Michael Kelly
It seems that all shades of the Catholic world have descended on Rome this week, writes Michael Kelly
Being in Rome for the Synod of Bishops on the family is a wonderfully enriching experience, though it has its moments. It seems that all shades of the Catholic world have descended on Rome this week including extremes of the left and right.
At times, I feel like there are two – or perhaps three – parallel synods going on, and I am only attending one of them.
Take the case of self-described Catholic reform groups this week who are urging bishops at the synod to “follow Pope Francis’ way of dialogue and reform” and change the Church’s teaching on contraception and gay relationships.
Newsflash! Pope Francis has described the Church’s ban on artificial contraception as “prophetic” and, as recently as Sunday, strongly reaffirmed his opposition to same-sex marriage. But, sure, as the old saying goes, why spoil a good story with the truth?
At the other end, some of those on the extreme right have already dubbed this meeting the “Sodomy Synod” because of an eve-of-synod announcement by a priest in the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith that he has been living a double life with a gay partner who he intends to marry. He was immediately dismissed by the Vatican with some observers accusing the Holy See of homophobia without understanding the fact that it is his failure to live his promise of celibacy rather than his sexual orientation that is the issue.
Disappointed
Speaking with synod fathers, it’s obvious that the starting point is the same: fidelity to Church teaching. The problem is that such a head of steam has built up for radical reforms, people will inevitably be disappointed.
Perhaps, at a certain level, Pope Francis is asking more of us than we are capable of. He is asking Catholics – of all hues – to move beyond crude caricatures and simplistic-yet-unsatisfactory conclusions.
Pope Francis sees discernment as key: he warned the bishops this week that they are not a parliament or a senate, but they are shepherds on a journey together listening attentively to the Word of God. Perhaps where the fault line lies is what the Word of God is saying in a particular era.
I think that this year’s synod has to be understood in the context of two distinct hermeneutics.
On the one hand there are some bishops, likely the minority, who believe passionately that the Gospel must be read in the light of the world. On the other hand, there are those bishops who are convinced that the world must always be read in the light of the Gospel.
Pope Francis reminded the bishops this week that Church teaching has not been “changed by passing fads or popular opinions”.
This fact will not change, but what the bishops have to come to terms with and address is the equally true fact that many Catholics – including massgoing Catholics – do not understand or follow the Church’s teaching.
