Bad news from Rome
The final report of the Synod emphasizes the role of discernment and individual conscience in dealing with difficult family situations, in a win for liberal bishops.
Catholics bishops have been voting today on the final report at the end of a divisive, 3-week Synod. While the report doesn’t give any clear answer whether civilly remarried Catholics can receive Communion, paragraphs 84–86 of the final report published today opens the door to case-by-case exceptions to Church teaching by citing the role of discernment and conscience.
The three paragraphs dealing with the issue barely reached the two-thirds majority needed to pass.
In his concluding words, Pope Francis said that the synod had:
laid bare the closed hearts which frequently hide even behind the Church's teachings and good intentions, in order to sit in the chair of Moses and judge, sometimes with superiority and superficiality, difficult cases and wounded families.
"The Synod experience also made us better realize that the true defenders of doctrine are not those who uphold its letter, but its spirit; not ideas but people; not formulas but the free availability of God's love and forgiveness."
There is much more to be said about this Synod and the fight between conservative forces and the most modernist prelates involved in this 2-year process launched by Francis. For now our prayers and sacrifices which have avoided a much worse result are still needed!
