Little
more can be said about the forthcoming Synod if Cardinal Kasper’s reported words are
correct, i.e., that if the Synod does not change things there is no point in
having it. Such words indicate a predetermined outcome on the horizon, which does
not leave much room for the Holy Spirit to guide the proceedings and may even
extend to a resistance of the Holy Spirit. We can only pray that His presence and
guidance is irresistible to the participants.
We
have perhaps all have occasion to suspect a Parish Pastor or Diocesan Bishop of
calling a meeting simply to tick the box of consultation, but such consultation
and the programmes which follow are local and not geared towards alteration of the
Doctrine and/or discipline of the Universal Church. If a Roman Synod is being
called simply to tick the box of consultation, that is disreputable and
dangerous; disreputable because we are not talking about a pastoral or
administrative programme within a locality but of the universal discipline of
the most holy things on earth: the Sacraments; it is dangerous because it
exposes souls to the flaws of a human, emotion-led agenda.
If there
are participants coming to the Synod who are consciously seeking to alter the
constant practice of the Church and her teaching on the unacceptability of re-marriage,
they are going to bring the Synod dangerously close to putting souls in
jeopardy by seeking to allow them to live in conflict with Christ Who is Truth. Such participants would be rightfully
taking note of the emotional pain suffered by many and seeking to alleviate
that pain, but alleviate it by giving primacy in pastoral care to care of the emotions
rather than to care of the soul, and it is souls we must save.
I hope
directives that hold together both Truth believed and Truth lived can be discerned under the guidance of
the Holy Ghost; it is not impossible. But I suspect it could only be done by
reference to Internal Forum solutions where the invalidity of a marriage is
morally certain but cannot be publicly proven. Unfortunately, such solutions are
open to abuse by unscrupulous souls (people and pastors) which puts their souls
in danger, and in any case cannot be applied to same-sex pairings.
Good
people are indeed suffering much pain at being unable to receive the
sacraments, a pain which cannot leave any priest unmoved, but any directives
must hold together Truth believed and Truth lived; we cannot be allowed to live
contrary to the Truth. While we must not pre-judge what the Holy Ghost can do
at the Synod, or indeed the openness of the participants to hearing Him, that
they may come to the Synod with a predetermined outcome is disturbing since it
is the Ten Commandments, the pronouncement of Christ in the Gospel and the
constant teaching of the Church they will have to over-ride to facilitate an
outcome that is incompatible with the integrity of the most holy things on
earth -the sacraments. The eternal good of souls is at stake here, not simply
their happiness on earth.
Dear Father
ReplyDeleteYes indeed, that sense of a predetermined outcome is very troublesome.
It is heartening for us as lay people to be able to read the Church's teachings being so clearly articulated as you do here.
We live in strange times when Jesus Christ is being increasingly sidelined in His own Church.
God bless
Alan and Angeline
Thank you to both of you!
DeleteThere are many from top to bottom on the Church who hold to the Church's teaching and good pastoral care. They are not even so quick to be public, but they are there working away for the Lord anyway.
God bless.
"We have perhaps all have occasion to suspect a Parish Pastor or Diocesan Bishop of calling a meeting simply to tick the box of consultation"
ReplyDeleteTHE LILY
"The martyrs were bound, imprisoned, scourged, racked, burnt, rent, butchered —and they multiplied." St. Augustine
NO BURNING, TEARING
SCOURGING SKIN
IT'S PSYCHOLOGICAL
ALL WITHIN.
NO ROTTING FLESH
OR PUTRID BLOOD
IT'S STERILE, CLEAN
NO RANCID CRUD
FOR BUTCHERED,
TORTURED,BOUND UP SKINS
REVEALS THE TRUTHS
OF BISHOPS SINS.
THEY WANT IT NICE,
THEY WANT IT HUSHED,
WITH VEINS OF ICE
GOOD SOULS ARE CRUSHED.
THE SILENT COLD
IS BETTER YET
FROZEN, SOLID
CAN'T BEGET.
FOR MARTYRED BLOOD
REVEALS THE CHURCH,
BLIND SOULS SEE TRUTH
AND END THEIR SEARCH.
"WE CAN'T HAVE THAT!"
THE BISHOPS' SAY,
"SO LET'S IGNORE...
THEY'LL GO AWAY.
ENLIGHTENED MEN,
DON'T SCOURGE THE SKIN.
ENLIGHTENED MEN
KEEP BLOOD WITHIN."
BUT THEY FORGOT
THE WOMAN BLEEDS
AND MONTHLY MAKES
A BED FOR SEEDS
WHERE "NICE" AND "HUSHED"
THEY'LL GROW TO MEN
AND SEIZE THE OARS
FROM WRISTS THAT BEND...
ON PETER'S BARK
WHERE BLOOD STILL FLOWS
FROM WOMAN'S WOMB...
THE LILY GROWS!
Thank you for your comment.
DeleteWe are entering a new phase of martyrdom in the Church. Sadly, is is often enacted by those within it upon her most faithful and devoted members.
God Bless.
I love The Lily. I have read it over and over again. It is really good. Thank you for it.
DeleteThank you brandsma.
DeleteI think many more than just yourself have enjoyed the poem.
God Bless
If we're honest, it was never in the "bag". The whole approach, in my view, has been most unholy, unedifying - scandalous. The questionnaire read like it had its source in dissenting lobby groups, not the holy bishops whose duty it is to teach, govern and sanctify according to the deposit of Faith and morals.
ReplyDeleteThank you Lynda.
ReplyDeleteI agree. That a predetermined end was always sought is a most unholy act. The questionnaire gave an indication of this in that it seemed very heavily weighted towards getting the answers wanted by dissenting groups. But God is greater than them all in the end...
God bless.