Bridget Mary Meehan, ARCWP, www.arcwp.org |
http://ncronline.org/blogs/ncr-today/if-brother-why-not-sister-synod
VATICAN CITY
VATICAN CITY
"If a religious brother can be a voting member of the synod of bishops, why can't a religious sister?
This was the question I asked Br. Herve Janson who is the first voting member of the synod of bishops who is not a bishop or priest. He is the superior general of the Little Brothers of Jesus and was selected by the International Union of Superiors General to be one of their 10 representatives at the synod. All the rest are priests.
Theologically and canonically, he is are no different from the superior of a women's religious order, except for his gender. He is not a cleric. He is not ordained. As one of my Jesuit brothers used to say to people who thought all Jesuits are priests, "think of me as a male nun."
So how exactly did Br. Janson get in? What is the rationale for his being admitted to the synod and for women religious not being admitted to the synod?... "
“The Synod experience … made us better realize that the true defenders of doctrine are not those who uphold its letter, but its spirit; not ideas but people; not formulae but the gratuitousness of God’s love and forgiveness,” the pontiff told the bishops.“This is in no way to detract from the importance of formulae, laws and divine commandments, but rather to exalt the greatness of the true God, who does not treat us according to our merits or even according to our works but solely according to the boundless generosity of his Mercy,” said the pope.The contested paragraph in the final document on remarried persons that received 178 votes also quotes at length Pope John Paul II’s 1981 encyclical Familiaris Consortio, saying that document means it is “the work of priests to accompany interested persons in the way of discernment according to the teaching of the Church and the directions of the Bishop.”It proposes that divorced and remarried persons make an examination of conscience, asking how they have treated any children they may have had in their first marriages, if they attempted to reconcile with their partners, and what example they are giving to young people preparing for marriage.“A sincere reflection can reinforce the truth in the mercy of God that is not denied to anyone,” it states. An earlier paragraph calls for the integration of divorced and remarried persons into the church community, but states such inclusion must be made "avoiding every occasion of scandal.""They are baptized, they are brothers and sisters, the Holy Spirit pours out in them gifts and charisms for the good of all," states that paragraph of remarried persons. "Their participation can express itself in various ecclesial needs.""This integration is necessary surely for the care and Christian education of their children, who must be considered the most important," it continues. "For the Christian community, taking care of these persons is not a weakness of our faith and of our witness regarding the indissolubility of marriage; in fact, the church expresses exactly in this care its love."
Press Statement 25th October
2015
‘Final Synod Report a serious setback for Pope Francis’
‘We are Church Ireland’
is very disappointed with the final report by Catholic Bishops meeting in
Rome over the past three weeks on the issue of the family in contemporary
society.
The report ‘s 94 paragraphs
indicate that the majority of the voting Bishops do not favour change either in
the teaching or discipline of the Church especially in relation to gay and
lesbian people and communion for the divorced and remarried. The position of
the role of women in significant roles in the Church did not appear in this
final document.
Cardinal Schoenborn of Vienna
spoke at the presentation of the report that the issue ‘of homosexuality was
too delicate a theme ‘ to be addressed especially after the most powerful
African Churchman, Cardinal Sarah , compared’ gender ideology and ISIS as two
Apocalyptic beasts ‘ and having ‘demonic origins’.
Voting sheets show that the
three articles dealing with the divorced and remarried were the most contentious
and barely made the 2/3 majority to make it to the final report.
However the language in these
articles is ambiguous and the shadow of St. John Paul was clearly evident in
this final text .
While it reiterated his 1981
teaching on marriage (‘Familiaris Consortio’ ) it omitted the sentence where
communion for the divorced and remarried is forbidden.
Pope Francis was also
disappointed judging from his final comments directed at the more conservative
bishops when he stated that
‘the Synod had laid bare
the closed hearts which frequently hide even behind the Church’s teaching or
good intentions in order to sit on the chair of Moses and judge with
superiority and superficiality difficult cases and wounded families’.
It is now down to Pope Francis
to act and exercise leadership.
It seems he is intimating that
he will do so as a week ago he stated :
‘The synod journey
culminates in listening to the Bishop of Rome called to speak authoritatively as
the Pastor and Teacher of all Christians.’
‘ ‘We are Church
Ireland’ hopes that Pope Francis will
indeed exercise this authoritative role in favour of those who remain
marginalised at the peripheries of the Catholic Church , gay and Lesbian people
,the divorced and remarried and the position and the recognition of the dignity
of women ‘ stated Brendan Butler , We are Church spokesperson. 086
4054984
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