SYNOD OF BISHOPS: On the Family
________________________________________________________
III EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL ASSEMBLY
THE PASTORAL CHALLENGES
OF THE FAMILY IN THE CONTEXT OF EVANGELIZATION
INSTRUMENTUM LABORIS
VATICAN CITY
2014
Table of Contents
Part I
Communicating the Gospel of the Family in Today’s World
The Biblical Teaching on the
Family (1-3)
The Family in the Documents of the Church (4-7)
Chapter II
The Knowledge and Acceptance of the Teachings on Marriage and the Family from Sacred Scripture and Church Documents (8)
The Knowledge of the Bible on the
Family (9-10)
The Knowledge of the Documents of the Magisterium (11) The Necessity of Properly Prepared Clergy and Ministers (12) A Diversified Acceptance of Church Teaching (13-14) Some Reasons for the Difficulty in Acceptance (15-16) Fostering a Greater Knowledge of the Magisterium (17-19)
Chapter III
The Gospel of the Family and the Natural Law
The Relation of the Gospel of
the Family to
the Natural Law (20)
Present-Day Problems Related to the Natural Law (21-26) Practical Objections to the Natural Law concerning the Union between a Man and a Woman (27-29) A Call for a Renewal in Terms of Language (30)
Chapter IV
The Family and Vocation of the Person in Christ
The Family, the Person and Society (31-34)
In the Image of Trinitarian Life (35) The Holy Family of Nazareth and Learning to Love (36-38) The Differences, Reciprocity and Manner of Living as a Family (39-42) The Family and the Integral Development of a Person (43-44) Guidance in the Renewed Desire to Marry and Form a Family and the Related Crises (45-48) Ongoing Formation (49)
Chapter I
The Pastoral Program for the Family: Various Proposals Underway
The Responsibility of Bishops and
the Clergy and the Charismatic Gifts in the Pastoral Care of the Family (50)
Marriage Preparation (51-56) Popular Piety and a Familial Spirituality (57) Support for a Familial Spirituality (58) Testimony on Behalf of the Beauty of the Family (59-60)
Chapter II
The Pastoral Challenges of the Family (61)
a) The Crisis of Faith and Family
Life
Pastoral Action in the Crisis of
Faith (62-63)
b) Critical Situations within the
Family
Difficulty in Relationships /
Communication (64)
The Break-Up and Breakdown of Families (65) Violence and Abuse (66-67) Dependence, the Media and the Social Network (68-69)
c) External Pressures on the Family
The Impact of Work on the Family (70-71)
Migration and the Family (72) Poverty and the Struggle for Subsistence (73) Consumerism and Individualism (74) Counter-Witness in the Church (75)
d) Special Situations
The Weight of Societal
Expectations on the Individual (76)
The Impact of Wars (77) Disparity of Cult (78) Other Critical Situations (79)
Chapter III
Difficult Pastoral Situations
a) Situations in Families (80)
Cohabitation (81-82)
De facto unions (83-85) Persons Separated, Divorced and Divorced and Remarried (86) Children and Those Who Are Alone (87) Teen Mothers (88) Situations of Canonical Irregularity (89-92) Concerning the Reception of the Sacraments (93-95) Other Requests (96) Concerning Separated and Divorced Persons (97) Streamlining the Processing of Marriage Cases (98-102) Pastoral Care in Difficult Situations (103-104) The Request for Marriage by Non-Practicing Catholics and Unbelievers (105-109)
b) Concerning Unions of Persons of
the Same Sex
Civil Recognition (110-112)
An Evaluation of the Particular Churches (113-115) Some Pastoral Guidelines (116-119) The Transmission of the Faith to Children in Same Sex Unions (120)
Part III
An Openness to Life and Parental Responsibility in Upbringing
Chapter I
The Pastoral Challenges concerning an Openness to Life (121-122)
Knowledge and Acceptance of the
Magisterium concerning a Mentality of an Openness to Life (123-125)
Some Causes of Difficulty in Acceptance (126-127) Pastoral Recommendations (128) Concerning Sacramental Practice (129) Promoting a Mentality of an Openness to Life (130-131)
Chapter II
The Church and the Family in the Challenge of Upbringing
a) The Challenge of Upbringing in
General
The Challenge of Upbringing and
the Family Today (132)
The Transmission of the Faith and Christian Initiation (133-134) Some Specific Difficulties (135-137)
b) Christian Education in
Difficult Family Situations (138)
An Overview of the Situation of
Upbringing (139-140)
Requests Addressed to the Church (141-145) The Response of the Particular Churches (146-150) The Time and Manner of the Christian Initiation of Children (151-152) Some Specific Difficulties (153) Some Pastoral Guidelines (154-157)
Conclusion (158-159)
CCC Catechism of the Catholic
Church
CDF Congregation
for the Doctrine of the Faith
ITC International
Theological Commission
CV Caritas
in Veritate Encyclical Letter of Pope
Benedict XVI (29 June 2009)
DCE Deus
Caritas Est Encyclical Letter of Pope Benedict
XVI (25 December 2005)
DV Dei
Verbum, Dogmatic Constitution on Divine
Revelation, Second Vatican Ecumenical Council
EG Evangelii
Gaudium Apostolic Exhortation of
Pope Francis (24 November 2013)
FC Familiaris
Consortio Apostolic Exhortation of Pope St. John Paul II (22
November 1981)
GS Gaudium
et Spes, Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, Second
Vatican Ecumenical Council
HV Humanae
Vitae Encyclical Letter of Pope
Paul VI (25 July 1968)
LF Lumen
Fidei Encyclical Letter of Pope
Francis (29 June 2013)
LG Lumen
Gentium, Dogmatic Constitution on the
Church, Second Vatican Ecumenical Council
SC Sacramentum
Caritatis Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation
of Pope Benedict XVI (22 February 2007)
On 8 October 2013, Pope Francis
convoked the III Extraordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops to
treat the topic: The Pastoral Challenges of the Family in the Context
of Evangelization. The General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops
began its preparation by sending the Preparatory Document, which
generated significant reflection among the People of God. The results of that
consultation are presented in this Instrumentum Laboris. The Holy
Father has determined that the work of Synod of Bishops is to take place in
two stages, forming an single organic unity. In the III Extraordinary General
Assembly in 2014, the synod fathers will thoroughly examine and analyze the
information, testimonies and recommendations received from the particular
Churches in order to respond to the new challenges of the family. The
Ordinary General Assembly in 2015, representing a great part of the
episcopate and continuing the work of the previous synod, will reflect
further on the points discussed so as to formulate appropriate pastoral
guidelines.
The Instrumentum Laboris is
based on the responses to the questions in the Preparatory Document which
was divided into 8 groups of questions on marriage and the family. After its
publication in November, 2013, this document was distributed worldwide. A
great number of detailed responses to the questions was submitted by the
synods of the Eastern Catholic Churchessui iuris, the episcopal
conferences, the departments of the Roman Curia and the Union of Superiors
General. In addition, other responses — categorized as observations —
were sent directly to the General Secretariat by a significant number of
dioceses, parishes, movements, groups, ecclesial associations and families,
not to mention academic institutions, specialists, both Catholic and
non-Catholic, all interested in sharing their reflections.
The present text is divided into
three parts and, for an orderly treatment at the synodal assembly, reflects
the eight major subjects treated in the series of questions. The first part,
devoted to the Gospel of the Family, treats the divine plan and the vocation
of the person in Christ. Within this perspective, the section gives
indications — positive as well as negative — of the faithful’s knowledge and
acceptance of pertinent teachings on the family from the Bible and the
documents of the Church’s Magisterium as well as the faithful’s understanding
of the natural law. The second part treats various challenges and actual
situations related to the pastoral care of the family. The third part is
devoted to the topic of an openness to life and the responsibility of parents
in the upbringing of their children — characteristic of marriage between a
man and a woman — with particular reference to difficult pastoral situations.
The present document, the fruit of
a collegial effort by the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops and the
Ordinary Council of the General Secretariat to gather and examine the results
of the consultation of the particular Churches, is placed in the hands of the
members of the Synod Assembly as the Instrumentum Laboris. The
document offers a broad, yet by no means exhaustive, perspective on the
present-day situation of the family, on the challenges of the family and on
the reflections related to the family today.
The topics which are not included
in the document, those in response to question 9 in thePreparatory
Document (miscellaneous), will be treated in the Ordinary
General Assembly of 2015.
Lorenzo
Cardinal Baldisseri
General Secretary
Vatican City, 24 June 2014
Solemnity of the Birth of St. John the Baptist
The proclamation of the Gospel of
the Family is an integral part of the mission of the Church, since the
revelation of God sheds light on the relationship between a man and a woman,
their love for each other and the fruitfulness of their relationship. In
these times, a widespread cultural, social and spiritual crisis is posing a
challenge in the Church’s work of evangelizing the family, the vital nucleus
of society and the ecclesial community. This proclamation of the Gospel of
the Family takes place in continuity with the synodal assembly on The New Evangelization for the Transmission of
the Christian Faith and
the Year of Faith, announced by Pope Benedict XVI.
The Extraordinary General Assembly
of the Synod of Bishops on the topic: The Pastoral Challenges of the
Family in the Context of Evangelization, aware that “Tradition,
originating with the apostles, proceeds in the Church with the assistance of
the Holy Spirit” (DV,
8), is called to reflect on the path to follow to communicate to everyone the
truth about conjugal love and the family and respond to its many challenges
(cf. EG,
66). The family is an inexhaustible resource and font of life in the Church’s
pastoral activity. Therefore, the primary task of the Church is to proclaim
the beauty of the vocation to love which holds great potential for society
and the Church. To meet this urgency, the episcopate throughout the world is
being called, cum et sub Petro, to listen humbly to the Holy
Spirit and reflect on today’s pastoral challenges.
The Church, fully aware that
family life is not ultimately defined by difficulties and that people do not
have problems only, willingly recognizes the efforts being made, primarily by
young people, to bring about a new springtime for the family. This can be
seen in the moving testimonies in many Church encounters where a renewed
desire for marriage and family life is clearly manifested, above all in the
newer generations. In light of this desire, the Church is called upon to
offer support and guidance, wherever she be, in faithfulness to the Lord’s
mandate to proclaim the beauty of family love. The Holy Father encouraged
everyone to look with hope to the future and recommended a manner of acting
which preserves and fosters love within the family, namely, by saying “Can I?
May I?”, “Thank you” and “I’m sorry” and never allowing the sun to set on a
quarrel or misunderstanding, without having the humility to ask forgiveness.
From the beginning of his
pontificate, Pope Francis has emphasized that “the Lord never tires of forgiving:
never! It is we who tire of asking his forgiveness.” (Angelus, 17 March 2013).
This accent on mercy has had a great impact even in matters relating to
marriage and the family, in that, far removed from every kind of moralism, it
confirms the Christian outlook on life and opens new possibilities for the
future, no matter what the personal limitations or the sins committed. God’s
mercy is an opening to an ongoing conversion and a continuous rebirth.
Communicating
the Gospel of the Family in Today’s World
Chapter
I
God’s Plan for Marriage and the Family
The Biblical Teaching on the
Family
1. The Book of Genesis shows that
man and woman are created in the image and likeness of God; in receiving and
accepting each other, they recognize that they are made for each other
(cf. Gen 1:24-31; 2:4b-25). Through procreation, man and
woman collaborate with God in accepting and transmitting life: “By
transmitting human life to their descendants, man and woman as spouses and
parents co-operate in a unique way in the Creator's work.” (CCC, 372). Their
responsibility also involves the stewardship of creation and the propagation
of the human family. In biblical tradition, the beauty of human love as
mirroring divine love is developed mainly in the Song of Songs and the
prophets.
2. The Church’s proclamation on
the family finds its foundation in the life and preaching of Jesus, who lived
and grew up in the family of Nazareth. He attended the wedding at Cana, which
he honoured by performing the first of his “signs” (cf. Jn 2:1-11)
and presented himself as the Bridegroom who unites himself to his Bride
(cf. Jn 3:29). On the cross, he gave himself up with a love
to the very end and, in his resurrected body, established new relationships
among people. By revealing the fullness of divine mercy, Jesus allows man and
woman to recover that “principle” according to which God unites them in one
flesh (cf. Mt 19:4-6) and for which — by the grace of Christ
— they are enabled to be faithful to each other and love each other forever.
Therefore, the divine measure of conjugal love, to which spouses are called
by grace, has its source in “the beauty of the saving love of God made
manifest in Jesus Christ who died and rose from the dead” (EG,
36), the very heart of the Gospel.
3. Jesus, in assuming human love,
also perfected it (cf. GS,
49), giving man and woman a new manner of loving, which has its foundation in
the irrevocable faithfulness of God. In light of this, the Letter to the
Ephesians has identified in the married love between a man and a woman, “the
great mystery” which makes present in this world the love between Christ and
the Church (cf. Eph 5:31-32). A married couple possesses the
charism (cf. 1 Cor 7:7) of building up the Church with their
spousal love and the task of the procreation and rearing of children. United
in an indissoluble sacramental bond, the spouses live the beauty of love,
fatherhood and motherhood and the dignity of participating, in this way, in
God's creative work.
The Family in the Documents of the
Church
4. Throughout the centuries, the
Church has maintained her constant teaching on marriage and family. One of
the highest expressions of this teaching was proposed by the Second Vatican
Council, in the Pastoral Constitution Gaudium et Spes, which
devotes an entire chapter to promoting the dignity of marriage and the family
(cf. GS,
47-52). This document defined marriage as a community of life and love
(cf. GS,
48), placing love at the center of the family and manifesting, at the same
time, the truth of this love in counter distinction to the various forms of
reductionism present in contemporary culture. The “true love between husband
and wife” (GS,
49) implies a mutual gift of self and includes and integrates the sexual and
affective aspects, according to the divine plan (cf. GS,
48-49). Furthermore,Gaudium et Spes, 48 emphasizes the grounding of
the spouses in Christ. Christ the Lord “comes into the lives of married
Christians through the Sacrament of Matrimony,” and remains with them. In the
Incarnation, he assumes human love, purifies it and brings it to fulfillment.
Through his Spirit, he enables the bride and groom to live their love and
makes that love permeate every part of their lives of faith, hope and
charity. In this way, the bride and groom are, so to speak, consecrated and,
through his grace, they build up the Body of Christ and are a domestic Church
(cf. LG,
11), so that the Church, in order to fully understand her mystery, looks to
the Christian family, which manifests her in a real way.
5. In the wake of Vatican II, the
papal Magisterium has further refined the doctrine on marriage and the
family. In a particular manner, Pope Paul VI, in his Encyclical Humanae
Vitae, displayed the intimate bond between conjugal love and the
generation of life. Pope St. John Paul II devoted special attention to the
family in his catechesis on human love, his Letter to Families (Gratissimam sane) and, especially, his
Apostolic Exhortation Familiaris Consortio. In these documents,
the Pope called the family the “way of the Church,” gave an overview on the
vocation of man and woman to love and proposed the basic guidelines for the
pastoral care of the family and the presence of the family in society. In
specifically treating “conjugal love” (cf. FC,
13), he described how the spouses, through their mutual love, receive the
gift of the Spirit of Christ and live their call to holiness.
6. Pope Benedict XVI, in his
Encyclical Deus Caritas Est, again took up the topic of the truth
of the love between man and woman, which is fully understood only in light of
the love of Christ Crucified (cf. DCE,
2). The Pope emphasized that “marriage based on an exclusive and definitive
love becomes the icon of the relationship between God and his people and vice
versa. God's way of loving becomes the measure of human love” (DCE,
11). Moreover, in his Encyclical Caritas in Veritate, he
emphasizes the importance of love as the principle of life in society
(cf. CV,
44), the place where a person learns to experience the common good.
7. Pope Francis, in his
Encyclical Lumen Fidei, treating the connection between the
family and faith, writes: “Encountering Christ, letting themselves (young
people) be caught up in and guided by his love, enlarges the horizons of
existence, gives it a firm hope which will not disappoint. Faith is no refuge
for the fainthearted, but something which enhances our lives. It makes us
aware of a magnificent calling, the vocation of love. It assures us that this
love is trustworthy and worth embracing, for it is based on God’s
faithfulness which is stronger than our every weakness” (LF,
53).
Chapter
II
The Knowledge and Acceptance of the Teachings on Marriage and the Family from Sacred Scripture and Church Documents
8. The life of the Church in these
times is characterized by a widespread rediscovery of the Word of God, which
has had an impact in various ways in dioceses, parishes and ecclesial
communities. Many responses and observations conclude, however, that the
knowledge, communication and reception of the Church’s teaching on the family
takes place in a variety of ways, depending on family life, the fabric of the
Church and socio-cultural factors. In places with a vibrant Christian tradition
and a well-organized pastoral programme, people are responsive to the
Christian doctrine on marriage and the family. In other places, many
Christians, for various reasons, are found to be unaware of the very
existence of this teaching.
The Knowledge of the Bible on the
Family
9. Generally speaking, it can be
said that biblical teaching, particularly that in the Gospels and Pauline
Letters, is more extensively known today. Nevertheless, all bishops'
conferences agreed that much work remains to be done if this teaching is to
become the bedrock of spirituality and the Christian life, even in reference
to the family. Many responses also note the faithful’s great desire to know
Sacred Scripture better.
10. In this regard, the formation
of the clergy stands out as particularly decisive, especially in the quality
of homilies, on which the Holy Father, Pope Francis has insisted recently
(cf. EG,
135-144). Indeed, the homily is a privileged means of presenting Sacred
Scripture to the faithful and explaining its relevance in the Church and
everyday life. As a result of preaching in a befitting manner, the People of
God are able to appreciate the beauty of God’s Word which is a source of
appeal and comfort for the family. In addition to the homily, another
important means is the promotion, within dioceses and parishes, of programmes
which help the faithful take up the Bible in a proper way. What is
recommended is not so much multiplying pastoral initiatives as inserting the
Bible in every aspect of existing ministerial efforts on behalf of the
family. Every instance where the Church is called to offer pastoral care to the
faithful in a family setting can provide an opportunity for the Gospel of the
Family to be announced, experienced and appreciated.
The Knowledge of the Documents of
the Magisterium
11. The People of God’s knowledge
of conciliar and post-conciliar documents on the Magisterium of the family
seems to be rather wanting, though a certain knowledge of them is clearly
evident in those working in the field of theology. The documents, however, do
not seem to have taken a foothold in the faithful’s mentality. Some responses
clearly state that the faithful have no knowledge of these documents, while
others mention that they are viewed, especially by lay people with no prior
preparation, as rather “exclusive” or “limited to a few” and require some
effort to take them up and study them. Oftentimes, people without due
preparation find difficulty reading these documents. Nevertheless, the
responses see a need to show the essential character of the truth affirmed in
these documents.
The Necessity of Properly Prepared
Clergy and Ministers
12. Some observations attribute
the responsibility for this lack of knowledge to the clergy, who, in the
judgment of some of the faithful, are not sufficiently familiar with the
documentation on marriage and the family, nor do they seem to have the
resources for development in these areas. Some observations inferred that the
clergy sometimes feel so unsuited and ill-prepared to treat issues regarding
sexuality, fertility and procreation that they often choose to remain silent.
Some responses also voice a certain dissatisfaction with some members of the
clergy who appear indifferent to some moral teachings. Their divergence from
Church doctrine leads to confusion among the People of God. Consequently,
some responses ask that the clergy be better prepared and exercise a sense of
responsibility in explaining the Word of God and presenting the documents of
the Church on marriage and the family.
A Diversified Acceptance of Church
Teaching
13. A good number of episcopal
conferences mention that, when the teaching of the Church is clearly
communicated in its authentic, human and Christian beauty, it is
enthusiastically received for the most part by the faithful. When an overall
view of marriage and the family is sufficiently set forth according to tenets
of the Christian faith, its truth, goodness and beauty is clearly visible.
Church teaching is more widely accepted, when the faithful are engaged in a
real journey of faith and are not just casually curious in what might be the
Church’s thinking in the matter of sexual morality. On the other hand, many
respondents confirmed that, even when the Church's teaching about marriage
and the family is known, many Christians have difficulty accepting it in its
entirety. Generally speaking, where certain elements of Christian doctrine,
although relevant, receive treatment, in varying degrees, other elements are
overlooked, e.g., birth control, divorce and remarriage, homosexuality,
cohabitation, fidelity, premarital sex, in vitro fertilization,
etc. However, many responses recount how Church teaching on the dignity of
human life and respect for human life might be more widely and readily
accepted, at least in principle.
14. The observations rightly
indicate the need for a greater integration of a familial spirituality and
moral teaching, which would lead to a better understanding, even of the
Church’s Magisterium, in the field of moral issues related to the family.
Some responses note the importance of identifying elements from local
cultures which can be of assistance in understanding Gospel values. Such is
the case in many Asian cultures often centered on the family. In these areas,
some bishops' conferences argue that it is not difficult to integrate Church
teaching on the family with the social and moral values present in these
cultures. At the same time, attention needs to be given to the importance of
intercultural exchange in proclaiming the Gospel of the Family. Ultimately,
the responses and observations call for the need of establishing real,
practical formation programmes through which the truths of the faith on the
family might be presented, primarily to appreciate their profound human and
existential value.
Some Reasons for the Difficulty in
Acceptance
15. Some episcopal conferences
argue that the reason for much resistance to the Church’s teaching on moral
issues related to the family is a want of an authentic Christian experience,
namely, an encounter with Christ on a personal and communal level, for which
no doctrinal presentation, no matter how accurate, can substitute. In this
regard, some responses point to the insufficiency of pastoral activity which
is concerned only with dispensing the sacraments without a truly engaging
Christian experience. Moreover, a vast majority of responses highlight the
growing conflict between the values on marriage and the family as proposed by
the Church and the globally diversified social and cultural situations. The
responses are also in agreement on the underlying reasons for the difficulty
in accepting Church teaching, namely, the pervasive and invasive new
technologies; the influence of the mass media; the hedonistic culture;
relativism; materialism; individualism; the growing secularism; the
prevalence of ideas that lead to an excessive, selfish liberalization of morals;
the fragility of interpersonal relationships; a culture which rejects making
permanent choices, because it is conditioned by uncertainty and transiency, a
veritable “liquid society” and one with a “throw away” mentality and one
seeking “immediate gratification”; and, finally, values reinforced by the
so-called “culture of waste” and a “culture of the moment,” as frequently
noted by Pope Francis.
16. Responses from many countries
recall the obstacles created by the long domination of atheistic ideologies,
which have caused a general attitude of distrust in religious teaching. Other
responses relate the difficulties which the Church encounters in tribal
cultures and ancestral traditions where marriage is characterized very
differently from the Christian view, for example, those supporting polygamy
or others opposing the idea of marriage as indissoluble and monogamous.
Christians living in these cultural surroundings certainly need to receive
the strong support of the Church and Christian communities.
Fostering a Greater Knowledge of
the Magisterium
17. Many responses voiced a need
to find new ways to communicate the Church's teachings on marriage and
family, which depends greatly on the vitality of the particular Church, its
traditions and the effective resources at its disposal. Above all, some
recognize the need of forming pastoral workers to communicate the Christian
message in a culturally appropriate manner. However, almost all the responses
stated that a Commission for the Pastoral Care of the Family and a Directory
on the Pastoral Ministry to the Family exists at the national level.
Generally speaking, the episcopal conferences offer the Church's teaching
through documentation, symposia and many other initiatives. On the diocesan
level, work is done by various bodies and commissions. Clearly, responses
from some particular Churches reveal the burdensome situation of a lack of
economic and human resources in organizing an ongoing catechesis on the
family.
18. Many responses relate the
critical importance of establishing relations with academic centers which are
adequately and properly prepared — doctrinally, spiritually and pastorally —
in family matters. Some respondents speak of the fruitfulness at the international
level between centres on university campuses and dioceses — even in outlying
areas of the Church — in promoting qualified formative sessions on marriage
and family. An often-cited example in the responses is the collaboration with
the Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family in
Rome which has several locations around the globe. In this regard, various
episcopal conferences recall the importance of developing the insights of
Pope St. John Paul II in his “theology of the body” series, in which he
proposes a fruitful approach to the topics of family through existential and
anthropological concerns and an openness to the new demands emerging in our
time.
19. Finally, the observations
insist that catechesis on marriage and family, in these times, cannot be
limited exclusively to the preparation of couples for marriage. Instead, a
dynamic catechetical programme is needed — experiential in character — which,
through personal testimony, shows the beauty of the family as transmitted by
the Gospel and the documents of the Magisterium of the Church. Long before
they present themselves for marriage, young people need assistance in coming
to know what the Church teaches and why she teaches it. Many responses
emphasize the role of parents in the catechesis on the family. As afar as the
Gospel of the Family is concerned, they have an irreplaceable role to play in
the Christian formation of their children. This task calls for a thorough
understanding of their vocation in passing on the Church’s teaching. Their
witness in married life is already a living catechesis in not only the Church
but society as well.
Chapter
III
The Gospel of the Family and the Natural Law
The Relation of the Gospel of the
Family to the Natural Law
20. Speaking of the acceptance of
the Church’s teaching on marriage and the family necessarily involves the
subject of the natural law, which is often quoted in the Church’s magisterial
documents and poses difficulties today. The large-scale perplexity
surrounding the concept of the natural law tends to affect some elements of
Christian teaching on the subject of marriage and the family. In fact, what
underlies the relationship between the Gospel of the Family and the natural
law is not so much the defense of an abstract philosophical concept as the
necessary relation which the Gospel establishes with the human person in the
variety of circumstances created by history and culture. “The natural law
responds thus to the need to found human rights on reason and makes possible an
intercultural and interreligious dialogue” (ITC, Alla ricerca
di un’etica universale: nuovo sguardo sulla legge naturale, 35).
Present-Day Problems Related to
the Natural Law
21. In light of what the Church
has maintained over the centuries, an examination of the relation of the
Gospel of the Family to the experience common to every person can now
consider the many problems highlighted in the responses concerning the
question of the natural law. In a vast majority of responses and
observations, the concept of natural law today turns out to be, in different
cultural contexts, highly problematic, if not completely incomprehensible.
The expression is understood in a variety of ways, or simply not understood
at all. Many bishops' conferences, in many different places, say that,
although the spousal aspect of the relationship between man and woman might
be generally accepted as an experiential reality, this idea is not
interpreted according to a universally given law. Very few responses and
observations demonstrated an adequate, popular understanding of the natural
law.
22. The responses and observations
also show that the adjective “natural” often is understood by people as
meaning “spontaneous” or “what comes naturally.” Today, people tend to place
a high value on personal feelings and emotions, aspects which appear
“genuine” and “fundamental” and, therefore, to be followed “simply according
to one’s nature.” The underlying anthropological concepts, on the one hand,
look to an autonomy in human freedom which is not necessarily tied to an
objective order in the nature of things, and, on the other hand, every human
being’s aspiration to happiness, which is simply understood as the
realization of personal desires. Consequently, the natural law is perceived
as an outdated legacy. Today, in not only the West but increasingly every
part of the world, scientific research poses a serious challenge to the
concept of nature. Evolution, biology and neuroscience, when confronted with
the traditional idea of the natural law, conclude that it is not
“scientific.”
23. Generally speaking, the notion
of “human rights” is also seen as highly subjective and a call for a person
to self-determination, a process which is no longer grounded in the idea of
the natural law. In this regard, many respondents relate that the legal
systems in many countries are having to make laws on situations which are
contrary to the traditional dictates of the natural law (for example, in
vitrofertilization, homosexual unions, the manipulation of human embryos,
abortion, etc.). Situated in this context is the increased diffusion of the
ideology called gender theory, according to which thegender of
each individual turns out to be simply the product of social conditioning and
needs and, thereby, ceasing, in this way, to have any correspondence to a
person’s biological sexuality.
24. Furthermore, much attention is
given in the responses to the fact that what becomes established in civil law
— based on an increasingly dominant legal positivism — might mistakenly
become in people’s mind accepted as morally right. What is “natural” tends to
be determined by the individual and society only, who have become the sole
judges in ethical choices. The relativization of the concept of “nature” is
also reflected in the concept of stability and the “duration” of the
relationship of marriage unions. Today, love is considered “forever” only to
the point that a relationship lasts.
25. If some responses refer to a
lack of proper understanding of the natural law, several episcopal
conferences in Africa, Oceania and East Asia, mention that, in some regions,
polygamy is to be considered “natural,” as well as a husband’s divorcing his
wife because she is unable to bear children — and, in some cases, unable to
bear sons. In other words, from an emerging point of view, drawn from a
widely diffused culture, the natural law is no longer to be considered as
applicable to everyone, since people mistakenly come to the conclusion that a
unique system of reference does not exist.
26. The responses point to a
general belief that the distinction between the sexes has a natural
foundation within human existence itself. Therefore, by force of tradition,
culture and intuition, there exists the desire that the union between a man
and a woman endure. The natural law is then a universally accepted “fact” by
the faithful, without the need to be theoretically justified. The demise of
the concept of the natural law tends to eliminate the interconnection of
love, sexuality and fertility, which is understood to be the essence of
marriage. Consequently, many aspects of the Church’s sexual morality are not
understood today. This is also a result of a certain criticism of the natural
law, even by a number of theologians.
Practical Objections to the
Natural Law concerning the Union between a Man and a Woman
27. Given the lack of reference to
the natural law by many academic institutions today, major complaints result
from the extensive practice of divorce, cohabitation, contraception,
procedures of artificial procreation and same-sex unions. Other complaints
against the natural law come from the poorest areas and those least
influenced by western thought — especially some African states — which cite
the phenomena of machismo, polygamy, marriages between teens and preteens,
and divorce in cases of sterility or a lack of a male heir, as well as incest
and other aberrant practices.
28. Nearly all the responses as
well as observations relate an increasing number of cases of “blended”
families, especially because of the presence of children from different partners.
Western society is now witnessing many cases in which children, in addition
to their being with separated and divorced parents who might or might not be
remarried, find themselves with grandparents in the same situation. Moreover,
in Europe and North America in particular (but also among some countries in
South Asia), the instances of couples or single persons, who lack a mentality
of an openness to life, are increasing; single parenthood is
also on the rise. A dramatic increase can also be seen on these same
continents in the age at which people decide to wed. Many times, especially
in northern Europe and North America, children are considered a hindrance to
the well-being of the individual and the couple.
29. Some responses, particularly
in parts of Asia, point to a willingness, on the civic level, to recognize
so-called “multi-personal” unions between individuals of different sexual
orientations and sexual identities, based simply on personal needs and on
individual and subjective necessities. In short, this tendency accentuates
the absolute right to personal freedom without any compromise: people are
“formed” on the basis of their individual desires only. What is increasingly
judged to be “natural” is more of a reference-to-self only, when it comes to
their desires and aspirations. This situation is heavily influenced by the
mass media and by the lifestyles of some people in sports and entertainment.
These aspects are exerting influence even in countries with traditional
family cultures which seem, until now, to have exercised great resistance in
the matter (Africa, Middle East and South-Central Asia).
A Call for a Renewal in Terms of
Language
30. The language traditionally
used in explaining the term “natural law” should be improved so that the
values of the Gospel can be communicated to people today in a more
intelligible manner. In particular, the vast majority of responses and an
even greater part of the observations request that more emphasis be placed on
the role of the Word of God as a privileged instrument in the conception of
married life and the family, and recommend greater reference to the Bible,
its language and narratives. In this regard, respondents propose bringing the
issue to public discussion and developing the idea of biblical inspiration
and the “order in creation,” which could permit a re-reading of the concept
of the natural law in a more meaningful manner in today’s world (cf. the idea
of the law written in the human heart in Rm 1:19-21;
2:14-15). Moreover, this proposal insists on using language which is
accessible to all, such as the language of symbols utilized during the liturgy.
The recommendation was also made to engage young people directly in these
matters.
The Family, the Person and Society
31. The family is acknowledged in
the People of God to be an invaluable asset, the natural setting in which
life grows and develops and a school of humanity, love and hope for society.
The family continues to be the privileged place in which Christ reveals the
mystery and vocation of the person. In addition to commonly affirming these
basic facts, the great majority of respondents agree that the family has the
potential of being this privileged place, despite their indicating, and often
explicitly recounting, the worrisome difference between the forms of the
family in today’s world and Church’s teaching in this regard. Real-life
situations, stories and multiple trials demonstrate that the family is
experiencing very difficult times, requiring the Church’s compassion and
understanding in offering guidance to families “as they are” and, from this
point of departure, proclaim the Gospel of the Family in response to their
specific needs.
32. The responses acknowledge
that, as in centuries past, the family has played a significant role in
society as the first place where the person is formed in society and for
society. Since the family is the natural place for personal development, it
is the foundation of society and the State. In summary, the family is defined
as the “primordial human society.” From the very first years of a person’s existence,
the family is the place for the transmission and learning of values, such as
brotherhood, loyalty, love for the truth and work, and respect and solidarity
between generations, not to mention the art of communication and a sense of
joy in living. The family is the privileged place to live out and promote the
dignity and rights of man and woman. The family, founded on marriage, is the
place for the integral formation of a country’s future citizens.
33. One of the great challenges of
the family today consists in attempts at its privatization, running the risk
of forgetting that the family is “the fundamental cell of society, where we
learn to live with others despite our differences and to belong to one
another” (EG,
66). What needs to be clearly delineated is the idea of the family as a
resource in society, that is to say, a source of the essential virtues for a
life in community. In a family, a person learns a sense of the common good
and experiences the goodness of living together. Without the family, a person
is unable to emerge from his individualism, since it is the only place to
learn the power of love to sustain life, and “without a love which is
trustworthy, nothing could truly keep men and women united. Human unity would
be conceivable only on the basis of utility, on a calculus of conflicting
interests or on fear, but not on the goodness of living together, not on the
joy which the mere presence of others can give” (LF,
51).
34. The synod will have to reflect
on how to promote in today’s world a ministry which encourages the
participation of the family in society. Families are not only the subject of
protection by the State, but must regain their role as active agents in
society. In this regard, the following challenges emerge: the relationship
between the family and the workplace; the relationship between the family and
education; the relationship between the family and health; the family’s
ability to bring generations together so as not to neglect the young and the
elderly; the situation of the rights of the family institution and its
specific relationships; and the promotion of just laws, such as those that
ensure the defense of human life from its conception and those which promote
the social goodness of an authentic marriage between a man and a woman.
In the Image of Trinitarian Life
35. A number of responses focuses
on the image of the Trinity reflected in the family. The experience of the
mutual love between the spouses is an assistance in understanding the life of
the Trinity as love. Through a communion lived in the family, children can
glimpse an image of the Trinity. Recently, the Holy Father, Pope Francis, in
his catechesis on the sacraments, recalled that “when a man and woman
celebrate the Sacrament of Matrimony God as it were ‘is mirrored’ in them; he
impresses in them his own features and the indelible character of his love.
Marriage is the icon of God’s love for us. Indeed, God is communion too: the
three Persons of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit live eternally in
perfect unity. And this is precisely the mystery of Matrimony: God makes of
the two spouses one single life” (General Audience, 2 April 2014).
The Holy Family of Nazareth and
Learning to Love
36. A recurring subject in almost
all the responses is the importance of the Holy Family of Nazareth as the
model and example for the Christian family. The mystery of the Word of God’s
becoming incarnate within a family reveals how it is the privileged place for
God’s revelation to humanity. In fact, the family is acknowledged to be the
ordinary and everyday place to encounter Christ. The Christian people look to
the Holy Family of Nazareth as a model in relationships and love, as a point
of reference for every family and as a comfort in time of trial. The Church
invokes the Holy Family of Nazareth, entrusting all families, in their
moments of joy, hope and sorrow, to the care of Jesus, Mary and Joseph.
37. The responses highlight the
importance of love in the family, referring to it as “an efficacious sign of
the existence of God's Love” and calling the family itself “the sanctuary of
life and love.” The initial experience of love and human relationships takes
place within the family. Every child needs to live in the warmth and
protective care of loving parents in a home where peace abides. Children must
be able to see that Jesus is always with them and that they are never alone. Because
of an obvious weakening in family ties, particularly in some parts of the
world, children experience loneliness. Even when children need correction, it
should be done so as to ensure that they grow in a familial atmosphere of
love and that parents might realize their vocation to be God's collaborators
in the development of the human family.
38. Considerable emphasis is
placed on the formative value of love in the family for not only children but
all its members. As such, the family is a “school of love,” a “school of
communion,” and a “gymnasium for relationships,” that is, the privileged
place to learn to build meaningful relationships which help a person develop
a capacity for giving one’s self. Some of the responses suggest that a
relation might exists between the knowledge of the mystery and vocation of
the human person and the acknowledgment and acceptance of each’s unique gifts
and abilities within the family. In this sense, the family can be considered
as the “basic school of humanity,” and thus regarded as irreplaceable.
The Differences, Reciprocity and
Manner of Living as a Family
39. The role of parents as primary
educators in the faith is considered vital and essential. Emphasis is often
placed on their witness of fidelity, particularly on the beauty of their
individuality and at times, simply on the importance of their distinctive
roles as father and mother. At other times, the responses stress the positive
character of the spouses’ freedom, equality and reciprocity. Still other
responses, especially from Europe, stress the equal importance of both
parents in the upbringing of their children and domestic responsibilities.
40. Again referring to
differences, some responses mention the richness of the inter-generational
relationships experienced in the family, where decisive events take place,
e.g., birth and death, successes and misfortunes, achievements and
disappointments, etc. Through these and other occurrences, the family becomes
the place where children grow, through the various stages of their life, to
respect life and form their personality.
41. The responses insist on the
importance of parents’ sharing and explicitly professing their faith,
beginning with their manner of life as a couple, in their relationship
between themselves and that with their children, and also, in sharing their
knowledge and awareness of Christ, who — the responses continually stress —
must be at the center of the family. In a pluralistic society, parents can
offer their children, in this manner, a basic orientation for their lives,
which can sustain them even in the years after childhood. For this reason,
the responses voice a need for families to create time and opportunities for
family-togetherness and open, honest communication in a continual dialogue
with one another.
42. All respondents stress the
importance of prayer in the family as the domestic Church (cf. LG,
11), where a true and proper “familial culture of prayer” is nourished. In
fact, a genuine knowledge of Jesus Christ is fostered through personal prayer
and, particularly, family prayer, according to the specific forms of prayer
and ritual practices in the home, which are considered an effective way to
teach the faith to children. Great emphasis is also placed on reading
Scripture in common and other forms of prayer, such as the blessing before
and after meals and the family recitation of the rosary. In this regard, however,
the domestic Church of the family can never be a substitute for the parish
community nor underestimate the importance of the participation as a family
in the parish’s sacramental life, the Sunday Eucharist and the Sacraments of
Christian Initiation. Most responses also speak of the need of living the
Sacrament of Reconciliation and practicing Marian devotions.
The Family and the Integral
Development
43. The responses also emphasize
the fundamental character of the family in the process of a person’s integral
development. The family is essential in the maturation of those cognitive and
affective processes which are crucial to personal development. In addition to
being a vital environment in personal formation, the family is also the place
to experience the awareness of being not only a Child of God but also called
to a vocation of love. Still other places contribute to personal growth, such
as living in community, the workplace, civic and ecclesial life.
Nevertheless, the fundamental elements acquired in a human family allow
access to other levels of living in and building society.
44. The family faces many daily
difficulties and trials, as many responses indicate. Being a Christian family
does not automatically guarantee the absence of trials, even excessively
burdensome ones. But through such trials the family itself can be
strengthened, and, with the support of pastoral care, led to recognize its
fundamental vocation in God's plan. The family is already a reality, “given”
and secured by Christ, and, on the whole, to be “built up” each day with
patience, understanding and love.
Guidance in the Renewed Desire to
Marry and Form a Family and the Related Crises
45. The responses point out the
significant fact that even in the face of very difficult situations, many
people, especially the young, see a value in a stable, enduring relationship
and express a real desire to marry and form a family. This creates the
possibility for a married couple to realize a love that is faithful and
indissoluble and one that offers a peaceful atmosphere conducive to human and
spiritual growth. This “desire to marry and form a family” is a true sign of
the times which should be seen as an opportunity for pastoral ministry.
46. The Church needs to provide
care for families living in critical and stressful situations, ensuring that
the family be attended in its entirety. The quality of the relationships
within the family must be of utmost concern for the Church. Initial support
originates in a parish, which is the “family of families”. It is the
principal centre of a renewed pastoral care which receives and guides people
and is animated by sentiments of mercy and tenderness. In this regard, parish
organizations have a significant role in sustaining the family.
47. Some particularly urgent
cases, where family relationships are threatened through domestic violence,
require supportive action that leads to healing wounds and uprooting their
causes. In families where abuse, violence and neglect prevail, neither growth
nor a perception of one’s inherent value is possible.
48. Finally, the responses mention
the significance of the close collaboration of families / homes and the
parish in the mission of evangelization, as well as the need for the active
involvement of the family in parish life through support and solidarity on
behalf of other families. In this regard, invaluable assistance comes from
the community made up of families. Membership in movements and associations
can also be a particularly significant source of support.
Ongoing Formation
49. The responses very often
stress the need for a family ministry which provides systematic and ongoing
formation on the value of marriage as a vocation and the rediscovery of
parenting (fatherhood and motherhood) as a gift. The Church’s activity on behalf
of the couple should not be limited to preparation for marriage, which — it
should be noted — requires reevaluation. Evidently, a more consistent and
structured formation ought to be biblical, theological and spiritual as well
as human and existential. Catechesis requires a true exchange between
generations, actively involving parents in the process of the Christian
initiation of their children. In this regard, some responses gave particular
attention to liturgical feasts, such as Christmas and particularly the Feast
of the Holy Family, as invaluable occasions to show the importance of the
family and take into consideration the human context in which Jesus grew up
and where he learned to speak, love, pray and work. Some responses recommend
preserving the special character of Sunday as the Lord’s Day — even civilly
where possible — and encouraging families to meet on this day, not only
individually as a family but collectively with other families.
The
Pastoral Program for the Family in Light of New Challenges
The Responsibility of Bishops and
the Clergy and the Charismatic Gifts in the Pastoral Care of the Family
50. At work in the pastoral
programme for the family is a beneficial mutual exchange between the
responsibility of the bishops and other members of the clergy and the various
charisms and ministries of the ecclesial community. This synergy results in
many positive experiences. The engagement of so many brothers and sisters in
the pastoral care of the family can lead to new effective forms of service
for the Church community, which, because of the presence of the Holy Spirit,
is emboldened to “go out” of itself in mission. The richness in this field is
revealed by considering various subjects and reviewing some initiatives and
approaches found in the responses.
Marriage Preparation
51. The responses from the
different continents display a great similarity when treating the subject of
marriage preparation. Many refer to activities well underway, such as
programmes in parishes, seminars and retreats for couples. In addition to
priests, these are often led by married couples with extensive experience in
family matters. These programmes have the following aims: strengthening the
couple’s relationship and their mutual awareness that they are entering
marriage by their own free choice; raising a consciousness of the human,
civil and Christian implications of their commitment; re-catechizing the
couple on the Sacraments of Christian Initiation with particular emphasis on
the relation of these Sacraments to the Sacrament of Matrimony; and
encouraging the couple to participate in the life of the parish community and
society.
52. Some responses mention that,
in many cases, couples give little attention to pre-marriage programmes. For
this reason, many different approaches are being adopted in catechesis,
namely, offering instruction on the subject to the following: young people,
even before their engagement; the parents of engaged couples; couples already
married; people who are separated; and those requesting Baptism for their
children. Programmes are also being sponsored to heighten people’s awareness
of the pastoral documents of bishops and the Church’s Magisterium. Some
countries refer to true and proper schools of preparation for married life,
especially intended for the education and advancement of women. The contrary
is true in strongly secularized areas, where, in certain cultures, couples
are distancing themselves more and more from Church teaching. Particularly
long courses are not always welcome. Normally, pre-marriage courses inform
engaged couples about the natural methods in the regulation of birth, as
witnessed by “couples with experience using these methods.”
53. Some episcopal conferences
express concern that couples, having already set a date for their wedding,
often approach the Church too late, and, at times, require special attention
in dealing with their situation, e.g., the case of disparity of cult
(marriage between a baptized and non-baptized person) or a poor Christian
formation. Other conferences mention how preparation programmes for the
Sacrament of Matrimony have improved in recent decades, with greater attempts
being made to transform a simple “course” into a more detailed “programme,”
involving both the clergy and married couples. In recent years the content of
these programmes has substantially changed from being merely a preparation
for the Sacrament of Marriage to becoming an actual initial proclamation of
the faith.
54. Many laudable initiatives in
marriage preparation are taking place in various parts of the world,
including: “new communities” which promote retreats; personal encounters;
groups for prayer, reflection and discussion; pilgrimages; festivals; and
national and international congresses on the family. At times, however, these
initiatives are seen more as an obligation than a freely undertaken
opportunity for growth. Undoubtedly, another important moment in marriage
preparation is the meeting with the pastor or his delegate, a necessity for
all engaged couples. The responses mention that often this meeting is not
sufficiently used as an opportunity to engage the couple in a more detailed
discussion on marriage but, instead, is a mere formality.
55. Several respondents report
that attempts are being made to add new topics to marriage courses that are
being offered, such as communication skills, the sexual aspects of conjugal
life and conflict resolution. In some places characterized by a somewhat sexist
cultural tradition, there exists a certain lack of respect towards women,
which hinders the necessary mutual exchange in conjugal life between a man
and woman who are equal in dignity. In other places, dominated in the past by
atheistic regimes and often lacking in even a rudimentary knowledge of the
faith, new forms in the preparation of engaged couples are being introduced,
e.g., weekend retreats, small group activities with testimonies from married
couples, events celebrating the family in dioceses, stations of the cross and
retreats for entire families.
56. Some responses indicate that
in some multi-religious and multi-confessional territories, certain factors
need to be taken into consideration, e.g., the considerable number of mixed
marriages (a Catholic and a baptized non-Catholic) and marriages of mixed
religions, both of which require a suitable preparation by the clergy in
attending to the couples involved. The dioceses in Eastern Europe are
exploring a dialogue with the Orthodox Churches in inter-marriage
preparation. Interesting information exists on diocesan events celebrating
the family with the bishop present and testimonies given by couples who are
well experienced in the faith. Such days can create an opportunity for
families to interact with each other and to dialogue with older couples, thus
adding to the value of initiatives based on the Bible and moments of prayer
for engaged couples. Older and more experienced couples act as “godparents”
to younger couples who are preparing for marriage.
Popular Piety and a Familial
Spirituality
57. The responses suggest a need
to safeguard and promote the various forms of popular piety on the different
continents in support of the family. Despite a break-down in family life,
certain religious practices which bring families together still remain
vibrant, e.g., Marian devotion, folk festivals and the celebration of local
saints. In addition to the rosary, some people also pray the Angelus.
Others see a value to the practice of the peregrinatio Mariae (“Mary’s
Pilgrimage”), in which an icon or statue of the Virgin Mary passes from one
home to another and from one family to another. Still others speak of the
advantage of the “Gospel Pilgrimage,” which consists of a family’s displaying
an icon and a Bible in their home with a commitment to regularly read the
Bible and pray together for a certain period of time. Those families that
foster such pious practices, like the “Pilgrimage of Families,” are found to
have particularly strong bonds of friendship and communion. In this regard,
many also insist on the importance of praying the liturgy of the hours in
common, the reading of the Psalms and other texts from Sacred Scripture.
Still others recommend spontaneous prayers of thanksgiving and requests for
forgiveness. Some countries encourage celebrating different religious events
in life, such as anniversaries of baptism, marriage and death. One response
refers to family prayer, frequently practiced during travel, work and school,
which, in some countries, utilizes radio and television. Furthermore, some
note how families can benefit from nearby monasteries which can complement
the vocation of marriage with that of the consecrated life. The same can be
said for the fruitful relationship between couples and priests, in their
respective roles.
Support for a Familial
Spirituality
58. Many bishops' conferences
recount how particular Churches render support to a familial spirituality in
their pastoral activity. In our time, spiritual movements make a special
contribution to promoting an authentic, effective pastoral programme for the
family. Christian communities are characterized by a variety of ecclesial
situations and approaches aimed at specific individuals. Clearly, local
Churches should be able to find that this richness is a real resource for not
only promoting various initiatives on behalf of couples intending marriage
but devising ways to provide suitable pastoral care for families today. Some
respondents recount that many dioceses foster specific endeavours and formation
for couples who can then provide support to other couples and sustain a
series of initiatives to promote a true familial spirituality. Some argue
that sometimes local communities, movements, groups and religious
associations can be exclusive and too restrictive in the life of a parish.
This situation illustrates the importance of their being fully engaged with
the whole Church in an authentic sense of mission so as to avoid the danger
of excessively looking inward. Families belonging to these communities
exercise a vibrant apostolate and, judging from the past, are instrumental in
the evangelization of many families. Their members offer a credible witness
with their lives of fidelity in marriage, mutual respect, unity and openness
to life.
Testimony on Behalf of the Beauty
of the Family
59. All the responses agree that a
key point in fostering an authentic, incisive pastoral programme for the
family seems ultimately to rest on a couple’s witness of life, a witness
which is consistent with not only Christian teaching on the family but also
the beauty and joy which permits the Gospel message to be embraced in
marriage and lived as a family. Pastoral ministry for the family also needs
to follow thevia pulchritudinis (“the way of beauty”), namely, by
a witness which attracts others simply because the family lives the Gospel
and is constantly in union with God. This entails “showing that to believe in
and follow him [Christ] is not only something right and true, but also
something beautiful, capable of filling life with new splendour and profound
joy, even in the midst of difficulties” (EG,
167).
60. Although some episcopal
conferences mention that, in many parts of the world, a successful outcome to
marriage and family life can no longer be presumed, they equally observe that
young people have a high esteem for couples who, even after many years of
marriage, continue their life together in love and fidelity. As an
acknowledgment, many dioceses celebrate, with the bishop present, wedding
anniversaries and thanksgiving commemorations for married couples who have
spent many years together. In this regard, special recognition needs to be
given to those who faithfully remain with their spouses, despite problems and
difficulties.
Chapter
II
The Pastoral Challenges of the Family
61. This section deals with the
responses and observations on the pastoral challenges of the family. It
treats three fundamental questions: the crisis of faith and its relation to
the family; the internal and external challenges affecting the family; and
some difficult situations connected to a culture of individualism and a lack
of trust in enduring relationships.
a) The Crisis of Faith and Family
Life
Pastoral Action in the Crisis of
Faith
62. Some responses show how, in
cases where the faith of family members is either weak or non-existent, both
the parish and the Church in general are not seen as supportive. This
probably comes from a mistaken idea of the Church and her activity due to
socio-cultural circumstances, especially where the institution of the family
itself is in crisis. In these cases, the ideal of living as a family is
viewed as unattainable and frustrating instead of as a possible means for
learning how to respond to one’s vocation and mission. Often, when the lay
faithful sense the great distance between the ideal of family living and the
impossibility of achieving that goal, the couple’s crisis in marriage and the
family gradually becomes a crisis in faith. Therefore, the question arises on
how to act pastorally in these situations, namely, how to make sure that the
Church, in her variety of pastoral activities, can demonstrate that she has
the ability of caring for couples in difficulty and families.
63. Many respondents point out
that a crisis in faith can either lead to failure or be taken as an
opportunity for growth and an occasion to discover the deeper meaning of the
marriage covenant. In this way, the loss of a sense of meaning, or even the
breakdown within a family, can be the means of strengthening the marriage
bond. Families, willing to offer support to a couple in this difficult
situation, can help them overcome this crisis. In particular, the parish must
draw near married couples and the family as the “family of families.”
b) Critical Situations within the
Family
Difficulty in Relationships and
Communication
64. Most responses indicate that
one of the many critical issues facing the family is a difficulty in
relationships and communication. Whether it be tensions and conflicts in a
marriage due to a lack of mutual trust and intimacy or the domination of one
marriage partner over the other or the inter-generational conflict between
parents and children, all hinder the building of family relationships and can
even make them entirely impossible. The dramatic aspect of these situations
is that they lead to the gradual disappearance of the possibility of dialogue
as well as the time and opportunity to work on relationships. For want of
sharing and communication, each one is forced to face difficulties in
isolation without an experience of being loved and, in turn, loving others.
In some places in society, persons often don’t experience love, especially
the love of a father, thereby making it particularly difficult to experience
God’s love and him as Father. The lack of a father-figure in many families
causes major imbalances in households and uncertainty in gender
identification in children. People who do not witness, live and accept love
on a daily basis find it particularly difficult to discover the person of
Christ as the Son of God and the love of God the Father.
The Break-Up and Breakdown of
Families
65. In various ways, the responses
refer to many instances of the break-up and breakdown of families, the first
and foremost being a couple’s divorce and separation which is sometimes
caused by poverty. Other critical situations include many relationships which
do not coincide with the idea of a traditional nuclear family, i.e., mother,
father and children: single parenthood (a mother only or a teen
mother), de facto unions and homosexual unions and parenting
(specifically mentioned in Europe and North America). In some cultures, polygamy
is insistently seen as one of the factors causing the breakdown of families,
along with a mentality of parents which is not open to life. Many bishops'
conferences are greatly concerned about the widespread practice of abortion.
In many ways, today’s society seems to promote a culture of death regarding
the unborn and to manifest a culture of indifference in approaching life in
general. Some governments do not contribute adequately to protecting the
family by enacting laws which encourage individualism, thereby influencing
the people’s mentality and leading to superficiality on issues of critical
importance. Many responses also stress that a contraceptive mentality has a
negative impact on family relationships.
Violence and Abuse
66. The responses unanimously make
reference to psychological, physical and sexual violence and abuse in
families which has a particularly damaging effect on women and children, a
phenomenon which, unfortunately, is neither occasional nor isolated, particularly
in certain parts of the world. In this regard, the responses also mention the
appalling phenomenon of the killing of women, often caused by deep emotional
trouble in relationships. Arising from a false culture based on possessions,
this is particularly disturbing and calls for action by everyone in society
and by the Church in her ministry to the family. Sexual promiscuity and
incest in the family are explicitly cited in certain parts of the world
(Africa, Asia and Oceania), as well as pedophilia and child abuse. The
responses also refer to authoritarianism by parents, expressed in the lack of
care and attention given to their children, a situation often leading to
their children’s abandonment, and, on the parents’s part, a want of a sense
of responsible parenthood which causes them to refuse to not only care for
their children but also educate them, thereby leaving them totally to their
own devices.
67. Several episcopates worldwide
raise the tragic question of the trafficking and exploitation of children. In
this regard, particular attention needs to be given to the scourge of “sexual
tourism” and the use of minors in prostitution, especially in developing
countries, thereby creating disorder within the family. All of this
illustrates the extensiveness of domestic violence and the abandonment and
breakdown of families and how its many forms have a significant psychological
impact on the the individual and, consequently, on the life of faith,
negatively affecting a person’s vision, perception and experience of God and
his love.
Dependence, the Media and the
Social Network
68. When citing the various
critical situations affecting the family, the responses constantly allude to
not only addictions to alcohol and drugs but also pornography, at times used
and shared within families, not to mention addictions to gambling and video
games, the Internet and social networks. As for the media, the respondents
repeatedly stressed, in one instance, their negative impact on the family,
particularly when they convey and offer opposing models to the image of the
family, which transmit mistaken and misleading values. On the other hand, the
responses refer to problems in relationships which the media, together with
the social networks and the Internet, are creating within the family. In
fact, television, smart phones and computers can be a real impediment to
dialogue among family members, leading to a breakdown and alienation in
relationships within a family, where communication depends more and more on
technology. In the end, the means of communication and access to the Internet
replace real family relationships with virtual ones. This situation runs the
risk of leading to not only the disunity and breakdown of the family but also
the possibility that the virtual world will replace the real one
(particularly a danger in Europe, North America and Asia). The responses
consistently mention how even a family’s leisure time is hijacked by these
instruments.
69. Furthermore, the responses
allude to the growing phenomenon in the Internet age of aninformation
overload, namely, the exponential increase of information on line, often
not corresponding to an increase in quality, in addition to the inability
always to check the reliability of the information available on the Internet.
Technological progress is a global challenge which can cause rapid changes in
family life regarding values, relationships and the internal equilibrium.
This situation becomes critical, therefore, when a family lacks an adequate
knowledge of the proper use of the media and new technologies.
c) External Pressures on the
Family
The Impact of Work on the Family
70. All responses, treating the
impact of work on the well-being of the family, make reference to the
difficulty of coordinating the communal aspects of family living with the
excessive demands of work, which require of the family a greater flexibility.
The pace of work is fast and sometimes even exhausting, and work hours, often
excessive, can sometimes include Sundays, all of which hinders the
possibility of a family’s spending time together. An increasingly hectic life
leaves little opportunity for moments of peace and family togetherness. Some
parts of the world are showing signs of the price being paid by the family as
a result of economic growth and development, not to mention the much broader
effects produced by the economic crisis and the instability of the labor
market. Increasing job insecurity, together with the growth of unemployment
and the consequent need to travel greater distances to work, have taken their
toll on family life, resulting in, among other things, a weakening of family
relationships and the gradual isolation of persons, causing even greater
anxiety.
71. In dialoguing with the State
and the related public entities, the Church is called to offer real support
for decent jobs, just wages and a fiscal policy favouring the family as well
as programmes of assistance to families and children. In this regard, laws
protecting the family in relation to work are frequently wanting,
particularly those affecting working mothers. Moreover, civil support and
involvement on behalf of the family provides the Church with an opportunity
for working together. Networking in this area with organizations which pursue
similar goals is equally wise and productive.
Migration and the Family
72. In treating the relation of
work to the family, the responses also emphasize the impact of migration on
the family. To support the family financially, fathers, and an increasing
number of mothers, are being forced to abandon their families for work. The
absence of a parent has serious consequences on both the well-being of the
family and the upbringing of children. At the same time, the absent parent’s
sending money to the family can cause a kind of dependence in other family
members. This situation requires promoting appropriate policies that make it
easier for families to be reunited.
Poverty and the Struggle for
Subsistence
73. The responses and observations
widely and insistently refer to the economic hardships endured by families as
well as the lack of material resources, poverty and the struggle for
subsistence. This widespread phenomenon is not limited to developing
countries only, but is also mentioned in responses and observations from
Europe and North America. In such cases of extreme and increasing poverty,
the family has to struggle for subsistence, a struggle to which the family
has to devote most of its energy. Some observations call for the Church to
raise a strong prophetic voice concerning poverty which puts a strain on
family life. A Church which is “poor and for the poor” must not fail to make
her voice heard in this area.
Consumerism and Individualism
74. In treating the cultural
pressures on the family, the responses consistently mention consumerism,
which is gradually focusing more on “what I have” rather than “who I am”.
This consumer mentality, cited especially by respondents from Europe, is the
driving force in the idea of “having a child at any cost” and the consequent
methods of artificial fertilization. Careerism and a competitive spirit are
also pointed out as crucially affecting family life. Relegating life, faith
and ethics to the private sphere is also noted, particularly in the West, to
have a decisive effect. In other words, an individual’s conscience and free
choice determines the ultimate value of whether something is good or bad. A
culture based on the senses and immediate gratification is also having an
influence. In this regard, the words of Pope Francis on a tendency today to
“waste”and “live for the moment only” come to mind, both of which, having a
major impact on the fragile endurance of emotional relationships, are often
the cause of deep discomfort and instability in family life.
Counter-Witness in the Church
75. Responses from almost every
part of the world frequently refer to the sexual scandals within the Church (pedophilia,
in particular) and, in general, to a negative experience with the clergy and
other persons. Sex scandals significantly weaken the Church’s moral
credibility, above all in North America and northern Europe. In addition, a
conspicuously lavish lifestyle by some of the clergy shows an inconsistency
between their teaching and their conduct. Some lay faithful live and practice
their faith in a “showy manner,” failing to display the truth and humility
required by the Gospel spirit. The responses lament that persons who are
separated, divorced or single parents sometimes feel unwelcome in some parish
communities, that some clergy are uncompromising and insensitive in their behavior;
and, generally speaking, that the Church, in many ways, is perceived as
exclusive, and not sufficiently present and supportive. In this sense, an
open and positive pastoral approach is needed, one which can restore
confidence in the institution through a credible witness by all her members.
d) Special Situations
The Weight of Societal
Expectations on the Individual
76. Added to the critical
situations within and outside the family mentioned above, others are
prevalent in different parts of the world, e.g., in Asia — though not
exclusively — familial and social expectations have a strong impact on the
individual from the very beginning of childhood. Achievement at school and
obtaining scholastic degrees (credentialism) are considered by the
family as prime objectives. In addition to this burdening of children with
high expectations, the responses from some areas allude to the negative
impact on the family by students’ attending high-achievement, tutorial
courses, which take place after school hours and well into the night (cram
schools). Such cases affect family life and the life of faith as well as
the free time for children to play, not to mention, to rest and sleep.
Expectations can sometimes be so powerful that they lead to ostracism, and
even suicide. Finally, the responses note the great difficulty of the Church
and society — arising from specific cultural and social situations — to
confront these types of problems and discuss them openly.
The Impact of Wars
77. The responses, particularly
those from Africa and the Middle East, speak of the impact of war on the
family, causing violent deaths and the destruction of homes and forcing
people to abandon everything to seek refuge in other countries. In some
places, wars lead to the breakdown of society, forcing persons, and at times
entire families living in poverty, to abandon their Christian faith
community.
Disparity of Cult
78. In some geographical areas,
like Asia and North Africa, given the low percentage of Catholics, a great
number of couples in families is made up of one who is Catholic and the other
who comes from another religion. Some responses, while recognizing that these
couples bring great richness to the Church, highlight the inherent
difficulties of these unions in the Christian upbringing of children,
particularly where civil law has an influence in determining the religious
affiliation of the couple's children. Sometimes, different religions in the
family are seen as an opportunity or a challenge for growth in the Christian
faith.
Other Critical Situations
79. Other difficulties affecting
the family, in addition to physical illnesses, including AIDS, are: mental
illness, depression and the death of a child or spouse, all of which call for
a pastoral approach which takes into account the unique family situation.
Times such as these, marked by illness and bereavement, are a particularly
opportune occasion to rediscover the sustaining and consoling nature of the
faith. In some parts of the world with declining birth rates, still other critical
situations include the spread of sects, esoteric practices, occultism, magic
and witchcraft. The responses clearly indicate that no area and no situation
can be considered a priori unable to be reached by the
Gospel. Therefore, the power and urgency of proclaiming the Gospel of mercy
is crucial for a Christian community in the course of providing for and
receiving persons in these difficulties, especially when a family is
particularly in need.
Chapter
III
Difficult Pastoral Situations
a) Situations in Families
80. Under the heading of so-called
marriage difficulties, the responses consistently recount stories of great
suffering as well as testimonies of true love. “The Church is called to be
the house of the Father, with doors always wide open, [...] where there is a
place for everyone, with all their problems” (GE, 47). Real pastoral
attention is urgently needed to care for these people and bring them healing
so that they might continue their journey with the entire ecclesial
community. The mercy of God does not provide a temporary cover-up of personal
misdeeds, but rather radically opens lives to reconciliation which brings new
trust and serenity through true inward renewal. The pastoral care of
families, far from limiting itself to a legal point of view, has a mission to
recall the great vocation of love to which each person is called and to help
a person live up to the dignity of that calling.
Cohabitation
81. From every part of the world,
the responses note an increasing number of couples who live together ad
experimentum (“on an experimental basis”) in unions which have not
been religiously or civilly recognized nor officially registered in any way.
The terms “experiment” or “trial period” are really not appropriate, since,
especially in Europe and America, they often refer to a permanent form of
life. Sometimes marriage takes place after the birth of their first child and
the wedding and baptism are celebrated together. Statistics show a high
incidence of these unions, though with some qualification between rural
areas, where cohabitation is rarer and urban areas, e.g., in Europe, Asia and
Latin America, where the practice is more widespread. Generally speaking,
cohabitation is more commonly seen in Europe and North America, increasingly
witnessed in Latin America and almost non-existent in Arab countries and Asia
minor. In some regions of Latin America, cohabitation is more of a tradition
in rural areas, integrated into the indigenous culture (servinacuy:
“trial marriage”). In Africa marriage is practiced in stages and associated
with verifying the fertility of the woman, which implies a sort of bond
between the two families in question. In Europe, a variety of situations
exist, which, in some cases, are influenced by a Marxist ideology, and, in
others, are increasingly claimed to be simply a moral choice.
82. Among the circumstances which
lead couples to choose cohabitation, the responses mention: inadequate
policies of support for the family; financial need; youth unemployment; and a
lack of housing. These and other factors tend to make couples delay marriage.
In this regard, the fear of making a commitment and the idea of having
children are also elements to be taken into consideration, especially in
Europe and Latin America. Many think that cohabitation can serve to “test”
the eventual success of a wedding, before its actual celebration. Others
indicate that improper marriage formation is a reason couples choose
cohabitation. For still others, cohabitation allows a couple to live together
free from any definitive decisions or responsibilities on an institutional
level. In this regard, some pastoral approaches might include offering, from
a young age, instruction on appreciating the beauty of marriage and better
forming pastoral workers on the topics of marriage and the family. Not to be
overlooked is the witness-value of the many young people preparing for
marriage and presently living their engagement period in a spirit of
chastity.
De facto unions
83. Living together ad
experimentum often takes the form of de facto unions,
which are not civilly or religiously recognized. The responses note that, in
some countries, civil recognition of these unions, though not equivalent to
marriage, is governed by specific legislation which has been enacted in their
regard. Despite the availability of this option, an increasing number of
couples do not request any form of registration. The responses recount that
in western countries, society no longer views this situation as a problem. In
others (e.g., Arab countries), however, marriage without any civil or
religious recognition remains very rare. Some reasons given for this
situation, especially in western countries, is: a lack of assistance from the
State, for which the family no longer has any particular value; the idea that
love is a private matter with no public role; and the absence of policies on
behalf of the family, resulting in marriage being viewed as a financial loss.
Immigrants, especially when they enter a country illegally, are a particular
problem, because they fear being identified as such, if they seek public
recognition for their marriage.
84. The responses mention a
concept of freedom, mainly associated with life in the West but equally found
in other countries, which considers the bond of marriage as a relinquishment
of personal freedom. Such an idea influences poorly formed young people to
make them think that love cannot endure for a lifetime. The media largely
promotes this attitude among young people. Often, cohabitation and de
facto unions are a symptom of the fact that young people tend to
prolong their adolescence and consider marriage too challenging and,
therefore, fear embarking on an adventure considered too great for them (cf.
Pope Francis, Address to Engaged Couples, 14 February 2014).
85. In this regard, any possible
response to this situation through pastoral care must assist young people
overcome an overly romantic idea that love is only an intense feeling towards
each other and teach them that it is, instead, a personal response to another
person as part of a joint project of life, which reveals a great mystery and
great promise. Such a pastoral approach must include education in human love
and emotions which begins already in childhood, is reinforced in young
couples in the early stages of their engagement and puts the community and
liturgical aspects in relief. Pastoral action needs to teach young people how
to open themselves to the mystery of the Creator, manifested in their love,
because they are fully conscious of the implications of their consent.
Likewise, it must help them see the need to restore the ties between the
family and society so as to counteract the idea that love is something lived
apart from the community. Finally, pastoral care ought to convey to young
people the certainty that they are not alone in building their own family,
because the Church is at their side as the “family of families.” The overall
structuring of the “company” to be entrusted with manifesting the Church’s
love is a crucial element in providing special care for engaged couples.
Therefore these persons are to be encouraged to become true partners among
themselves and with others.
Persons Separated, Divorced and
Divorced and Remarried
86. The responses indicate that in
Europe and across America, a very high number of persons are separated,
divorced or divorced and remarried; the number is much lower in Africa and
Asia. Given that this phenomenon is on the rise, many parents are concerned
about the future of their children. In addition, the responses note that the
increasing number of people simply living together makes the problem of
divorce less important. Fewer of these people are divorcing, because fewer
tend to marry. In some places the situation is different; divorce does not
exist because civil marriage does not exist, e.g., in Arab countries and some
Asian countries.
Children and Those Who Are Alone
87. The responses and observations
also raise the issue of the children of separated or divorced persons, who
notably lack the attention of society. They bear the burden of conflict
within marriage and require the Church’s care. The Church also needs to
provide care to the parents of divorced persons. They also suffer the
consequences of a breakdown of a marriage and often have to compensate for
the disadvantages created by the children’s situation. Separated or divorced
persons who remain faithful to their marriage vows call for the Church’s
attention in their situation, which is often lived in loneliness and poverty.
Such persons are also among the “new poor.”
Teen Mothers
88. The responses give particular
attention to mothers who have no husbands and who, alone, must care for their
children, a situation which is often the result of much suffering and, very
often, abandonment. Above all, they are to be esteemed for the love and
courage with which they welcomed the life conceived in their womb and now
provide for the upbringing and education of their children. They deserve from
society a special support which takes into account the many sacrifices they
are facing. The Christian community is also called to provides a care which
permits these mothers to see the Church as truly a family of God’s children.
Situations of Canonical
Irregularity
89. Generally speaking, the
responses from various places in the world devote attention to divorced and
remarried persons or those, at least, who have formed a different union.
Those living in such canonically irregular situations display various
attitudes ranging from their being entirely unaware of their irregular
situation to their consciously enduring the difficulties created by their
irregular situation. For the most part, divorced persons in new unions
display similar attitudes in the various parts of the world, with the most
prevalent in Europe and America and the fewest in Africa. In this regard,
some responses attribute this situation to a lack of formation or religious
practice. In North America, people often think that the Church is no longer a
reliable moral guide, primarily in issues related to the family, which they
see as a private matter to be decided independently.
90. A rather great number of
people give no thought to their irregular situation. In these cases, no one
requests access to Holy Communion nor the celebration of the Sacrament of
Penance. These persons often become aware of their irregular situation when
they request the Sacraments of Christian Initiation for their children or if
they are asked to be a godfather or godmother at the celebration of the
Sacraments of Baptism or Confirmation. At times, adults, who have a personal
and conscious experience of the faith in the programme of catechesis or the
catechumenate, become aware of the irregularity of their marital
relationship. From a pastoral point of view, these situations are good
opportunities to begin the process of regularization, especially in cases of
cohabitation. The responses from Africa speak of a different situation, not
so much focusing on divorced persons who form a new union as those engaged in
practicing polygamy. In cases of a person’s conversion to the faith,
difficulties arise in leaving a second or third wife who bore children and
now wants to participate in the life of the Church.
91. Before treating the suffering
associated with those who are unable to receive the sacraments due to their
irregular union, the responses refer to a more basic suffering which the
Church must take in hand, namely, the suffering of a breakdown in marriage
and the difficulty of regularizing the situation. Someone experiencing this
crisis expresses a desire to seek the Church’s assistance. Various episcopal
conferences in Europe, Africa and America mention that distress in the
situation often seems to depend on the degree of formation. Many times,
people in these irregular situations do not grasp the intrinsic relationship
between marriage and the Sacraments of Holy Eucharist and Penance.
Consequently, they find it very difficult to understand why the Church does
not allow those who are in an irregular situation to receive Holy Communion.
The catechetical instruction on marriage does not sufficiently explain the
connection. Some responses (America, Europe, Asia) relate how at times people
wrongly think that divorced people as such, without entering a new union, are
automatically excluded from receiving Holy Communion. Such people, however,
are not prohibited from receiving the sacraments.
92. Some Church members who are
cognizant that they are in an irregular situation clearly suffer from the
fact that they are unable to receive the sacraments. Many feel frustrated and
marginalized. Some wonder why other sins can be forgiven and not theirs.
Others cannot see how religious and priests can receive a dispensation from
their vows and priestly obligations so they can marry, while divorced and
remarried persons are unable to receive Holy Communion. These questions
highlight the necessity of providing suitable formation and information in
the matter. In other cases, persons do not understand how their irregular
situation can be a reason for their not being able to receive the sacraments.
Instead, they believe that the Church is at fault in not permitting their
irregular marriage situation. This way of thinking can lead to viewing
withholding the sacraments as a punishment. Furthermore, another factor of
concern is the lack of understanding of the discipline of the Church when
access to the sacraments is denied in these cases, as if it were a
punishment. A good number of episcopal conferences recommend assisting people
in canonically irregular marriages not to consider themselves as “separated
from the Church, for as baptized persons they can, and indeed must, share in
her life” (FC,
84). Moreover, responses and observations from some episcopal conferences
emphasize that the Church needs to equip herself with pastoral means which
provide the possibility of her more widely exercising mercy, clemency and
indulgence towards new unions.
Concerning the Reception of the
Sacraments
93. In the matter of access to the
sacraments, the responses describe various reactions among the faithful who
are divorced and remarried. In Europe (and also in some countries in Latin
America and Asia) the prevailing tendency among some of the clergy is to
resolve the issue by simply complying with the request for access to the
sacraments. Other members of the clergy, particularly in Europe and Latin
America, respond to the matter in a variety of ways. At times, the faithful
distance themselves from the Church or go to other Christian denominations.
In some countries of Europe and some countries on the other continents, this
solution is not sufficient for many people; they wish to be publically
readmitted to the Church. The problem is not so much not being able to
receive Communion but that the Church publically does not permit them to
receive Communion. As a result, these believers then simply refuse to
consider themselves in an irregular situation.
94. Some Church members in
canonically irregular situations express a desire to be received and guided
by the Church, especially when they attempt to understand the rationale of
the Church’s teaching. These people recognize the possibility of living in
their situation, while relying on God’s mercy through the Church. Still
others, as indicated in the responses from some Euro-Atlantic episcopal
conferences, accept the duty to live in continence (cf. FC,
84).
95. A good number of responses speak
of the very many cases, especially in Europe, America and some countries in
Africa, where persons clearly ask to receive the Sacraments of Penance and
the Eucharist. This happens primarily when their children receive the
sacraments. At times, they express a desire to receive Communion to feel
“legitimized” by the Church and to eliminate the sense of exclusion or
marginalization. In this regard, some recommend considering the practice of
some Orthodox Churches, which, in their opinion, opens the way for a second
or third marriage of a penitential character. In light of this suggestion,
countries having a major number of Orthodox Christians noted that, from their
experience, this practice does not reduce the number of divorces. Others
request clarification as to whether this solution is based on doctrine or is
merely a matter of discipline.
Other Requests
96. Very many responses,
especially in Europe and North America request streamlining the procedure for
marriage annulments. In this regard, they see a need to investigate the
question of the relationship between faith and the Sacrament of Matrimony, as
suggested by Pope Benedict XVI, on several occasions. In some cases,
Catholics in countries with a major number of Orthodox Christians remarry in
the Orthodox Church following their customary ritual and then ask to receive
Communion in the Catholic Church. Finally, other responses request clear
indications on the procedure to follow in cases of a mixed marriage, in which
the Orthodox spouse has already been married and has received permission for
a second marriage in the Orthodox Church.
Concerning Separated and Divorced
Persons
97. Various responses and
observations want to see more attention given to separated and divorced
persons who have not remarried but have remained faithful to their nuptial
vows. Oftentimes, these people seem to have the added suffering of not being
given proper care by the Church and thus overlooked. Such persons also have
difficulties and a need for pastoral attention. Moreover, the responses
emphasize the importance of a pastor’s due care in seeing whether a marriage
annulment is possible so as not to introduce cases without proper
discernment. In this process, many responses ask for a concerted effort
towards reconciliation to see if the separated parties can be reunited. Some
responses refer to the great Christian witness made by separated persons who,
courageously accepting their situation of suffering and solitude, remain
faithful to their marriage vows.
Streamlining the Processing of
Marriage Cases
98. A great many responses request
streamlining the canonical processing of marriage cases. The reasons
underlying this request vary. Some argue that reducing the steps in the
process would not be effective, while others, in favor of a reduction, want
to see a clearer explanation of the nature of the process of annulling a
marriage, so that the faithful will better understand it.
99. Some responses urge caution
and point out the following risks in streamlining, simplifying or reducing
the process: injustices and errors could result; the impression might be
given that the indissolubility of the Sacrament is not respected; the change
might lead to abuses and create in young people’s minds the idea that
marriage is not a life-long commitment; and the action might bolster the
mistaken idea that an annulment is simply “Catholic divorce.” Instead, they
propose preparing an adequate number of qualified people to deal with
marriage cases. Responses from Latin America, Africa and Asia, advance the idea
of increasing the number of tribunals — non-existent in many regions — of
giving more authority to local bodies and of providing better formation for
the clergy. Other responses wish to add another qualification in the
possibility of streamlining the processing: some of the faithful, accepting
the validity of their marriage and recognizing it’s failure, might feel that
to request such an annulment would be dishonest. Nevertheless, many believers
consider their first marriage valid because they have no idea of the factors
which might make it invalid. Sometimes, those who have been divorced,
encounter difficulty in returning to the past, which could reopen painful
wounds, personally and for one’s spouse.
100. On the subject of simplifying
the canonical process, many responses make the following requests: a simpler
and faster canonical process; the granting of more authority to the local
bishop; a greater number of laity as judges; and the reduction of financial
fees attached to the process. In particular, some question whether two
confirming sentences are necessary, at least when no appeal is made, and, in
some case, to leave the obligation to make an appeal to the discretion of the
defender of the bond. Others also propose decentralizing the third instance.
Responses from the world over call for a more pastoral approach in
ecclesiastical courts which gives greater attention to the spiritual needs of
the persons involved.
101. Both responses and
observations recognize the extensiveness of the pastoral problem of a
breakdown in marriages and raise the question whether it is possible to deal
with this matter through a judicial process only. Some advance the idea of
working through administrative channels. In certain cases, some suggest
ascertaining a person’s conscience in assessing the invalidity of the
marriage bond. The question is whether other pastoral means are available to
the clergy involved in the process of verifying the validity of the marriage.
Generally speaking, the responses call for a better formation of pastoral
workers in this field so that the faithful may be duly assisted.
102. In the annulment process, a
more appropriate formation of the faithful would be helpful, in some cases,
to eliminate difficulties, e.g, the mistaken idea of parents who fear that an
annulment of marriage would make their children illegitimate, as mentioned in
some episcopal conferences of Africa. Many responses insist on the fact that
streamlining the canonical process might be useful, only if the pastoral care
of the family takes into consideration the entire family. A number of
bishops’ conferences from Asia cite the case of marriages with non-Christians
who do not want to cooperate in the canonical process.
Pastoral Care in Difficult
Situations
103. Pastoral charity impels the
Church to assist people who have suffered the breakdown of their marriage and
are living with their situation relying on the grace of Christ. A more
painful wound results when these people remarry and enter a state of life
which does not allow them to receive Holy Communion. Clearly, in these cases,
the Church must not assume an attitude of a judge who condemns (cf. Pope
Francis, Homily, 28 February 2014),
but that of a mother who always receives her children and nurses their wounds
so they may heal (cf. GE, 139-141). With great mercy, the Church
is called to find forms of “accompaniment” which can support her children on
the path of reconciliation. With patience and understanding, she must explain
to these people that their not being able to celebrate the sacraments does
not mean that they are excluded from the Christian life and a relationship
with God.
104. In referring to these complex
situations, many responses highlight the lack of a specific pastoral ministry
for these people in some dioceses. Many bishops’ conferences mention the
importance of offering these members of the faithful a means to participate
actively in the life of the Church through prayer groups, liturgical
functions and charitable activities. They also refer to some pastoral
initiatives, such as giving an individual blessing to those who cannot
receive the Holy Eucharist or encouraging their children’s participation in
parish life. In this regard, the role of movements on conjugal spirituality
by religious orders and parish commissions for the family cannot be
undervalued. A particularly meaningful recommendation is to include a prayer
for people in difficult situations in the Prayer of the Faithful at parish
and diocesan liturgies.
The Request for Marriage by
Non-Practicing Catholics and Unbelievers
105. On the subject of difficult
situations, the Church also considers the pastoral action to be taken with
the baptized who, although they might be non-practicing and non-believers,
request their marriage be celebrated in Church. Almost all responses indicate
that this is more common in cases where two non-practicing Catholics decide
on a marriage in Church than two non-believers who request marriage. The
latter case, although not impossible, is considered a very remote
possibility. A more common case, however, is an engaged couple’s requesting a
canonical celebration of marriage, where only one of the parties is Catholic
and often non-practicing. The primary reason for non-practicing Catholics to
return to their parishes for the celebration of a marriage — in the opinion
of all the responses which address this issue — concerns the “aesthetical
aspects” of the celebration (atmosphere, attractiveness, photo opportunities,
etc.) and, equally, a conditioning from the religious tradition of the
families of the couple to be married, transmitted to them in some fashion.
Oftentimes, the festivities and the traditionally external aspects prevail
over the liturgy and the essence of what is being celebrated. The responses
agree that these occasions are a propitious opportunity for evangelization
and recommend that the parish priest and pastoral workers for the family welcome
the couple very warmly and show their readiness to be of assistance.
106. According to a large number
of responses and a greater number of observations from various parts of the
world, preparation for a religious ceremony of marriage should not be limited
to catechesis only but also serve as an opportunity to get better acquainted
and engage in conversation, something pastors could encourage more. On the
other hand, various responses from both East and West mention that some of
the clergy experience a certain frustration at often witnessing a failure in
their pastoral endeavours, when only a very small number of couples continue
some kind of relationship with the parish after the celebration of marriage.
107. Many respondents lament a
general insufficiency of existing marriage formation programmes to lead
engaged couples to a true idea of the faith. In most cases, meetings are
planned and attended solely for the purpose of receiving the Sacrament of
Matrimony. Precisely because so many non-practicing Catholics, at the
conclusion of the formative programme before their wedding, return to their
former way of life, the responses, especially from Latin America, see the
need to improve, encourage and develop the evangelization and pastoral care
of their children and young people in general. Responses also note that, when
a couple of non-practicing believers returns to a parish for the celebration
of the marriage, pre-nuptial instruction does not sufficiently help a couple
undertake a real journey of faith.
108. The majority of responses see
an absolute need for a follow-up programme for couples after marriage with
meetings aimed at offering them assistance. Some responses, especially those
from the bishops’ conference of western and southern Europe, strongly
emphasize, particularly when couples display a certain lack of maturity, to
consider the choice of a marriage ceremony without the celebration of the
Eucharist. In cases where a couple does not seem to understand or does not
agree with the basic teachings of the Church on the benefits of marriage and
its related responsibilities, the bishops’ conferences of northern Europe and
North America say that the more appropriate course of action would be to
postpone the celebration of marriage, fully cognizant beforehand that this
proposal could lead to misunderstanding and resentment. Inherent in such a
solution, however, would be the danger of a rigorism which is not very
merciful.
109. Some episcopates from
southern and eastern Asia would require as a prerequisite to marriage
participation in the pastoral life of the parish. In this case, however, an
overwhelming majority of responses found that such participation ceased
immediately after the celebration of the Sacrament. Generally speaking,
pastoral care, preparation and planning of formation sessions prior to
marriage are having a limited and uneven success everywhere. In almost every
case, everything depends, for good or for ill, on the initiatives of each
priest. One episcopal conference from Europe outlines how to conduct meetings
in preparation for marriage, based on a sequence of verbs: proposing, not
imposing; guiding, not pushing; inviting, not driving away,
thought-provoking, never disappointing.
b) Concerning Unions of Persons of
the Same Sex
Civil Recognition
110. On unions of persons of the
same sex, the responses of the bishops' conferences refer to Church teaching.
“There are absolutely no grounds for considering homosexual unions to be in
any way similar or even remotely analogous to God's plan for marriage and
family. [...] Nonetheless, according to the teaching of the Church, men and
women with homosexual tendencies ‘must be accepted with respect, compassion
and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should
be avoided’” (CDF, Considerations regarding Proposals to Give
Legal Recognition to Unions between Homosexual Persons, 4). The responses indicate that the recognition in civil
law of unions between persons of the same sex largely depends on the
socio-cultural, religious and political context. In this regard, the
episcopal conferences describe three instances: the first exists when
repressive and punitive measures are taken in reaction to the phenomenon of
homosexuality in all its aspects, especially when the public manifestation of
homosexuality is prohibited by civil law. Some responses indicate that, in
this context, the Church provides different forms of spiritual care for
single, homosexual people who seek the Church’s assistance.
111. A second context is one where
the phenomenon of homosexuality is fluid. Homosexual behavior is not
punished, but simply tolerated until it becomes visible or public. In this
context, legislation on civil unions between persons of the same sex does not
usually exist. In political circles, especially in the West, however, the
increasing tendency is to adopt laws providing for registered partnerships or
so-called “marriage” between persons of the same sex. People argue
non-discrimination to give support to this idea, an approach which is
perceived by believers and a good part of the public, in central and eastern
Europe, as an imposition by a political and foreign culture.
112. The responses describe a
third context, one where States have introduced legislation recognizing civil
unions or so-called “marriages” between homosexual persons. In some
countries, the situation reflects a real redefining of marriage, where the
couple is viewed only in legal terms, with such references as “equal rights”
and “non-discrimination” without any thought to a constructive dialogue in
the matter based on the deeper anthropological issues involved and the
centrality of the integral well-being of the human person, especially the
integral well-being of the children in these unions. When legal equality is
given to heterosexual and homosexual marriage, the State often allows the
adoption of children (biological children of either partner or children born
through artificial fertilization). Such is the case, particularly in
English-speaking countries and central Europe.
An Evaluation of the Particular
Churches
113. Every bishops’ conference
voiced opposition to “redefining” marriage between a man and a woman through
the introduction of legislation permitting a union between two people of the
same sex. The episcopal conferences amply demonstrate that they are trying to
find a balance between the Church's teaching on the family and a respectful,
non-judgmental attitude towards people living in such unions. On the whole,
the extreme reactions to these unions, whether compromising or
uncompromising, do not seem to have facilitated the development of an
effective pastoral programme which is consistent with the Magisterium and
compassionate towards the persons concerned.
114. A factor which clearly has an
impact on the Church's pastoral care and one which complicates the search for
a balanced attitude in this situation is the promotion of a gender ideology.
In some places, this ideology tends to exert its influence even at the
elementary level, spreading a mentality which, intending to eliminate
homophobia, proposes, in fact, to undermine sexual identity.
115. Episcopal conferences supply
a variety of information on unions between persons of the same sex. In
countries where legislation exists on civil unions, many of the faithful
express themselves in favour of a respectful and non-judgmental attitude
towards these people and a ministry which seeks to accept them. This does not
mean, however, that the faithful give equal status to heterosexual marriage
and civil unions between persons of the same sex. Some responses and
observations voice a concern that the Church’s acceptance of people in such
unions could be construed as recognition of their union.
Some Pastoral Guidelines
116. When considering the
possibility of a ministry to these people, a distinction must be made between
those who have made a personal, and often painful, choice and live that
choice discreetly so as not to give scandal to others, and those whose
behaviour promotes and actively — often aggressively — calls attention to it.
Many conferences emphasize that, due to the fact that these unions are a
relatively recent phenomenon, no pastoral programs exist in their regard.
Others admit a certain unease at the challenge of accepting these people with
a merciful spirit and, at the same time, holding to the moral teaching of the
Church, all the while attempting to provide appropriate pastoral care which
takes every aspect of the person into consideration. Some responses recommend
not using phrases such as “gay,” “lesbian” or “homosexual” to define a
person’s identity.
117. Many responses and
observations call for theological study in dialogue with the human sciences
to develop a multi-faceted look at the phenomenon of homosexuality. Others
recommend collaborating with specific entities, e.g., the Pontifical Academy
of the Social Sciences and the Pontifical Academy for Life, in thoroughly
examining the anthropological and theological aspects of human sexuality and
the sexual difference between man and woman in order to address the issue ofgender ideology.
118. The great challenge will be
to develop a ministry which can maintain the proper balance between accepting
persons in a spirit of compassion and gradually guiding them to authentic
human and Christian maturity. In this regard, some conferences refer to
certain organizations as successful models for such a ministry.
119. Sex education in families and
educational institutions is an increasingly urgent challenge, especially in
countries where the State tends to propose in schools a one-sided view and
a genderideology. Formation programmes ought to be established in
schools or parish communities which offer young people an adequate idea of
Christian and emotional maturity to allow them to face even the phenomenon of
homosexuality. At the same time, the observations show that there is still no
consensus in the Church on the specific way of receiving persons in these
unions. The first step would be a slow process of gathering information and
distinguishing criteria of discernment for not only ministers and pastoral
workers but also groups and ecclesial movements.
The Transmission of the Faith to
Children in Same Sex Unions
120. The responses are clearly
opposed to legislation which would allow the adoption of children by persons
in a same-sex union, because they see a risk to the integral good of the
child, who has the right to have a mother and father, as pointed out recently
by Pope Francis (cf. Address to Members of the International
Catholic Child Bureau (BICE),
11 April 2014 ). However, when people living in such unions request a child’s
baptism, almost all the responses emphasize that the child must be received
with the same care, tenderness and concern which is given to other children.
Many responses indicate that it would be helpful to receive more concrete
pastoral directives in these situations. Clearly, the Church has the duty to
ascertain the actual elements involved in transmitting the faith to the
child. Should a reasonable doubt exist in the capability of persons in a same
sex union to instruct the child in the Christian faith, proper support is to
be secured in the same manner as for any other couple seeking the baptism of
their children. In this regard, other people in their family and social
surroundings could also provide assistance. In these cases, the pastor is
carefully to oversee the preparation for the possible baptism of the child,
with particular attention given to the choice of the godfather and godmother.
An
Openness to Life and Parental Responsibility in Upbringing
121. In recent decades, basic
objections have arisen regarding the subject of a couple’s openness to life,
which concerns the innermost qualities and aspects of life. In this regard,
substantial differences exist between the Christian idea of life and
sexuality and that of a highly secularized society. Pope Paul VI, in
publishing the Encyclical Humanae Vitae, was well aware of the
difficulties his statements could cause over time. He wrote, for example, in
the document: “It is to be anticipated that perhaps not everyone will easily
accept this particular teaching. An intensive, clamorous outcry is being
raised against the voice of the Church which is made more intense by the
today’s means of communication. But it comes as no surprise to the Church
that she, no less than her divine Founder, is destined to be a ‘sign of
contradiction’ (Lk 2:34). She does not, because of this, evade
the duty imposed on her of proclaiming humbly but firmly the entire moral
law, both natural and evangelical” (HV,
18).
122. The Encyclical Humanae
Vitae certainly had a prophetic character in reiterating the
unbreakable link between conjugal love and the transmission of life. The
Church is called to proclaim the fruitfulness of love in light of that faith which
“helps us grasp in all its depth and richness the begetting of children, as a
sign of the love of the Creator who entrusts us with the mystery of a new
person” (LF,
52). Many of the difficulties highlighted in the responses and observations
reveal the agonizing situation of people today when faced with the subjects
of love, the generation of life, the reciprocity between man and woman and
fatherhood and motherhood.
Knowledge and Acceptance of the
Magisterium concerning an Openness to Life
123. When treating a couple’s
openness to life and their knowledge of the Church’s teaching, with
particular reference to Humanae Vitae, the responses clearly
admit that, in the vast majority of cases, the positive aspects are unknown.
Those who claim to know the Church’s teaching belong, for the most part, to
associations and Church groups actively involved in parishes or programmes of
spirituality for the family. A vast majority of responses emphasize how the
moral evaluation of the different methods of birth control is commonly
perceived today as an intrusion in the intimate life of the couple and an
encroachment on the autonomy of conscience. Clearly, believers hold different
positions and have diverse attitudes on this subject, depending on the
different parts of the world where they live and their local surroundings,
including those who find themselves immersed in highly secularized and
technically advanced cultures and those who live a simpler life in rural
areas. Many responses recommend that for many Catholics the concept of
“responsible parenthood” encompasses the shared responsibility in conscience
to choose the most appropriate method of birth control, according to a set of
criteria ranging from effectiveness to physical tolerance and passing to a
real ability to be practiced.
124. Reference is made above all
in the observations to the struggle to understand the distinction among the
natural methods of regulating fertility and contraception. Much of the time,
the difference is generally translated by the media in terms of “natural” and
“unnatural” contraceptive methods. Consequently, it is understandable why
people mistakenly think that such a distinction is a pretext and why the
“natural” methods of birth control are considered simply ineffective and
impractical. Natural methods for fertility regulation are not natural
“techniques” applied to solve a problem. Instead, they show a respect for
“human ecology” and the dignity of the sexual relationship between husband
and wife. They are part of a vision of conjugal life which is open to life.
On this rests the difference in contraceptive methods and the experience
which shows the effectiveness of their use.
125. The responses and
observations reveal a deep understanding of the difference between “abortive”
and “non-abortive” contraceptive methods, which is often used as a criterion
in judging the moral integrity of the different methods. Moreover, some
responses and above all different observations point out the difficulties
associated with the prevention of HIV / AIDS, which is a grave problem in
some parts of the world, where the disease is widespread. In this regard,
many feel the Church's position needs to be explained better, especially
considering certain distortions in the media. Compliance with an outlook
which takes the person and relationships into consideration seems to require
that the question should not be limited exclusively to the technical aspects,
but rather provide assistance in the dramatic situations which characterize
the lives of a countless number of people. In this way, the Church becomes a
promoter of a way of living which is truly human, in the often arduous, real-life
situations of a couple who deserve proper care and genuine respect.
Some Causes of Difficulty in
Acceptance
126. All responses tend to
emphasize that the difficulty in accepting the Church’s teaching on the
fruitful love between a man and a woman is related to the large gap between
the Church’s teaching and civil education, especially in places in the world
where secularization is very strong. The responses from episcopal conferences
mainly place the emphasis on a basic difference in anthropology. The
responses indicate great difficulties in the inability to express adequately
the relationship between Christian anthropology and the meaning of the
natural regulation of fertility. Reducing the problem to a case study is not
helpful in promoting a broad understanding of Christian anthropology.
Oftentimes, the Church's teaching is summarily dismissed as backward by the
prevailing mentality, without taking into account its reasoning and
conception of the human being and human life.
127. Some responses see a relation
between the commonly-held contraception mentality and a pervasive gender ideology
which tends to change some basic aspects of anthropology, including the
meaning of the body and the difference between the sexes which is replaced
with the idea of gender orientation to the point of subverting sexual
identity. In this regard, many responses see a need to go beyond simply
condemning this ever-pervasive ideology and to respond with persuasive
argumentation against this position, now widely spreading in many western
societies. In this way, the Church’s position on the subject of fatherhood
and motherhood will be a strong voice in the anthropological change which
some very influential persons are promoting. The response, therefore, cannot
be only on the issue of contraception or natural methods, but should be
placed at the level of the decisive human experience of love, discovering the
intrinsic value of the difference that marks human life and its fruitfulness.
Pastoral Recommendations
128. From the pastoral point of
view, the responses, in very many cases, see the need to make better known
what was stated in Humanae Vitae and to propose a coherent
anthropological vision in revitalized language, not only in pre-marriage
preparation but also in instructional courses on love in general. Some
responses suggest that the presentation of the methods of the natural
regulation of fertility be done in collaboration with well-qualified people
from both the field of medicine and the parish. For this purpose, the responses
insist on collaboration with academic institutions engaged in study and
research on these methods and in the promotion of a more ecologically-minded
approach to human living. Similarly, the responses suggest including the
subject in the seminary formation of future priests, given that priests are
sometimes unprepared to deal with these issues and sometimes provide inexact
and misleading information.
Concerning Sacramental Practice
129. Sacramental practice, in
particular the celebration of the Sacrament of Penance and participation in
the Holy Eucharist are included in the pastoral treatment of the subject of
openness to life. In this regard, almost all the responses mention that, in
areas strongly influenced by secularization, couples generally do not consider
the use of contraceptive methods to be a sin. As a result, they tend not to
consider it a matter for confession or a problem in approaching the
Eucharist. On the other hand, the responses stress that the faithful are well
aware that abortion is a very serious sin and always a matter for confession.
Some responses mention that nowadays a Christian couple’s “examination of
conscience” concentrates more on their relationship (infidelity, lack of
love) and less on the aspects of openness to life, thereby confirming the
often-seen weakness in understanding the relation between the gift of oneself
to another in faithfulness and the procreation of life. The responses also
demonstrate the diversity in pastoral practice among the clergy in reference
to this subject, including those who show understanding and support and
others who are either very rigid or entirely permissive. The situation
indicates the necessity to reconsider these aspects of pastoral care in the
formation of clerics.
Promoting a Mentality of an
Openness to Life
130. In some parts of the world, a
contraceptive mentality and the diffusion of an individualistic
anthropological model are causing a sharp decline in population whose social
and human consequences are not being adequately taken into account. Policies
leading to a decline in the birth rate are having an effect on the quality of
marital relationships and relationships between generations. Therefore, in
her pastoral programmes, the Church needs to reflect on how to encourage a
mentality which is more open to life.
131. Many responses and
observations point to the connection between an openness to life and social
issues and work. Encouraging married couples to have children intrinsically
depends on circumstances which allows them, with a sense of freedom,
responsibility and serenity, to choose to procreate and bring up children. In
this regard, childcare, flexible working hours, parental leave and an
easiness at integrating raising a family into a work situation appear to be
essential. Christians, therefore, share a responsibility in promoting
legislation and structures which foster a positive approach towards birth.
From a purely pastoral point of view, the responses highlight the usefulness
of providing family counselors in dioceses and associations dedicated to
caring for the family, who can thereby bear witness to the beauty and the
value of a couple’s openness to life. The responses recommend that the synod
can be of assistance in rediscovering the deep anthropological meaning of the
moral character of conjugal life, which beyond every type of moralism,
appears as a true desire to live the beauty demanded by the Christian love
between a man and a woman and given value by considering the greatest act of
love which comes from laying down one’s life for a friend (cf. Jn15:13).
Many responses recommend rediscovering the meaning of conjugal chastity as
part of the authentic character of a love-experience.
a) The Challenge of Upbringing in
General
The Challenge of Upbringing and
the Family Today
132. The challenges a family faces
in upbringing children are manifold, often making parents feel unprepared for
the task. Recent Church Magisterium has stressed the importance of raising
children and the special grace given to parents in their marriage to assist
them in accomplishing this responsibility. The responses and observations
emphasize that the upbringing of children must be totally integrated,
prompting the great question of truth which can serve as a guide in the
journey of life (cf. Benedict XVI, Address to the Participants in the Plenary
Meeting of the Congregation for Catholic Education [for Seminaries and
Educational Institutions],
21 January 2008), and insist that education finds its origin in love from the
very instant a child is welcomed by his parents (cf. Benedict XVI, Presentation to the Diocese of Rome of the
“Letter on the Urgent Task of Education”, 23 February 2008). The upbringing of children,
consisting in a total and complete introduction to all aspects of life,
particularly living in society, is the primary responsibility of parents,
which the State must respect, protect and promote (GE, 3; FC,
37). Pope Francis stressed the importance of the transmission of the faith:
“Parents are called, as Saint Augustine once said, not only to bring children
into the world but also to bring them to God, so that through baptism they
can be reborn as children of God and receive the gift of faith” (LF,
43).
The Transmission of the Faith and
Christian Initiation
133. In her pastoral activity, the
Church is called to assist families in the upbringing of children, beginning
with Christian initiation. Catechesis and formation in the parish are an
indispensable means of assisting the family in educating, particularly during
preparation for Baptism, Confirmation and the Eucharist. Alongside the family
and the parish, the responses emphasize the effectiveness of the testimony
rendered by spiritual movements on behalf of the family and lay groups.
Within these ecclesial entities, a “ministry of the couple” increasingly
seems to be developing, where those responsible for formation in families
contribute to the growth of the domestic Church through personal encounters
and meetings of families and, above all, through prayer.
134. Christian education in the
family is first achieved when children see their parents witness to the
faith. Some of the responses point out that the method of transmitting the
faith does not change with time but is dictated by circumstances, namely, the
actions in a couple’s sanctification; personal prayer and times for prayer in
families; listening to the Word of God; and the witness of charity. Following
this way of life ensures the transmission of the faith, even if children are
subjected to forces to the contrary.
Some Specific Difficulties
135. In many countries, the
challenge of a Christian upbringing and the transmission of faith is often
characterized by a significant change in relations between generations, which
affects the communication of values within the family. In the past, these
relations were the basis of a life of faith which was shared and communicated
as a heritage from one generation to the other. Every bishops’ conference
response and many observations reveal profound changes affecting the
educational task of the family, despite the obvious differentiation of
traditional elements still present in society, where the family lives or
developments, and the effects of secularization. Bishops in western Europe
recall the powerful generational conflict which seemed to have taken place in
the sixties and seventies of the last century. Today, perhaps conditioned by
those experiences, parents appear overly cautious in applying any pressure on
their children in religious practice. Precisely in this regard, they seek to
avoid any type of conflict instead of dealing with it. In addition, when the
subject of religion is raised, these same parents often feel insecure and,
instead of passing on the faith, they often remain silent and relegate their
task, even if considered important, to religious institutions. This seems to
demonstrate a weakness among adults, especially young parents, in
transmitting the gift of faith with a spirit of joy and conviction.
136. The responses point out how
Catholic schools, at all levels, can play an important part in transmitting
the faith to young people and be of great assistance to parents in fulfilling
their role in upbringing their children. The responses, therefore, recommend
that Catholic schools be fostered and supported by the entire ecclesial
community. Such is the case especially where the State is overly intrusive in
the educational process, seeking to usurp the family’s responsibility. In
this regard, Catholic schools express the idea of freedom in education and
reassert the primacy of the family as the true subject in the educational
process, to which others involved in education must contribute. The task of
education requires a greater collaboration among families, schools and
Christian communities.
137. Bishops from the Middle East
mention that the task of the family in the transmission of the faith and
Catholic upbringing is even more important in places where Christians are a
minority. Responses from the countries of eastern Europe recount a painful
experience. Older generations, having lived under a socialist regime,
received the basics of the Christian faith before the advent of socialism,
while the younger generation has been raised in a post-Communist climate
highly influenced by secularization, which has had a negative effect on the
transmission of the faith. Even though this is true, younger generations are
especially affected by the example and witness of their parents. In general,
families participating in ecclesial movements are the most active in seeking
to transmit the faith to newer generations. Some responses indicate a certain
paradox in faith-education, namely, in various ecclesial entities parents are
not the ones who transmit the faith to their children, but vice versa,
children, embracing the faith, communicate the faith to their parents, who
have long abandoned religious practice.
b) Christian Education in
Difficult Family Situations
138. Recognizing that the
transmission of the faith and Christian upbringing are inseparable from an
authentic witness of life, provides a basis for understanding how difficult
situations within the family complicate the educational process. In this
sense, those families with children who may be particularly affected by the
so-called “irregular” situation of their parents deserve greater pastoral
attention in Christian education. In this regard, words and expressions need
to be used which create a sense of belonging and not exclusion, ones that can
better convey the warmth, love and the support of the Church, so as not to
generate, especially in the children and young people involved, the idea of
rejection or discrimination against their parents, fully aware that
“irregular” is a word applied to situations, not persons.
An Overview of the Situation of
Upbringing
139. An overview of the present
situation is quite complex and changeable. In some regions where the Catholic
faith continues to be professed by a high percentage of people, the number of
children born and raised in “regular” families is in sharp decline. In other
regions the particular Churches must face different challenges of upbringing,
because cohabitation outside of marriage, homosexuality or civil unions are
not permitted. The Church, nevertheless, must attend, in varying degrees, to
these difficult or irregular situations now almost everywhere. This
phenomenon is on the rise, even in places having a significant number of
“regular” situations of families with two parents who were married in Church.
140. The responses refer to three
elements on the subject of irregular situations and their impact on the
upbringing of children. Firstly, unions between persons of the same sex,
clearly limited for the moment to more “liberal and progressive” countries,
does not require specific action in pastoral care, other than some pastoral
guidelines already mentioned at the end of Part II. Secondly, consideration
needs to be given to the actual existence and growth of single parent
households, often comprised of single mothers with small children, who live
in poverty. This phenomenon poses a pastoral challenge, particularly for the
Churches of Latin America and Asia where, not infrequently, these mothers are
forced to entrust the upbringing of their children to other members of their
family. Thirdly, of great importance in the southern hemisphere is the
phenomenon of “street children,” who are left by troubled parents to fend for
themselves, and children, orphaned by the violent death of their parents, who
are sometimes entrusted to their grandparents.
Requests Addressed to the Church
141. Generally speaking, the
responses mention that parents in irregular situations come to the Church
with a variety of attitudes, depending on their feelings and motivations.
Some approach the Church with a great deal of respect and trust, while
others, instead, display a negative attitude, because of the shame felt by
the choices they made, and hesitate to approach the Church for fear of being
rejected or marginalized. Others believe that the ecclesial community will
understand and accept them graciously, despite their failures and
difficulties, while others, instead, see the Church as an institution overly
intrusive in people’s lives. Still others are convinced that the Church is a
kind of guardian who must guarantee education and support but not make too
many demands.
142. Parents in these irregular
situations in life most commonly have recourse to the particular Churches to
request the administration of the sacraments to their children, especially
Baptism and First Communion, with a clear difficulty, however, of not giving
due importance and genuine value to religious education and participation in
parish life. Many know that catechesis is a prerequisite for receiving the
sacraments; but even more, they feel that the occasion is an obligation, a
formality or a compromise to be accepted, if the child is to receive what is
requested. The responses point out that parents frequently display a
reluctance and disinterest in preparation programmes proposed by the
Christian community, often resulting in their avoiding, if they can,
participating in the events planned for both them and their children. They
use time and work as an excuse, when, in reality, it is a matter of a lack of
caring and coming up with an easier or faster solution. Sometimes, they even
react negatively to the requests of the catechists. In other cases, their
indifference is clearly evident in their continued passivity to any
initiative and their lack of involvement in the religious education of their
child.
143. An analysis of this
information indicates that many of these parents, and likewise a good portion
of Catholic parents in “regular” marriage situations, ask the Sacraments of
Initiation for their children out of habit and simply to follow social
custom. For many, the sacrament is a festive occasion which they request more
out of conformity to family traditions than out of conviction. Nevertheless,
other parents exist who sincerely desire to transmit the faith to their
children, and, for this purpose, rely on the formation programmes which the
parish offers in preparation for the administration of the sacraments.
Sometimes, they themselves request assistance in remedying delicate
situations. They also show a willingness to embark on a genuine spiritual
journey and wish to participate actively in the life of the Church through
their involvement in the child’s catechetical and sacramental programmes. In
rare cases, parents genuinely rediscover their faith, sometimes even arriving
at the point of requesting marriage after years of living together.
144. The responses also mentioned
other requests which parents in irregular situations make of the Church. In
certain cultures, parents might ask for the sacraments for their children
because of superstition or to avoid their remaining unbaptized and without a
religion. In other circumstances, they have recourse to their local priests
simply to receive financial and educational support. Generally speaking, the
number of requests for Confirmation for children is decreasing, especially in
highly secularized countries. People increasingly have the idea of allowing
their child the freedom and responsibility to decide when to begin a
programme of initiation into the Christian life. Difficulties arise when
divorced parents are in disagreement on the Christian initiation of their
child. In these cases, the Church is called to play an important mediating
role through understanding and dialogue.
145. On the question of the
teaching of the Catholic religion, the responses and observations distinguish
two situations. On the one hand, a request can be made to take advantage of
the teaching of the Catholic religion in schools, beyond the catechesis
supplied in a parish. In general, many parents, even those in irregular
situations, choose this option. Particularly in Europe, many of these
requests come from persons who are non-Catholic or non-baptized. Over the
past few years, in some parts of Europe, the number of those who endorse
teaching the Catholic religion in public schools has increased. On the other
hand, some basic scholastic programmes (e.g. in Australia), offer the
possibility of a good education in the faith and religious instruction. In
these cases, many parents in irregular situations, at the baptism of their
child, easily make use of the opportunity to attend the Christian formation
programmes offered by these same schools in preparation for the reception of
the sacraments without having to take part in the catechetical programme in
the parish. Still another reality on all continents is the existence and
activity of Catholic schools and Catholic colleges, in which the children of
parents in irregular situations can enroll without any distinction being
made. In fact, these parents appear willingly to have recourse to them,
mainly because they know that they will receive support and collaboration in
their work of educating their children. In Africa, Catholic schools are
important places for the Christian education of children. The question of
teaching the Catholic religion in a programme of faith-education is barely
treated in the responses. Attempts for a greater collaboration among parish
catechesis, scholastic activity and religious instruction seem to deserve
attention and encouragement, especially where the teaching of the Catholic
religion is only treated academically.
The Response of the Particular
Churches
146. The particular Churches are
called upon to assist families, and with them, persons in irregular
situations. When parents, usually after an absence from the Church for some
time, request from the ecclesial community the sacramental preparation of
their children, the most recommended approach in all the responses is to
readily accept them without making any distinctions. Receiving them with a
basic attitude of respect, a friendly disposition and a willingness to listen
to their human and spiritual needs creates a proper and beneficial atmosphere
for communicating the Gospel message. The important and effective ecclesial
experiences aimed at assisting parents along the way include: catechesis in
the family and community; the ecclesial movements in support of the pastoral
care of married couples; Sunday Masses; family visits; prayer groups; popular
missions; the activities of basic Christian communities; groups of bible
study; the pastoral activities of ecclesial movements; and Christian
education offered to the parents of children and teens who attend numerous
colleges and centers of Catholic education, especially in Latin America. Many
times the children are the ones who evangelize their parents.
147. Despite what has been said,
quite a few responses indicate that the Church’s pastoral care does not
always adequately address the specific problems existent in family life. To
meet this need, pastoral action requires renewed efforts, creativity and joy
to be more effective and proactive in creating an intrinsic relationship
among the formation of children, the faith-formation of parents and community
life. In response, new initiatives are being enacted, including opportunities
for formation in prayer and retreats, intended for parents and often taking
place simultaneously with their children’s catechesis in preparation for the
sacraments; “schools for parents”; catechetical programs on sexual morality
and moral issues related to the family; and providing the opportunity for
many couples to be married during the same ceremony (mass marriage) to
resolve financial difficulties, which, at times, delay and discourage a
couple’s seeking marriage, as cited by the bishops of Nigeria and South
Africa. Some argue, however, that these initiatives are not fully developed.
148. Responses to the questions
indicate that if, on the one hand, support for parents depends on their
willingness to become involved and be guided, their pastoral care arises
mainly from a sense of responsibility and concern by the local priest and his
ability to engage as much as possible the entire parish community. In
parishes in Germany, for example, a group of catechists oversees children as
well as parents throughout the catechetical process. Implementing a
customized approach to pastoral care seems more difficult in big cities. In
each case, the challenge is finding possible ways of attentively approaching
these sisters and brothers in order to follow them, listen to them, help them
express the questions which are a concern to them and propose an itinerary
leading to a reawakening of a desire to deepen their relationship with the
Lord Jesus through genuine communal ties. This would motivate already-existing
initiatives, such as the one promoted by some episcopal conferences in South
America which supplies and offers formation-aid to assist parents in the
education of their children.
149. Particular Churches are well
aware that children or young people are not to blame for the choices and
living situation of their parents. Consequently, children are welcome
everywhere, without distinction with respect to others and with the same love
and attention. The Christian formation offered to them is no different from
the initiatives in catechesis and pastoral activities intended for the other
children in the community, namely: catechesis; schools of prayer;
introduction to the liturgy; associations, especially the Missionary
Childhood Association in Latin America; biblical acting schools and church
choirs; parochial schools and camps; and youth groups. Special programmes to
assist children in healing their wounds and working through their problems
appear lacking. Consequently, the responses hope for the promotion of
programmes on their behalf and support groups, especially in the difficult
period of the separation and divorce of their parents, when they must be able
to continue to hope in family relationships, despite the fact that their
parents separate. In a diocese in northern Europe, where the number of
children of divorced parents is very high, some pastors, to deal with these
family problems and the strain on the children who on weekends cannot always
attend the catechesis classes, are scheduling catechesis on alternate
weekends, so that children can always participate without feeling different.
150. In addition to parishes,
associations and movements, valuable assistance is provided these parents and
their children by the apostolic activity of religious institutes of women,
above all in situations of extreme poverty, religious intolerance or the
exploitation of women. The work of the Propagation of the Faith contributes
to the education and Christian formation of children, including those with
parents in irregular situations, through ordinary and extraordinary aid.
The Time and Manner of the
Christian Initiation of Children
151. Preparation for the
sacraments and sacramental practice is determined by canonical norms,
episcopal conferences and diocesan directives. No alternate process of
preparation is envisioned for children in families with irregular situations.
Consequently, in principle, the traditional course of action is to prepare
for the Sacrament of Baptism through meetings with parents. This is followed
by an orderly and progressive catechesis, according to age, for the
preparation, in about three or four years, for the other sacraments of
Christian initiation, always if the parents request that their children
receive them. In some dioceses, Confirmation is followed by a formation which
includes various pastoral experiences, such as, a solemn profession of faith
and specific initiatives for youth groups. Generally speaking, after
receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation, young people frequent the Church
only occasionally, possibly because of a an inadequate catechesis, or abandon
sacramental practice entirely for lack of personal motivation. Such a
situation shows an insufficiently grounded faith and a want for a
personalized approach in catechesis. The differences between the various
particular Churches and Eastern Catholic Churches in this matter may be
related to the order in which the sacraments are administered, the age at
which they can be received or the organization of catechetical programmes, as
well as pastoral decisions which ought to encourage and open new approaches
in pastoral accompaniment.
152. Some see a duty to celebrate
the sacraments without previously establishing a set age but, instead, take
into account the spiritual maturity of the recipient, despite the fact that
this frequently creates difficulty between the parents. In other cases,
children of families with irregular situations receive Baptism after three or
four years of catechesis, at an age when their peers are admitted to First
Communion, as mentioned by some episcopal conferences in Africa. When parents
request the baptism of their children, but are in a situation of
cohabitation, some churches, before administering the sacrament, choose to
provide personal guidance to parents through instructional meetings which
will eventually lead to their approaching the sacraments and, ultimately, the
celebration of their marriage. In a few years, the children are then
baptized. This is the practice in some African and Arab countries. In other
countries, a pastoral practice of being overly rigid regarding the moral
integrity of parents can carry the risk of unjustly denying the sacraments to
their children and making an unjust distinction between different morally
unacceptable situations (for example, punishing the children for the
invalidity of the marriage of the parents, but not consider the situation of
those who live a life of crime and exploitation). Only a few responses refer
to the catechumenate for children.
Some Specific Difficulties
153. The difficulties associated
with sacramental practice draw attention to sensitive issues and problems in
pastoral activity in some particular Churches. For example, concerning the
Sacrament of Baptism, some complain about an attitude of tolerance with
which, at times, the sacrament is administered to children whose parents are
in irregular situations, without any formative preparation. On the same
subject, sometimes the programme for Christian Initiation is outrightly
denied, because one of the parents is in an irregular situation. Some
responses make reference to the deep uneasiness of parents at their not being
able to approach the Sacrament of Penance and the Eucharist, while their
children are invited to participate in the sacraments. This uneasiness more
or less depends on a parent’s outlook in not being able to receive Holy
Communion, which is not to be viewed in negative terms only, but as an
initial step in a possible process of healing.
Some Pastoral Guidelines
154. The responses mention that
pastoral activity needs to express more of a sensitivity based on a respect
for persons living in these irregular situations and capable of offering
effective support to them in the upbringing of their children. The pastoral
guidance of parents living in these situations should be ongoing and more
attentive to their needs. The high number of those who return to the faith at
the moment of their children’s preparation for the sacraments calls for
action on the local level in seeking appropriate ways to allow them to
rediscover and strengthen their faith. This would also require adequate
training and pastoral action. Of particularly importance is a renewed
understanding of the value and role of the godfather or godmother in the
journey of faith in the lives of children and young people. The suggestions
on this subject range from reconsidering the criteria in choosing a godfather
or godmother, which becomes more difficult because of the growing number of
people in irregular situations, to making catechesis for parents, godfathers
and godmothers more incisive and motivating, considering the high percentage
of those who are unaware of the meaning of the sacrament. Specific pastoral
attention and care ought to be given to persons in mixed marriages and marriages
of mixed religion, who often face major difficulties in the religious
education of their children.
155. Some episcopal conferences
wonder whether it is possible, in every Christian community, to enlist
married couples to act as suitable godmothers and godfathers for parents in
irregular situations so as to guide and support the growth of these persons in
an authentic manner. In places where catechists have an important and
delicate role, some recommend forming them with renewed dedication and
choosing them with greater discernment, since, at times, catechists in
irregular marriages can cause division and difficulties. Some responses call
for the Church to give greater consideration to the quality of the programme
of formation for catechists and better to form catechists so they can give
credible witness with their lives. Others point to the great need to evangelize
people while preparing them for the sacraments and working harder to initiate
people into the faith and life of the Church. This requires guaranteeing
proper pastoral care for parents, starting from the baptism of their child to
their child’s First Communion. Some responses proposed organizing, at the
deanery or vicariate levels, meetings for persons with family problems, who
have the added task of educating their children in the faith.
156. Catholic schools have a great
responsibility with regards to children and young people of couples in
irregular situations, who, today, are present in large numbers. Consequently,
the academic community needs increasingly to serve as a family by creating a
welcoming environment and showing the face of God. Some responses voice the
desire that parishes and Catholic schools effectively collaborate in the
programme of preparation for the sacraments to reinforce a sense of belonging
to the community. Others look to the possibility of encouraging, everywhere
in the Church, instructional and formation programmes for children, teenagers
and young people on the subjects of loving relationships, emotional maturity
and sexuality. Proposing new models of holiness in married life could promote
personal development within the family and the intertwining relationships of
protection, education and love.
157. Those in difficult
situations, e.g. refugees or migrants, also require the Churches attention,
above all in psychological and material support and assistance in education,
in the prevention of abuse or in safeguarding minors from exploitation. In
the case of “itinerant peoples,” who generally ask for the Sacrament of
Baptism for their children, the particular Churches ought to become more
involved in spiritually accompanying the family, so that it can complete
every stage and aspect of Christian initiation.
158. The extensive material
submitted to the Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops is presented in thisInstrumentum
Laboris to promote the dialogue and development which is expected to
take place during the Third Extraordinary General Assembly of the Synod of
Bishops. Clearly, the richness of what is contained in the responses and
observations goes beyond what has been reported in these pages, which are
intended to provide an initial reference point in synod discussion. To come
to some idea of how to respond to the new demands in the People of God, the
following three main areas are under discussion in the Church: how the Gospel
of the Family can be preached in the present-day; how the Church’s pastoral
care programme for the family might better respond to the new challenges
today; how to assist parents in developing a mentality of openness to life
and in upbringing their children.
159. After examining the responses
and observations and gathering from them not only the hopes and joys but also
the griefs and anxieties, this work concludes by returning to the sources of
faith, hope and charity, namely, the Blessed Trinity which is the mystery of
absolute love, revealed in Christ and made accessible by the Holy Spirit. The
love of God shines in a particular way in the Holy Family of Nazareth, the
sure point of reference and comfort for every family. The Holy Family, the
beacon of true love, is to be contemplated in every family situation so as to
draw light, strength and consolation. Therefore, the Third Extraordinary
General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops is prayerfully entrusted to the Holy
Family of Nazareth in the words of Pope Francis:
Jesus, Mary and Joseph,
in you we contemplate the splendour of true love, to you we turn with trust.
Holy Family of Nazareth,
grant that our families too may be places of communion and prayer, authentic schools of the Gospel and small domestic Churches.
Holy Family of Nazareth,
may families never again experience violence, rejection and division: may all who have been hurt or scandalized find ready comfort and healing.
Holy Family of Nazareth,
may the approaching Synod of Bishops make us once more mindful of the sacredness and inviolability of the family, and its beauty in God’s plan.
Jesus, Mary and Joseph,
graciously hear our prayer!
Amen.
© Copyright 2014
©
The General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops and Libreria Editrice
Vaticana.
This text can be reproduced by
bishops' conferences, or at their authorization, provided that the contents
are not altered in any way and two copies of the same are sent to the General
Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops, 00120 Vatican City State.
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Thursday, June 26, 2014
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