Weighing official communications about a Synod – unofficial sources are usually known quantities with greater or lesser degrees of reliability – has always been a guessing game. The past few synods on the family took guessing to a whole new level as various intermediaries in various languages with various agendas (not always Catholic) tried to put their mark on each day’s proceedings, often with little connection to what the bishops had actually discussed.
Yesterday, day one of the Synod on Young People, there was – after some back and forth – no official briefing.
But there were two major texts from Pope Francis, which lay out his hopes for the next four weeks – and the future of the Church. Francis’ language is notoriously ambiguous, and, even when you get the large lines of what he’s saying, he’s never easy to interpret. But his homily at the inaugural Mass and his Opening Address to the synod participants are of interest for what they say – and don’t say.
Two-third of Americans have lost confidence in Pope Francis, according to recent surveys, because of his handling of the abuse crisis. And many traditional Catholics have, unfortunately, become skeptical about almost anything he says. It’s worth the effort, however, to understand at least what he said yesterday that he’s hoping to achieve.
