Top Official of Synod on the Family Counters Conservatives' Arguments

Aleteia ^ | 1/29/15 | Diane Montagna

[marshmallow]

Cardinal Baldisseri joins the debate

ROME: Last week, the debate about next October’s Synod on the Family came into view once again as the Secretary General of the Synod, Cardinal Lorenzo Baldisseri, opened a three-day (January 22 -25) international conference of lay and family movements in Rome.

Cardinal Baldisseri called the 300 conference participants, representing 80 different organizations, to enter into the synod process by reflecting on the preparatory document, called the Lineamenta. The document contains the final report from last October’s preparatory assembly (the Extraordinary Synod of 2014), together with 46 questions intended to facilitate its reception and examine the themes treated in it.

The Secretary General of the Synod called participants to consider carefully how devoted Catholic families can help those who are not living the “fullness of Christian marriage.” The mission of the organizations assembled, he suggested, could be deepened by evangelization efforts to those in irregular marital situations. Caring for wounded families, he said, demands a search for courageous pastoral choices.

Following his presentation, Cardinal Baldisseri fielded questions. The first came from a representative from a Venezuelan-based family organization, who wished to remain anonymous. The representative’s question was more of a statement.

He expressed “concern” and “shock” over Cardinal Kasper’s proposal at last February’s Extraordinary Consistory of Cardinals, in which Cardinal Kasper argued that the Catholic Church ought to study the Eastern Orthodox Church’s allowance of divorce and remarriage. Cardinal Kasper speculated that divorced and civilly remarried Catholics might be allowed to receive the Holy Eucharist, after a penitential process in the Catholic Church.

Cardinal Baldisseri responded by saying, “We shouldn’t be shocked that there is a different position from the ‘common doctrine.’”

He cited the example of the many contrasting positions that were in evidence at Vatican II. “Therefore, there’s....

[ebb tide]

“Therefore, there’s no reason to be scandalized that there is a cardinal or a theologian saying something that’s different than the so-called ‘common doctrine.’ This doesn’t imply a going against. It means reflecting. Because dogma has its own evolution; that is a development, not a change.”

"Dogma has its own evolution"

The above is the cornerstone of Francis' papacy. May his reign be short.

[slapshot]

As a Jusuit, he is acutely aware of cash flow and revenue. Sacrifing 1900 years of doctrine pales in comparison to enhanced revenue. RCINC is the oldest most profitable multi national corporation on the planet.

[arthurus]

And soon the Eucharist will be a commemorated once or twice a year with grape juice and ritz crackers.

[defconw]

Apparently to make the outsiders understand, this is known as the campaign phase where each group will try to rally support for their POV. I received in my in box and entire magazine worth of materials relating to this topic from my old Diocese. It’s opposed to the opening remarks here. So stay tuned. It will be years before we have anything definitive.