A high-level Vatican summit of nearly 200 of the world’s cardinal and bishops has released an interim report at the halfway point of their two-week meeting on how the Catholic Church can better meet the challenges of the modern family.
You can read the report in full, or “relatio,” here.
John Thavis, Vaticanista extraordinaire, calls it “an earthquake.” Read him here.
A briefing was also held today at the Vatican press office featuring Cardinal Chito Tagle of the Philippines; Italian Archbishop Bruno Forte; Cardinal Peter Erdo of Hungary; and Cardinal Ricardo Ezzati of Chile.
Here’s a look at what the participants and analysts are saying, in tweets:
https://twitter.com/HolySeePress/status/521618948224454656
Forte: homosexual unions have "rights that should be protected" and this is an "issue of civilisation and respect of those people"
— The Tablet (@The_Tablet) October 13, 2014
+Forte: fact that gay unions not equivalent to marriage doesn't justify any attempt to deny gay ppl their rights #synod14
— Austen Ivereigh (@austeni) October 13, 2014
#Synod14 relatio read by Erdo was criticized in the hall by fifteen bishop interventions mostly for the passage on gay couples. @Tornielli
— Fr. Kevin M. Cusick, LCDR (Ret.)🇻🇦 (@IntroiboAdAltar) October 13, 2014
+Forte: Discerning good elements in irregular marriages is matter of "intellectual honesty" and "pastoral charity"
— Catholic News Service Rome (@CatholicNewsSvc) October 13, 2014
Forte: we have been "vaccinated" on the danger of the media but journalists can offer important contribution #Synod14
— The Tablet (@The_Tablet) October 13, 2014
https://twitter.com/michaelbd/status/521633977321664513
Pro-family Catholics reject #Synod14 mid-way report, calling it ‘a betrayal’ http://t.co/CzCj9jw3NO @cnalive @crux @nwinfield @RorateCaeli
— Voice of the Family (@voice_of_family) October 13, 2014
https://twitter.com/HolySeePress/status/521632209934241792
.@CardinalChito: "I would be very careful labeling people" at #Synod. "Who is conservative/liberal? All bound by love for Christ & church."
— Catholic News Service Rome (@CatholicNewsSvc) October 13, 2014
https://twitter.com/michaelbd/status/521637061657657346
+Forte: Hope is that in coming yr, bishops listen to laity on themes raised at #Synod14. All must recognize dignity of their baptism
— Catholic News Service Rome (@CatholicNewsSvc) October 13, 2014
Forte: contribution of lay people at #Synod14 "decisive"
— The Tablet (@The_Tablet) October 13, 2014
Incredible. Cardinal Erdo says people who cannot receive the Eucharist should not come forward in communion line for a blessing.
— Robert Mickens (@robinrome) October 13, 2014
+Forte: "Natural law" essential for church understanding of morality, but no one outside church understand. Let's call it "law of creation"
— Catholic News Service Rome (@CatholicNewsSvc) October 13, 2014
Synod document could have been written by #PopeFrancis himself. Doctrine without mercy turns Gospel into just another ideology. #Synod14
— John Gehring (@gehringdc) October 13, 2014
Synod takes "a missionary stance, which starts w where people are &…encourage[s] them…to fullness of the Gospel of the Family" @austeni
— Kim Daniels (@KDaniels8) October 13, 2014
@CardinalChito says participants v struck by how "spirit of Vatican II" breathed thru #synod14: Church of mission, listening & dialoguing
— Austen Ivereigh (@austeni) October 13, 2014
.@CardinalChito says "Spirit of VaticanII" is "a church that is not self-absorbed, but listens and dialogues with the modern world"
— Catholic News Service Rome (@CatholicNewsSvc) October 13, 2014
@CardinalChito: spirit of Vatican II is about dialogue with the world. #Synod14 fathers felt they have had "a slice of it"
— The Tablet (@The_Tablet) October 13, 2014
Forte: talking of Orthodox approach to second marriages after a penitential path. Says #Synod14 considering this approach
— The Tablet (@The_Tablet) October 13, 2014
@CardinalChito: impact of poverty and destitution on whole fabric of family part of #Synod14 discussions
— The Tablet (@The_Tablet) October 13, 2014
At the halfway point of #Synod14, the most controversial issue is Communion for divorced and remarried Catholics http://t.co/NWPkOIWBPI
— Crux (@Crux) October 13, 2014
Erdo: we will have to see how things evolve in relation to further theological study on communion for divorced and remarried
— The Tablet (@The_Tablet) October 13, 2014
+Forte: Obviously #Synod14 discussion on divorced & remarried is to search for new possibilities
— Catholic News Service Rome (@CatholicNewsSvc) October 13, 2014
A stunning change in the way the church speaks about gay people. Synod document speaks of their "gifts" in parishes: http://t.co/t3dWC3Z8aN
— James Martin, SJ (@JamesMartinSJ) October 13, 2014
Kasper: 1 Burke: 0 #Synod14
— John Gehring (@gehringdc) October 13, 2014
Erdo: says important to stress dignity of person not defined by their sexual orientation.
— The Tablet (@The_Tablet) October 13, 2014
My post: Synod document offers new style of being church | National Catholic Reporter: http://t.co/gwE4hYxZJK via @NCRonline #synod14
— Thomas Reese, S.J. (@ThomasReeseSJ) October 13, 2014
Ezzati: the #Synod14 is listening, showing the Church's ability to be merciful and is searching for pastoral solutions and guidelines.
— Ines San Martin (@inesanma) October 13, 2014
Forte calls gradualism "one of the most beautiful things of this synod" for him. #Synod14
— Joshua McElwee (@joshjmcelwee) October 13, 2014
Forte also speaks of gradualism, saying church has to have patience "for the diversity and complexity of situations" people face. #Synod14
— Joshua McElwee (@joshjmcelwee) October 13, 2014
+Forte: Always risk, esp for those called to be teacher/prophet, to say "Yes" or "No," but "nothing's that easy" when dealing with family
— Catholic News Service Rome (@CatholicNewsSvc) October 13, 2014
Archbishop Forte says #Synod14 is being undertaken in spirit of Vatican II, to look with "a sympathy for the world."
— Joshua McElwee (@joshjmcelwee) October 13, 2014
Abp Forte: synod has reflected spirit of Vatican II, of Gaudium et Spes. Hearing joys and sufferings of our time. #synod14
— Austen Ivereigh (@austeni) October 13, 2014
Abp Forte also thanks for media for helping synod fathers to listen to HS. #Synod14
— Austen Ivereigh (@austeni) October 13, 2014
Lobardi: Synod next year will be October 4-25. It'll be called: "Vocation and mission of family in the Church and the contemporary world"
— Ines San Martin (@inesanma) October 13, 2014
Archbishop Forte: "difficult topics cannot be solved at once" #Synod14
— The Tablet (@The_Tablet) October 13, 2014
At briefing Cardinal Tagle @CardinalChito says he is going to be speaking in English "it is not a sin!?" #Synod14
— The Tablet (@The_Tablet) October 13, 2014
+Forte: "We must respect the dignity of every person; the fact of being homosexual doesn't mean this dignity shouldn't be respected"
— Catholic News Service Rome (@CatholicNewsSvc) October 13, 2014
Erdo: final synod text will not be a legal one, it will help bring about discussions. But "we must not cause confusion"
— The Tablet (@The_Tablet) October 13, 2014
The doc, says @CardinalChito, "is not to be considered a final document from the synod." "The drama continues." #Synod14
— Joshua McElwee (@joshjmcelwee) October 13, 2014
@CardinalChito says "the drama continues" at #Synod14
— The Tablet (@The_Tablet) October 13, 2014
+Forte: Most impt decisions of VatII matured not in council sessions, but during breaks, when bps were with their people
— Catholic News Service Rome (@CatholicNewsSvc) October 13, 2014
