by Pete Baklinski Thu Jan 28, 2016 – 12:41 pm
(LifeSiteNews) — A much anticipated document written by Pope Francis that some think could chart the future course of the barque of Peter through the waters of sexuality, marriage, and family is set to be released this coming March. Continue reading Pope Francis to release much anticipated Synod on the Family exhortation in March
November 16, 2015
Two European bishops’ conferences and prominent Vatican observers are highlighting the significance of a recent article by one of Pope Francis’ closest confidants interpreting the Synod’s final report to allow Communion to “remarried” divorcees. They say the author’s interpretation signals the path Pope Francis will adopt himself.
In a recent article, papal friend and adviser Father Antonio Spadaro, S.J., editor of La Civiltà Cattolica, declares that the recent Synod of Bishops on the Family opened the door for the “remarried” divorcees to possibly have access to Holy Communion. Continue reading Papal confidant signals Pope Francis will allow Communion for the ‘remarried’
RORATE EXCLUSIVE: Bishop Athanasius Schneider reaction to Synod
We want to express our heartfelt gratitude to His Excellency for taking the time to analyze and express his views on one of the most critical events in Church history — one that he too sees as a “back door” to Holy Communion for adulterers, a rejection of Christ’s teaching and a Final Report full of “time bombs.”
In the coming days, we will also publish an interview with His Excellency, on a wide range of topics. For now, we bring you this important work, exclusively for our readers.
A back door to a Neo-Mosaic practice in the Final Report of the Synod Continue reading Door to communion for divorced & remarried officially kicked open
With yesterday’s retirement of Bishop Joachim Reinelt the Berlin Church Province is close to completing a significant generational shift. For the first time since the province, which consists of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Berlin and the Dioceses of Görlitz and Dresden-Meiβen, was established in its modern form in 1994*, a new generation of bishops is set to take over.
In July 2010, the bishop of Görlitz, Konrad Zdarsa, was moved to Augsburg, and he can be considered something of a transitional bishop, having helmed Görlitz for only three years. His predecessor, Bishop Rudolf Müller, had been Görlitz’s chief shepherd for almost 20 years. In June of last year, Bishop Wolfgang Ipolt became the new bishop.
In February of last year, Georg Cardinal Sterzinsky retired as Archbishop of Berlin, making way for Rainer Maria Woelki to become the youngest member of the College of Cardinals as of three days ago.
And…
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Big day in Berlin today, as Archbishop Heiner Koch is installed as its third archbishop and tenth bishop overall. The installation, starting at 11 o’clock local time, will be streamed live via www.katholisch.de and www.domradio.de.
Opening the ceremony is Bishop Wolfgang Ipolt, bishop of Görlitz, as he is the senior bishop of the province composed of Berlin and its two suffragan dioceses, Görlitz and Dresden-Meißen. With that latter see vacant, he is also the only bishop available to do that job. Bishop Görlitz will lead the archbishop to his cathedra, after which the latter officially take possession of it.
Archbishop Koch will also be receiving his pallium from the Apostolic Nuncio during the installation Mass. It had already been granted and collected by him on 29 June, but as the woollen band denoting his office of metropolitan archbishop is now officially bestowed in the home dioceses, each of these…
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With the appointment of Bishop Heiner Koch to Berlin, the German capital has an archbishop again after an almost eleven-month vacancy. He leaves the Diocese of Dresden-Meißen, a suffragan of Berlin, vacant after less than two-and-a-half years, making it on of two empty sees in Germany, the other being Limburg.
Who is Archbishop-elect Heiner Koch? Like his predecessor in Berlin, Cardinal Woelki, he was born in the Archdiocese of Cologne, in Düsseldorf. He is less than a week away from his 61st birthday, has been a priest for 35 years (he was ordained on his 26th birthday in 1980) and a bishop for nine years. He is the third archbishop of Berlin, but the tenth ordinary since Berlin became a diocese in 1930. Six of his predecessors were made cardinals.
The new archbishop studied Catholic theology, philosophy and pedagogy at the University of Bonn and is a Doctor of Theology. After his…
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The president of the German Bishops’ Conference, Cardinal Reinhard Marx, has made some comments about the upcoming second session of the Synod on the family, as the bishops of Germany are discussing the topic in their spring plenary in Hildesheim. While the full text of his words has not been published, we have to make do with interpretations, which is always risky business. Cardinal Marx, speaking for the conference as a whole, has rightly said that we should not reduce the Synod to the question of divorced and remarried Catholics, but of course that does happen, especially when the bishops explain their own intentions on this topic.
About the role of Rome in the pastoral realities of the local churches, Cardinal Marx said the following:
“We are not a subsidiary of Rome. Every bishops’ conference is responsible for the pastoral care in their area and has to proclaim the Gospel in…
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Earlier today we had a short Synod intervention from Cardinal Danneels, and now one of the longest, from Cardinal Reinhard Marx. It’s also one of the most fearless, as the German cardinal talks about some of the topics that he has been criticised heavily for: Communion for divorced and remarried Catholics and graduality.
Like the intervention of Bishop Bode, Cardinal Marx’s text is based heavily on the life experiences of the faithful concerned. And while it is essential for the Church to meet people where they are, I do miss the essential aspect of our faith: that is a revelation faith. Its foundation is objective truth, and while the way we relate to that truth, communicate it and help people achieve it (acknowledged by Cardinal Marx as he discusses our call to holiness) can and should vary according to circumstances, that truth does and can not. In the debate about…
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In his blog, Bishop Jan Hendriks speaks about the headline topic of the Synod of Bishops that was concluded this weekend. Rather than limiting the question to whether divorced and remarried Catholics should receive Communion, Bishop Hendriks identifies the greater problem of receiving without due preparation or even awareness. Communion, he says, has become a social event:
“In the media and the discussions outside the Synod much emphasis was given to divorced people who had remarried and the conditions under which they could perhaps receive Holy Communion. Beforehand, the Pope had already repeatedly stated that this was not the most important issue and certainly not the panacea for all problems. There is, however, a problem to such an extent that, certainly in our western society, everyone goes to receive Communion, without the necessary preparation: without faith in the Eucharist, without remorse over sins, without Confession, without the desire to follow Christ and…
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24/10/2015 19:27 (Vatican Radio)
On Saturday evening the Synod on the Family came to a close when the Synod Fathers voted paragraph by paragraph on the final text. At the end of the vote the text was presented to the Holy Father. Continue reading Pope Francis addresses Synod of Bishops at conclusion
24/10/2015 17:29 (Vatican Radio)
The Synod of Bishops on the Family completed its final working day on Saturday, as bishops voted on a final document and approved a statement on families affected by conflicts in the Middle East, Africa and Ukraine. Continue reading Synod’s final document focuses on discernment in family life
“It is not black and white,” Cardinal Christoph Schonborn said on Saturday at the last of the daily briefings of the Synod on the Family.Also present with him at the briefing were Brazilian Cardinal, Raymundo Damasceno, and the Prior General of the Little Brothers of Jesus, Hervé Janson, – the only lay delegate at the Synod with the right to vote.
Listen to the report by Fr. Russell Pollitt, SJ: Continue reading Synod on the Family: Press Briefing Day 17
Vatican City, 24 October 2015 (VIS) – This morning Bishop Mario Iceta Gavicagogeascoa pronounced the final meditation before the Synod Fathers participating in the 14th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops on the Family, which will close tomorrow, Sunday 25 October, with a solemn Mass to be celebrated by the Holy Father in St. Peter’s Basilica. Continue reading Synod: an experience of grace, communion, collegiality and service, says the bishop of Bilbao
Vatican City, 24 October 2015 (VIS) – During this morning’s General Congregation, during Vespers for the conclusion of the Synod, the Synod Fathers launched a new appeal for peace and the resolution of conflicts in the Middle East, Africa and Ukraine, asking the international Community to act via diplomatic channels and to engage in dialogue to end the suffering of thousands of people. Continue reading Declaration of the Synod of Bishops on the situation in the Middle East, Africa and Ukraine
23/10/2015 17:18 (Vatican Radio)
How far has the Irish Church come in responding to the challenges facing families today? What have its leaders learnt from the same-sex marriage referendum earlier this year? What response are they continuing to provide for families devastated by clerical abuse? Continue reading Irish Church must respond better to challenges of family life
23/10/2015 16:20 (Vatican Radio) With just two days to go until the end of the Synod of Bishops on the Family, participants on Friday gave their reactions to a draft of the final document which is now being fine-tuned and will be voted on by the bishops on Saturday. Continue reading Synod of bishops fine-tuning final document on family life
Vatican City, 23 October 2015 (VIS) – An appeal for mercy concluded the Czech bishop Jan Vokal’s brief reflection with which he opened the General Congregation of the Synod of Bishops on the family this morning. Continue reading Bishop Jan Vokal reminds the Synod of St. John Paul II’s invitation to mercy
2015-10-22 (Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has announced he has established a new Dicastery dedicated to Laity, Family and Life. Continue reading Pope Francis announces the establishment of a new Dicastery
2015-10-22
The Synod Fathers have been working through a document[Instrumentum laboris] in small groups[Circoli Minori], based on language, in order to respond to the the challenges facing the family today. These sessions have now concluded and each of the three separate reports, with each of the different language contributions, are listed below. Continue reading SYNOD – Congregazione generale Relazioni dei Circoli minori sulla prima; seconda;terza parte dell’Instrumentum laboris -PDF documents [ALL] languages
Vatican City, 21 October 2015 (VIS) – On Monday and Tuesday this week the Synod Fathers examined the third part of the Instrumentum Laboris, which deals with, among other themes, irregular family situations, admission of divorced and remarried faithful to communion, the pastoral care of homosexuals, and responsible parenthood. Continue reading The Circuli Minori conclude their examination of the Instrumentum Laboris
Vatican City, October 2015 (VIS) – The role of the woman in the family, in society and in the Church, cultural differences, concerns regarding ethics in medicine, the situation of persecuted Christian families and the testimonies of those engaged in family catechesis were main themes of the interventions by auditors in the Synod Hall during the general congregations of Thursday 15 and Friday 16 October, published today. Continue reading Listen to women, say auditors to Synod Fathers
The last big contribution of the German language group, their commentary on the third part of the Instrumentum laboris. There are several interesting elements in it, to begin with the first paragraph in which the Synod fathers strongly criticise the comments of some of their colleagues about what happens in the deliberations. They also criticise a too-strict application of the rules, and especially the language used in doing so.
Despite the expectations of some, the group also comes out strong in defence of the family and magisterial documents sich as Humanae vitae and Familiaris consortio.
The most difficult topic is left until last: the question of allowing divorced and civilly remarried faithful access to the sacraments? The German language group seems to be in favour of it, but also emphasises that this is a decision that needs to be made in the internal forum, in conversation between the…
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2015-10-21 (Vatican Radio) “It is my hope that the Synod will be one that leaves us with open doors, not closed ones,” said Cardinal Reinhard Marx of Germany at the daily press briefing for the Synod on the Family. Marx was present with Cardinal Daniel Sturla Berhouet of Uruguay, and Archbishop Eamon Martin of Ireland. The prelates spoke about their experience of the Synod and then answered questions. Continue reading Synod on the Family: Press Briefing Day 14
21/10/2015 12:46 (Vatican Radio)
Participants at the Synod on the Family have concluded their small group work and presented the results of their discussions on the third and final part of the working document, dedicated to ‘The Mission of the Family today’. On Wednesday members of a special committee are drawing together the recommendations of all the small groups into a final document which will be presented and voted on by Synod Fathers on Saturday. Continue reading Synod’s small groups seek consensus amid diverging visions
21/10/2015 12:10 (Vatican Radio)
Pope Francis held his weekly General Audience this Wednesday in St. Peter’s Square. In his remarks to the faithful gathered in the Square, Pope Francis returned to the theme of the family, and specifically to the promises a man and a woman make to each other when they form a family in marriage. Continue reading Pope Francis: keep our word, heal our families, save the world
2015-10-20 (Vatican Radio) Cardinal Wilfrid Napier of South Africa cautioned against using “politically correct language” at the daily press briefing for the Synod on the Family on Tuesday. Napier was a guest together with Cardinals Luis Martinez Sistach of Spain and Alberto Suarez Inda of Mexico. Continue reading Synod on the Family: Press Briefing Day 13
Vatican City, 19 October 2015 (VIS) – On the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the institution of the Synod of Bishops, the Holy Father addressed the Synod Fathers in the Vatican’s Paul VI Hall. An introduction was given by Cardinal Lorenzo Baldisseri, and the president of the Episcopal Conference of Austria and cardinal archbishop of Vienna Christoph Schonborn pronounced a commemorative discourse.
Continue reading The Synod: walking together
Bishop Peter Doyle of Northampton – RV
19/10/2015 12:46 (Vatican Radio)
The Synod of Bishops on the family moves into its third and final week on Monday with participants meeting in small language groups to discuss further changes they’d like to see in the concluding document. Continue reading Synod Bishops building bridges between truth and mercy
Pope Francis marks the 50th anniversary of the institution of the Synod of Bishops as a permanent body, Oct 17th, 2015 – AFP
17/10/2015 12:49 (Vatican Radio)
Pope Francis on Saturday morning marked the 50th anniversary of the institution of the Synod of Bishops as a permanent body. Continue reading Pope Francis marks 50th anniversary of Synod’s institution
16/10/2015 17:06
(Vatican Radio) For a meeting entitled ‘The vocation and mission of the family in the church and the modern world’, it may come as a surprise to hear that Friday, at the end of the second week, was the first opportunity for the protagonists themselves to address the full assembly from the coalface of family life.
Continue reading Women at Synod of Bishops call for their voices to be heard
The Loud Cry 
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