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Catholic church must listen to beat of this age, Pope Francis tells bishops Catholic church must listen to beat of this age, Pope Francis tells bishops
(about 2 hours later)
Pope Francis urged Catholic bishops gathered in Rome to listen hard to the “beat of this age” as he opened a landmark assembly that liberals hope will spark reform of some of the church’s entrenched stances on marriage, sex and divorce.Pope Francis urged Catholic bishops gathered in Rome to listen hard to the “beat of this age” as he opened a landmark assembly that liberals hope will spark reform of some of the church’s entrenched stances on marriage, sex and divorce.
Almost 200 bishops from five continents have descended on the Vatican for a fortnight-long extraordinary session of the synod of bishops – the first in nearly 30 years – which Francis has devoted to tackling the church’s attitude towards the modern family.Almost 200 bishops from five continents have descended on the Vatican for a fortnight-long extraordinary session of the synod of bishops – the first in nearly 30 years – which Francis has devoted to tackling the church’s attitude towards the modern family.
In a homily before the bishops in St Peter’s Basilica on Sunday, Francis called on the prelates to avoid intellectual one-upmanship at the synod and instead work creatively to establish how the church can take into consideration the realities of Catholics’ lives.In a homily before the bishops in St Peter’s Basilica on Sunday, Francis called on the prelates to avoid intellectual one-upmanship at the synod and instead work creatively to establish how the church can take into consideration the realities of Catholics’ lives.
“Synod gatherings are not meant to discuss beautiful and clever ideas, or to see who is more intelligent,” he said, in remarks interpreted by some as a criticism of cardinals who have been publicly sparring with each other in recent weeks over whether remarried divorcees should be allowed Holy Communion.“Synod gatherings are not meant to discuss beautiful and clever ideas, or to see who is more intelligent,” he said, in remarks interpreted by some as a criticism of cardinals who have been publicly sparring with each other in recent weeks over whether remarried divorcees should be allowed Holy Communion.
At a prayer vigil on Saturday evening, Francis said that only by paying close attention and understanding real people’s lives would the church earn credibility on issues which he did not name but which are thought to include cohabitation, second marriages and gay relationships.At a prayer vigil on Saturday evening, Francis said that only by paying close attention and understanding real people’s lives would the church earn credibility on issues which he did not name but which are thought to include cohabitation, second marriages and gay relationships.
“We must lend our ears to the beat of this era and detect the scent of people today, so as to be permeated by their joys and hopes, by their sadness and distress, at which time we will know how to propose the good news of the family with credibility,” he said in his address, heard by tens of thousands of people in St Peter’s Square.“We must lend our ears to the beat of this era and detect the scent of people today, so as to be permeated by their joys and hopes, by their sadness and distress, at which time we will know how to propose the good news of the family with credibility,” he said in his address, heard by tens of thousands of people in St Peter’s Square.
Since his election last March, the reform-minded Argentinian pope has repeatedly made clear his irritation with priests and prelates who focus on “small-minded rules” at the expense of human beings grappling with real-life dilemmas. He has even warned that unless the church finds a new balance between adherence to doctrine and pastoral care, “the moral edifice of the church is likely to fall like a house of cards”. The scope of the synod’s likely consequences is limited: the church is not, for instance, going to endorse gay marriage or abortion. But since his election last March, the reform-minded Argentinian pope has repeatedly made clear his irritation with priests and prelates who focus on “small-minded rules” at the expense of human beings grappling with real-life dilemmas. He has even warned that unless the church finds a new balance between adherence to doctrine and pastoral care, “the moral edifice of the church is likely to fall like a house of cards”.
Subjects ranging from artificial birth control to the baptism of gay couples’ children could be discussed at the synod. But the particularly thorny issue concerning remarried divorcees has dominated debate in recent months, with a phalanx of conservative cardinals including Gerard Ludwig Müller, prefect of the powerful congregation for the doctrine of the faith, vehemently opposing a loosening of the rules proposed by their German counterpart Walter Kaspar.Subjects ranging from artificial birth control to the baptism of gay couples’ children could be discussed at the synod. But the particularly thorny issue concerning remarried divorcees has dominated debate in recent months, with a phalanx of conservative cardinals including Gerard Ludwig Müller, prefect of the powerful congregation for the doctrine of the faith, vehemently opposing a loosening of the rules proposed by their German counterpart Walter Kaspar.
Kaspar advocates a more merciful church. His theology has been singled out and praised by the pope.Kaspar advocates a more merciful church. His theology has been singled out and praised by the pope.
No one expects answers to emerge fully formed from this synod, Francis’s first, which the church says is part of a process of discussion and “discernment” that he hopes will continue for at least another year, when another gathering will be held.No one expects answers to emerge fully formed from this synod, Francis’s first, which the church says is part of a process of discussion and “discernment” that he hopes will continue for at least another year, when another gathering will be held.
Arthur Roche, former bishop of Leeds and secretary of the congregation for divine worship, said that despite expectations running high around the world it was “impossible to say at this stage” what to expect from this month’s gathering.Arthur Roche, former bishop of Leeds and secretary of the congregation for divine worship, said that despite expectations running high around the world it was “impossible to say at this stage” what to expect from this month’s gathering.
Elisabetta Piqué, an Argentinian journalist for La Nación newspaper who has known Francis for more than a decade, said the pope, 77, hoped that a free and open discussion would prompt bishops to think outside the box in an attempt to find new approaches to pastoral care.Elisabetta Piqué, an Argentinian journalist for La Nación newspaper who has known Francis for more than a decade, said the pope, 77, hoped that a free and open discussion would prompt bishops to think outside the box in an attempt to find new approaches to pastoral care.
“Pope Francis is one who has always looked at the real world and the lives of ordinary people in different situations,” she said. “For him there are no taboo questions.”“Pope Francis is one who has always looked at the real world and the lives of ordinary people in different situations,” she said. “For him there are no taboo questions.”
After a consultation of Catholics worldwide last year found that large numbers did not adhere to church teachings on certain issues, “he is now asking the bishops in this synod to open their eyes and ears”, said Piqué, author of a new papal biography, Pope Francis: Life and Revolution.After a consultation of Catholics worldwide last year found that large numbers did not adhere to church teachings on certain issues, “he is now asking the bishops in this synod to open their eyes and ears”, said Piqué, author of a new papal biography, Pope Francis: Life and Revolution.
“He wants them to ask how best the church can accompany people without abandoning the teachings of Jesus. He wants a free, open discussion, like happened at the second Vatican council. Some cardinals and bishops are saying the answers are there already [and] there’s no need to discuss certain questions but I think that is not how the pope really sees it.“He wants them to ask how best the church can accompany people without abandoning the teachings of Jesus. He wants a free, open discussion, like happened at the second Vatican council. Some cardinals and bishops are saying the answers are there already [and] there’s no need to discuss certain questions but I think that is not how the pope really sees it.
“He wants them to think outside the box, to see if there may be other approaches to questions like the divorced and remarried that have not been explored up to now. But for him this question is only one of several important ones, though some tend to see it as the only question on the table.”“He wants them to think outside the box, to see if there may be other approaches to questions like the divorced and remarried that have not been explored up to now. But for him this question is only one of several important ones, though some tend to see it as the only question on the table.”