Vatican synod holds line on gay marriage, but offers hope on communion for divorcees

[forest444]

Source: The Guardian

After a three-week marathon of Vatican talks on family issues, Roman Catholic bishops voted on a summary document which decided against overhauling the church’s teaching on gay Catholics but paved the way for greater openness towards divorcees.

Pope Francis described the Vatican summit as a way to “open up broader horizons, rising above conspiracy theories and blinkered viewpoints. It's about seeing these difficulties and uncertainties in the light of the Faith, carefully studying them and confronting them fearlessly, without burying our heads in the sand.”

A push for more welcoming language was evident, but the final text was by no means a triumph for progressives. There was, however, a greater openness towards Catholics who divorce and remarry outside the church, who under Vatican teachings are excluded from receiving communion. Bishops agreed divorcees must be “more integrated in Christian communities”.

The bishops also paved the way for clergy to decide whether to allow divorcees to participate fully in church life: “It is to be hoped that in the dioceses paths of discernment and involvement of these people will be promoted.”

The statements on remarried Catholics, however, lacked specificity, reflecting the difficulty of reaching consensus among the bishops, who voted paragraph-by-paragraph on a text that on Friday received 1,355 suggested changes. Although the clash of conservatives and progressives ran as an undercurrent through this year’s synod, perhaps the greatest challenge was marked by the hugely diverse experiences bishops have of family life.

Such splits may have played a role in Pope Francis calling for a “healthy decentralisation” of the church and the need for a “conversation of the papacy.”

Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/oct/24/vatican-synod-gays

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Pope Francis overcame vocal Opus Dei opposition to this one, obtaining a victory of 178 cardinals to 80.

It's a small step, of course - but very meaningful to the millions of Catholics worldwide who are separated/living separate lives but can't, or won't, divorce because of Church doctrine.

[NonMetro]

1. I'm Not Catholic Myself

But this does seem a very small step to me. I know divorced people can't take communion, but to be "more integrated"? It's hard to fathom what that means in practical terms.

[forest444]

4. It does sound like they´re hedging their bets.

I guess time will tell.

[Liberalagogo]

2. Sorry, not good enough...

Breaking News, Vatican...it's the 21st Century.

[forest444]

3. Sad, but true.

In Argentina (a fairly old-fashioned country), Pope Francis was thought of as a kind, but stodgy, conservative - only a little to the left of the most self-righteous Opus Dei freaks.

But in the Vatican, much of the curia thinks of him as a dangerous revolutionary (I understand some privately refer to him as Che Bergoglio). Qué será.