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Catholic Bishops’ Consensus Reveals Their Rifts Catholic Bishops’ Consensus Reveals Their Rifts
(about 1 hour later)
VATICAN CITY — Any good compromise allows everyone to claim victory. And that is exactly what the document on family matters approved late Saturday by 270 bishops from around the world did. VATICAN CITY — Any good compromise allows everyone to claim victory. And that is exactly what the document on family matters approved late Saturday by 270 bishops from around the world did.
But the conflicting interpretations — witnessed in headlines and Catholic blogs in Italy and elsewhere on Sunday — underscored the contention and confusion that remains on issues like divorce, homosexuality and cohabitation for Catholics.But the conflicting interpretations — witnessed in headlines and Catholic blogs in Italy and elsewhere on Sunday — underscored the contention and confusion that remains on issues like divorce, homosexuality and cohabitation for Catholics.
Both conservative and liberal commentators and media outlets, deliberately or not, seemed to interpret the passages in a way that reinforced their views, raising the question of whether what the bishops billed as a consensus document may actually widen divisions over critical issues, rather than bridge them. Both conservative and liberal commentators and news outlets, deliberately or not, seemed to interpret the passages in a way that reinforced their views, raising the question of whether what the bishops had billed as a consensus document may widen divisions over critical issues, rather than bridge them.
The bishops’ final report to Pope Francis, each passage of which was voted on separately, amounts to their recommendations. Deliberately uncontroversial in controversial areas, the synod “achieved consensus through ambiguity,” the Rev. Thomas Reese wrote Saturday in The National Catholic Reporter. The bishops’ final report to Pope Francis amounts to their recommendations. Deliberately uncontroversial in controversial areas, the synod “achieved consensus through ambiguity,” the Rev. Thomas Reese wrote Saturday in The National Catholic Reporter. That ambiguity served to reassure bishops who feared change to Catholic doctrine that there would be no change at all, while giving those who wanted change the hope that the pope could act freely when he draws his conclusions from the synod.
That ambiguity served to reassure bishops who feared change to Catholic doctrine that there would be no change at all, while giving those who wanted change the hope that the pope could act freely when he draws his conclusions from the synod.
But the same ambiguity did less to bring clarity to the pressing family issues that some Catholics and their parish priests must deal with in their daily lives. It may even have added to the confusion, if Sunday’s headlines were anything to go by.But the same ambiguity did less to bring clarity to the pressing family issues that some Catholics and their parish priests must deal with in their daily lives. It may even have added to the confusion, if Sunday’s headlines were anything to go by.
Some Catholic commentators hailed the document as “a prudent opening to divorced remarried Catholics,” as the Rome daily La Repubblica wrote. Others noted that the bishops had built on the existing norms — in effect changing nothing. Some Catholic commentators hailed the document as “a prudent opening to divorced remarried Catholics,” as the Rome daily La Repubblica reported. Others noted that the bishops had built on the existing norms — in effect changing nothing.
“Synod report: Nothing new, merely reinforcing existing pastoral practices with an emphasis on helping with continual conversion,” wrote Brother Gabriel Mosher, a Dominican friar, on his Twitter account.“Synod report: Nothing new, merely reinforcing existing pastoral practices with an emphasis on helping with continual conversion,” wrote Brother Gabriel Mosher, a Dominican friar, on his Twitter account.
The best example of conflicting interpretations was, perhaps, on the issue of whether divorced Catholics who have remarried without an annulment could receive the sacrament of communion. If anything, the document indicated that the bishops were open to leaving the issue up to the “discernment” of local clergy to handle on a case-by-case basis. The best example of conflicting interpretations was, perhaps, on the issue of whether divorced Catholics who have remarried without an annulment could receive the sacrament of communion. If anything, the document indicated that the bishops were open to leaving the issue up to the “discernment” of local clergy on a case-by-case basis.
That was not the takeaway for many.That was not the takeaway for many.
A five-column, front-page headline Sunday in the Rome centrist daily Il Messaggero read: “Yes to communion to divorcees.” A front-page headline in the centrist Rome newspaper Il Messaggero read: “Yes to communion to divorcées.”
In its headline, Il Giornale, a conservative Italian newspaper, summed up the conclusions in four words: “Divorcees yes, gays no,” a reference to the bishops’ clear rejection of gay marriage. In its headline, the conservative newspaper Il Giornale summed up the conclusions in four words: “Divorcées yes, gays no,” a reference to the bishops’ clear rejection of same-sex marriage.
Some newspapers interpreted the synod, as the bishops’ assembly is called, as a body blow to the pope. “Bishops Hand Francis Defeat on Divorce Issue,” The Wall Street Journal said.Some newspapers interpreted the synod, as the bishops’ assembly is called, as a body blow to the pope. “Bishops Hand Francis Defeat on Divorce Issue,” The Wall Street Journal said.
The Spectator, a conservative British weekly, declared outright that “The Vatican Synod of the Family is over and the conservatives have won.” Gerard O’Connell, writing in the Jesuit magazine America, came to quite the opposite conclusion. Despite a strong push to close doors, the bishop’s document “has greatly strengthened the hand of Pope Francis in his effort to build a church” that is merciful and not judgmental, he wrote.
Not so for Gerard O’Connell, writing in America, who came to quite the opposite conclusion. Despite a strong push to close doors, the bishop’s document “has greatly strengthened the hand of Pope Francis in his effort to build a church” that is merciful and not judgmental, he wrote.
Others were simply disappointed. While an initial draft of the document last year suggested there could be greater opening toward gay Catholics, the final report this year did not expand on the church’s teaching that gays should be treated with respect.Others were simply disappointed. While an initial draft of the document last year suggested there could be greater opening toward gay Catholics, the final report this year did not expand on the church’s teaching that gays should be treated with respect.
It also confirmed that the Church did not consider same-sex unions to be part of “God’s plan for marriage and the family.” Marianne Duddy-Burke, executive director of DignityUSA, an organization of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Catholics, said the document was “deeply disappointing,” blocking “civil and moral equality for our community.”It also confirmed that the Church did not consider same-sex unions to be part of “God’s plan for marriage and the family.” Marianne Duddy-Burke, executive director of DignityUSA, an organization of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Catholics, said the document was “deeply disappointing,” blocking “civil and moral equality for our community.”
The widely diverging interpretations spoke to the Church’s concerted attempt to present a united front after intense deliberations that revealed profound divisions among the prelates. Though the discussions among the 270 bishops were held in private, signs of discontent emerged along with a tinge of intrigue and accusations of conspiracy against the pope.The widely diverging interpretations spoke to the Church’s concerted attempt to present a united front after intense deliberations that revealed profound divisions among the prelates. Though the discussions among the 270 bishops were held in private, signs of discontent emerged along with a tinge of intrigue and accusations of conspiracy against the pope.
The divisions that emerged from what the pope called the synod’s “lively and frank discussions,” raised the question among some commentators about “whether this was a healthy or destructive experience for Catholicism; whether it leaves the Church stronger or weaker, more energized or simply more fractured,” as John L. Allen Jr., associate editor of Crux, a Catholic website, put it. The divisions raised the question among some commentators about “whether this was a healthy or destructive experience for Catholicism; whether it leaves the Church stronger or weaker, more energized or simply more fractured,” as John L. Allen Jr., associate editor of Crux, a Catholic website, put it.
In his address to the bishops after the report was voted on Saturday evening, the pope acknowledged that the Catholic Church at the beginning of the 21st century, while united in faith, is hardly a homogeneous body. Those divisions emerged most clearly and deeply in the passages on divorced Catholics who later get civil marriages and are considered to be living in sin if their first marriage has not been annulled. Voting suggested that nearly one in three bishops still holds that the current teaching should not be changed.
“We have also seen that what seems normal for a bishop on one continent, is considered strange and almost scandalous for a bishop from another; what is considered a violation of a right in one society is an evident and inviolable rule in another; what for some is freedom of conscience is for others simply confusion,” he said. A section calling on the Church to better integrate divorced and remarried people, and to see whether some people can be included in elements of church life from which they are now excluded, was adopted by a vote of 187 to 72.
Those divisions emerged most clearly and deeply in the passages on divorced Catholics who later got civil marriages and who are considered to be living in sin if their first marriage has not been annulled by the Church. Voting suggested that one in three bishops still holds that the current teaching should not be changed. And another section delineating how the remarried Catholics might be more fully integrated into church life through a process of reflection and penitence with a priest barely made the necessary two-thirds majority, with a vote of 178 to 80. Receiving communion is not mentioned in either section, “because that was the only way the paragraphs could get a two-thirds majority,” Father Reese wrote in The National Catholic Reporter.
A section calling on the Church to better integrate divorced and remarried people into the Christian community, and to see whether some people can be included in elements of church life from which they are now excluded, was adopted by a vote of 187 to 72.
And another section delineating how the remarried Catholics might be more fully integrated into church life through a process of reflection and penitence with a priest barely made the necessary two-thirds majority, with a vote of 178 to 80. Receiving Communion is not mentioned in either section, “because that was the only way the paragraphs could get a two-thirds majority,” Father Reese wrote in The National Catholic Reporter.
The implication, however, is that the door is left open for people who had no options before, to at least initiate a “dialogue with a priest,” as the document states, which could lead to some form of fuller participation.The implication, however, is that the door is left open for people who had no options before, to at least initiate a “dialogue with a priest,” as the document states, which could lead to some form of fuller participation.
That notion of dialogue emerged in the pope’s homily on Sunday, at a Mass to mark the end of the synod. Jesus, he said, “wants to hear our needs. He wants to talk with each of us about our lives, our real situations, so that nothing is kept from him.” That notion of dialogue emerged in the pope’s homily on Sunday, at a Mass to observe the end of the synod. Jesus, he said, “wants to hear our needs.”
The pope also warned against the temptation of creating a “spirituality of illusion” in developing views of the world that do not consider reality. “A faith that does not know how to root itself in the life of people remains arid and, rather than oases, creates other deserts,” he said. Francis continued, “A faith that does not know how to root itself in the life of people remains arid and, rather than oases, creates other deserts.”