Synod conference will face controversial family questions

It seems that Pope Francis wants to show the world that in within the modern Church, ‘mercy trumps rules’, writes Editor Michael Kelly

All eyes are on Pope Francis to see what response he will make to the Synod of Bishops process that has been addressing controversial challenges facing the family.

Since his election, Francis has breathed new life in to the Synod of Bishops which had been struggling for purpose for some time. In an unprecedented move, he asked the Vatican to engage with the world’s Catholics in a far-reaching consultation process. That initiative sought to find out the lived experiences of Catholics when it came to difficult Church teachings like the ban on artificial contraception, homosexuality and sex before marriage. The Pope also wanted the Church to realistically face the fact that many young Catholic couples now live together before being married and that many Catholics have experienced the pain of marital breakdown.

In Ireland, as in many other parts of the world, the consultation found that Church teaching was either poorly understood or poorly followed (and quite often both in tandem).

The job of bringing the voices of Irish Catholics to the Rome gathering of bishops fell to Primate of All-Ireland Eamon Martin and Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin.

Given that October’s synod meeting came just months after the Republic became the first jurisdiction in the world to pass same-sex marriage by way of a popular vote, it fell to the two prelates to interpret that move for Pope Francis and the other bishops.

The synod has contributed to a lively debate within the Church with people generally falling into two camps: on the one hand, there are those who think the widespread rejection of Church teaching means that the teaching should change to accommodate people. On the other hand, there are those who passionately believe that only a convinced presentation of Church teaching will lead people to embrace that same teaching.

Pope Francis, it appears, wants something of a via media whereby Church teaching will not change, but the way it is preached will change. In short, that mercy trumps rules.

The issues will be trashed out at a national conference later this month in Dublin organised by The Irish Catholic.

Primate of All-Ireland Archbishop Eamon Martin will give the keynote address concentrating on his experiences at the Synod of Bishops and what the deliberations mean for Ireland.

Columnists Nuala O’Loan, Breda O’Brien and David Quinn will look at the contemporary situation in Ireland and ask what the Church can do to support families and individuals in living the teaching. There will also be reflection on how the synod process might emerge as a model for dialogue within the Church in Ireland.

Columnist Bairbre Cahill will situate the process and the challenges facing Catholics families in a spiritual context and explore and reflect on the spirituality of a Catholic family in modern Ireland.

There will be plenty of opportunity for debate and dialogue and RTÉs Audrey Carville will chair a panel discussion exploring the key themes around the family and the challenges facing the Church in Ireland.

The Irish Catholic conference has become a regular feature in recent years and always proves to be a lively exchange of views from people coming from different perspectives with one thing in common: a love for the Church.

The all-day conference will take place in the Red Cow Hotel on Saturday January 30 and pre-booking is advised on www.irishcatholic.ie or by calling (01) 687.4095 (00 353 1 687.4095 from outside Republic) or emailing geraldine@irishcatholic.ie