Abp. Chaput feels "sense of hopelessness" about Synod on Family

As Walt told you a few days ago, there's a strong feeling that the fix is in at the 2015 Bishops Synod on the Family, in progress (???) at the Vatican this month. It is clear that, in spite of the opposition of bishops from America, Asia and Africa, the Pope and the Gay Mafia in the highest echelons of the Roman Catholic Church are determined to water down the traditional teachings of the Church on divorce, Communion for divorced and remarried Catholics, homosexuality and same-sex "marriage".

One of those battling for adherence to the Faith of our fathers is Philadelphia's Archbishop Charles Chaput. Earlier this week, in his address to the Pope and the bishops assembled, the prelate said that the Instrumentum Laboris (working document) for the Synod "engenders a subtle hopelessness".

The document, published by the Synod's general secretary, Cardinal Baldisseri, as a "guide" to the bishops' deliberations, has been criticized by many of the prelates. Abp. Chaput told the assembly that it fails to inspire a sense of Christian hope. Moreover, the Instrumentum does not convey confidence that Catholics, with the help of grace, can resist the pressures that are undermining marriage and family life. He continued:

This leads to a spirit of compromise with certain sinful patterns of life and the reduction of Christian truths about marriage and sexuality to a set of beautiful ideals, which then leads to surrendering the redemptive mission of the Church. The work of this synod needs to show much more confidence in the Word of God, the transformative power of grace, and the ability of people to actually live what the Church believes. And it should honor the heroism of abandoned spouses who remain faithful to their vows and the teaching of the Church.

Responding to a question about the demand for a Synod message that will make all people (read: not only divorced Catholics but the LGBT crowd whose lifestyle is objectively disordered) feel welcome in the Church, Abp. Chaput said that the need for attractive language must be balanced against the demand for truth. "We have to be careful with our language so that people don't get hurt, but also we must be faithful to Church doctrine."

Click here to read the full text of Abp. Chaput's address to the Holy Father and the Synod, on RNS (Religion News Service)

Further reading: "Synod. First Shot on Target Comes From the Conservatives", but the "progessive" innovators are already on the counter-attack, and counting on the support of the Pope. Sandro Magister in Chiesa, 8/10/15.