless as this document, I am glad I am celibate.
Joshua J. McElwee | Jun. 26, 2014
The document says the faithful's struggles in following Catholic teachings stem mainly from ineffective education and the pervasive effect of the culture.
Christine Schenk | Jun. 19, 2014
Simply Spirit: This survey provided an opportunity for Catholics from anywhere in the U.S. to give feedback, not only those in the 72 U.S. dioceses that offered online surveys.
Thomas Reese | Jun. 14, 2014
NCR Today: All of the material sent to Rome for the upcoming Synod of Bishops on the family will be compiled to stimulate discussion of the topic for the October meeting.
Joan Chittister | May. 28, 2014
From Where I Stand: The topic of reform in the church is on the table again, but time will tell if we have another Council of Trent on our hands.
Dennis Sadowski Catholic News Service | May. 22, 2014
Initial reviews of responses from around the world on questionnaires about church teaching on the family in advance of this fall's extraordinary Synod of Bishops on the family show that the teaching is misunderstood, said a cardinal who will run one the synod's sessions.
Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle of Manila, Philippines, told Catholic News Service he found the responses "shocking, if I am allowed to use that word."
