Vatican City, 6 October 2014 (VIS) –
The “Report prior to discussion” presented this morning by
Cardinal Peter Erdo, relator general, introduces the work of the
Synod, emphasising the main points in relation to which the
discussion of the Assembly should develop. In this sense, it is
important to highlight a new element: the report of this Synod
Assembly already includes the Synod Fathers' written discourses, sent
in advance to the Secretariat General of the Synod, with the aim of
responding better to the collegial sense of the Assembly.
First and foremost, Cardinal Erdo's
report encourages the family to be regarded with hope and mercy,
proclaiming its value and beauty as, in spite of the many
difficulties, it is not a “model off course”; we live in a world
of mere emotions, he continues, in which life “is not a project,
but rather a series of moments” and “stable commitment appears
formidable” for humanity rendered fragile by individualism. But it
is precisely here, faced with these “signs of the times”, that
the Gospel of the family offers itself as a remedy, a “true
medicine” that is to be proposed by “placing oneself in the
corner of those who find it more difficult to recognise and live it”.
No, therefore, to “doom and
surrender” within the Church. “There exists a clear and broadly
shared heritage of faith”. For example, ideological forms such as
gender theory or the equality of homosexual unions with marriage
between a man and a woman do not find consensus among the majority of
Catholics, while marriage and the family are still largely understood
as a “patrimony” for humanity, to be protected, promoted and
defended. Certainly, among believers doctrine is often little known
or practised, but this does not mean that it is under discussion”.
This is particularly relevant in relation to the indissolubility of
marriage and its sacramental nature among baptised persons. The
indissolubility of marriage is not called into question; on the other
hand, it is uncontested and for the greater part observed also in the
pastoral practice of the Church with those whose marriages have
failed and who seek a new beginning. Therefore, not doctrinal, but
rather practical questions – inseparable from the truths of faith –
are in discussion in this Synod, of an exquisitely pastoral nature”.
This leads to the need for greater
formation, above all for engaged couples, so that they are clearly
aware both of the sacramental dignity of marriage, based on
“uniqueness, fidelity and fruitfulness”, and of its nature as “in
institution in society”. Although threatened by “disrupting
factors” such as divorce, abortion, violence, poverty, abuse, the
“nightmare” of precariousness and the imbalance caused by
migration, explains Cardinal Erdo, the family remains a “school of
humanity”. “The family is almost the last welcoming human reality
in a world determined near exclusively by finance and technology. A
new culture of the family can be the starting point for a renewed
human civilisation”.
Therefore, continues the cardinal, the
Church supports the family in a concrete way, although this “does
not exclude the need for active commitment on the part of States”
in the protection and promotion of the common good, through suitable
policies.
Turning later to those who live in
difficult marital conditions, Cardinal Erdo highlights that the
Church is a the “House of the Father”; in relation to these
people, a “renewed and adequate action of family pastoral” is
necessary, in particular to enable them to feel loved by God and the
ecclesial community, from a merciful perspective that does not,
however, cancel out “truth and justice”. “Consequently, mercy
does not take away the commitments which arise from the demands of
the marriage bond. They will continue to exist even when human love
is weakened or has ceased. This means that, in the case of a
(consummated) sacramental marriage, after a divorce, a second
marriage recognised by the Church is impossible, while the first
spouse is still alive”.
Considering the diversity of situations
– divorces, civil marriages, cohabitation – Cardinal Erdo
highlighted the need for “clear guidelines” so that the pastors
of local communities may offer practical help to couples in
difficulty, avoiding improvisation and “do it yourself” pastoral
care. With regard to divorced and civilly remarried persons, he
underlines that it would be misleading to concentrate only on the
question of receiving sacraments – it is instead important to look
at the broader context of preparation for marriage and support –
pastoral rather than bureaucratic – for couples, to help them
understand the reasons for the failure of their first union and to
identify the causes for nullity: “As regards the divorced who are
civilly married, many have said that the distinction needs to be made
between the one who is guilty for the break-up of the marriage and
the innocent party. The Church’s pastoral care should extend to
each of them in a particular way”.
Furthermore, in view of the limited
knowledge of the marriage sacrament and an increasing “divorce
mentality”, “it does not seem hazardous ... to believe that many
marriages celebrated in the Church may be invalid”. This leads to
the suggestion included in the Relatio to recognise “in the first
place the obligation for two appeals of confirmation on the
declaration of nullity of the marriage bond” and in any case “to
avoid any type of mechanics or impression of granting a divorce” or
“to avoid solutions which are unjust and scandalous”. In this
respect, it is necessary also to study the practice of various
Orthodox Churches which permit second or third marriages of a
penitential nature.
Finally, in the last part of the
document, Cardinal Erdo focuses on the Gospel of life: existence is
from conception to to natural death, he remarks, and “openness to
life is an essential part and intrinsic need of conjugal love, while
nowadays, especially in the West, there are those who choose not to
have children and those who would have them at any cost; “in both
cases, the possibility of procreating a child is reduced to one’s
ability of self-determination. … Welcoming life, assuming
responsibility in procreating life and the care required are
possible only if the family is not conceived as an isolated unit but
an active part in a network of relationships. ... Increasing
importance is being given to not leaving the family and families on
their own, but to accompanying and supporting them in their everyday
journey. ... Family tragedies are often the result of desperation,
loneliness and a painful cry which no one knew how to discern”.
It is therefore important to rediscover
a sense of widespread and concrete solidarity, to overcome any
“privatisation of love” which empties the family of meaning and
entrusts it instead to individual choice. It is necessary to create,
on an institutional level, the conditions favourable to welcoming a
child and for the care of the elderly as a social asset to be
protected and promoted. The Church should devote herself in a special
way to education in love and sexuality, explaining its value and
avoiding banalisation and superficiality.
In conclusion, affirms Cardinal Erdo,
the challenge for this Synod is to try to bring to today’s world,
beyond the circle of practicing Catholics and considering the complex
situation of society, “the attractiveness of the Christian message”
about marriage and the family, giving answers that are true and full
of charity”, because “the world needs Christ”.
The full text in English of the
“Relatio ante disceptationem” can be consulted at:
http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2014/10/06/0712/03003.html
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