Conservative bishops strike first at Synod on the Family

Agent 10 has gone straight! Straight from Washington to Rome, that is, to be there in person while the bishops of the Roman Catholic Church deliberate on the family, marriage and sexuality in the 2015 edition of their synod. He shares Walt's opinion that the Pope's fix is in, but takes some hope in signs that the "conservative" bishops intend to go down fighting.

One such was an address Monday morning by Peter Cardinal Erdo, of Budapest, who, in summarizing the main themes of the "Instrumentum Laboris" (Working Document", came out strongly in support of the traditional teachings of the Church on marriage and sexuality. The prelate stated that Catholics who are divorced and remarried cannot be admitted to Communion as long as they remain in a second conjugal union. He also rejected the idea that homosexual relationships can be treated as similar to marriages.

Cardinal Erdo’s speech placed him squarely in opposition to the "Kasper proposal" -- generally thought to have the backing of (if it wasn't written by) Pope Francis and the Synod Secretary, Cardinal Baldisseri -- which puts forward a rationalization for admitting divorced and remarried Catholics to Communion, and advocates a "positive attitude" toward homosexual unions.

Noting that the Synod is taking place at a time when society is experiencing a "flight from institutions", Cardinal Erdo insisted on the duty of the Church to uphold the indissolubility of sacramental marriage. He said that while the Church must show mercy to people whose marriages have failed, the acceptance of Christ's mercy demands conversion.

In the case of Catholics who have entered into a second marriage, the prelate went on, the rule barring reception of the Eucharist is not an arbitrary prohibition but a recognition of the objective truth that their living arrangement is contrary to the Gospel. While divorced and remarried Catholics should be encouraged to take an active role in the life of the Church, he added, "that is different from admission to the Eucharist."

Regarding homosexual relationships, Cardinal Erdo said that it is wrong to suggest that same-sex unions are comparable to marriages. "There is no basis for comparing or making analogies, even remotely, between homosexual unions and God’s plan for matrimony and the family."

Cardinal Erdo also cautioned against acceptance of the calls from the "progressives" for "gradualism" in pastoral practice -- the suggestion that Catholic pastors could accept couples living in irregular unions, while hoping to guide them into a fuller acceptance of Church teaching. "Between truth and falsehood, between good and bad, there is no law of gradualism."

For that reason, the Cardinal told reporters in a press conference after his speech, the Synod should not consider any dramatic change in teaching. Catholic doctrine can and should be developed, he said. However, "development is not unlimited. We have to look at tradition."

Further reading:
"On Day One of Synod 2015, conservatives strike first" Crux, 5/10/15
"Synod Opening: Beautiful words, but then..." Christopher Ferrara in Catholic Family News, 5/10/15