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The Synod in October will be on the family and the problems it faces; its riches and its current situation. I do not like the fact that many people, even within the Church, have said that it will be the Synod about remarried divorcees, as if it could simply be reduced to a case study: can they receive communion or not? The issue is much broader. Today, as we all know, the family is in crisis, and it is a global crisis. Young people no longer want to get married, or prefer simply to live together; marriage is in crisis, and therefore the family is too. The problem of family pastoral care is very broad. Pope Benedict said something about the family three times: it is necessary to study the faith with which a person approaches marriage and clarify that divorcees are not excommunicated, and very often they are treated as if they are.

Wait, so here was an opportunity to reiterate Church teaching and say "No, remarried divorcees can not receive communion" and he says, "This issue is much broader".

Gotcha.

For those of you who are "relieved" by his comments, you might re-think that.

For those of you who are "relieved" by his comments, you might re-think that.

Subscribing to pessimism seems to be the purview of traditionalist catholics. Attending traditionalist masses also excludes participants from the reality of life around them. Like you, I support traditional marriage and believe that communion should be denied those remarried without a church annulment. Looking at the "real world" around me, however, indicates that many catholics follow a more secularist lifestyle and are either ignorant of or dismiss church teachings. Let me cite an example from the small townhouse community where I reside.

We have several young 'families' on the block. One is a twice divorced (catholic) mother of two children (the youngest is 7) from different fathers. She has moved a new boyfriend into the 'nest'. Another 'family' consists of a divorced (catholic) dad, his 5 year old son (who attends catholic school) and his fiancee. Yet another is a blended (catholic) family of grandparents, children and grandchildren. These children all play together and often talk to me when I walk the dog. As young as they are, they all know the 'cast of characters' in each other's lives, right down to the proper terminology. None of them has ever experienced life in a traditional family. For them, this lifestyle is normal.

Pope Francis' commented: "The problem of family pastoral care is very broad." Judging from what I see around me, I totally concur. These families rarely attend mass yet consider themselves catholic. The pope and the synod must discuss the "reality" of contemporary society and the relativism that has contributed to it. This is not a cut and dry issue with a quick fix statement. Most catholic pastors are confronted with these blended catholic families and look to the Holy See for some guidelines on how to deal with these "real world" issues.

The catholics who attend the TLM, are those who understand and choose to practice the tenets of their faith. It is commensurate on them and us to pray for their brothers and sisters in the faith, who have lost their way. More importantly, your prayers are needed for the pope and the upcoming synod.