VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE
YEAR XXII - # 175
DATE 10-10-2014

Summary:
- Eighth General Congregation: Christian education in difficult family
situations
- Ninth General Congregation: listen to the laity
- Message for families affected by conflicts
- "Useless slaughter": believers and the Holy See during the First World War
- Other Pontifical Acts

___________________________________________________________

 Eighth General Congregation: Christian education in difficult family
situations
 Vatican City, 10 October 2014 (VIS) - During the eighth general Congregation,
held yesterday afternoon, the general debate continued to follow the agenda of
the Instrumentum Laboris, focusing on the theme "The Church and the Family in
the Challenge of Upbringing (Part III, Chapter 2). The Challenge of Upbringing
in General / Christian Education in Difficult Family Situations".
 Firstly, the vocation of life as a basic element of the family was
emphasised; this led to an invitation to the faithful to deepen their
knowledge of Paul VI's Encyclical, Humanae Vitae, thus better understanding
the meaning of the use of natural methods of fertility control and the
non-acceptance of contraception. Union and procreation, it was said, are not
separate from the conjugal act. The condemnation of genetic manipulation and
cryopreservation of embryos was therefore reiterated forcefully.
 From various quarters there emerged the tendency of several states and
organisations based in the Western world to present, especially in the context
of Africa, various concepts (including abortion and homosexual unions) as
"human rights", linked to economic aid and strong pressure campaigns for the
promotion of such concepts. In this respect, it was highlighted that the
expression "rights to sexual and reproductive health" does not have a precise
definition in international law and ends up encompassing mutually
contradictory principles such as the condemnation of forced abortion and the
promotion of safe abortion, or the protection of maternity and the promotion
of contraception. Also without any binding value, the promotion of such
"rights" represents a risk, as it may influence the interpretation of other
norms, especially in combating discrimination against women.
 The Assembly reiterated the importance of adequate preparation for marriage,
as its celebration seems to be increasingly reduced to the social and legal
status, rather than a religious and spiritual bond. The preparatory course, it
was noted, is often perceived by couples as an imposition, a task to complete
without conviction, and as a result it is too brief. Since marriage is a
vocation for life, preparation for it should be long and detailed, as in the
case of preparation for religious life. It was also shown that, among couples,
there is a frequent lack of awareness of the sacramental value of the marriage
bond, so much so that the celebration of the marriage rite, it was said, is
not automatically the celebration of the marriage sacrament.
 With regard to the streamlining of procedures for the process of verifying
matrimonial nullity, it was recalled that a special study Commission for the
reform of the canonical marriage nullification process was instituted by the
Holy Father Francis on 20 September 2014, and the hope was expressed that it
will enable a simpler procedure to be put into effect, which must however be
single and uniform for all the Church. Furthermore, with regard to the double
confirming sentences consequent to mandatory appeal, it was asked whether the
possibility had been raised of leaving the decision of recourse to appeal to
the discretion of the bishop. At the same time, the hope was expressed that
there would be a greater presence of suitably prepared lay judges, women in
particular.
 The Assembly went on to insist on the importance of good preparation for
priests in relation to the pastoral care of marriage and the family, and
remarked that homilies can be used as a special and effective moment for
proclaiming the Gospel of the family to the faithful. It was commented that
there is a need for formation and information, as the spiritual holiness of
the priest, his creativity and his direct relationship with families are
particularly appreciated by the faithful.
 There were further reflections on the relationship between migration and
family, in which it was reiterated that the family unit is a fundamental right
to be accorded to every migrant, and the importance of protection for the
right to family unity through international migratory policies was emphasised.
It was said that the family is an essential element for the integration of
migrants in host countries.
 During the hour dedicated to free discussion - between 6 and 7 p.m. - three
themes emerged in particular: with regard to divorced and remarried persons,
the need for a penitential path was highlighted, to be accompanied by
reflection on the case of divorced persons who remain alone and suffer in
silence, at the margins of social life. Secondly, mention was made of the need
to protect the children of divorced couples from suffering the psychological
affects of their parents' divorce. In this respect, it was recalled that
adequate pastoral care of children often causes their parents to draw closer
to the Church.
 Thirdly, the importance of the relationship between the family and the
education of children was affirmed, with particular reference to parents'
right to choose the most suitable educational plan for their children, so that
they may receive a quality education.
 Finally, the Secretary General of the Synod, Cardinal Lorenzo Baldisseri,
announced that during the eight general Congregations, there had been a total
of 180 interventions from the Synod Fathers, with the addition of 80 more
during the hours of open debate.

___________________________________________________________

 Ninth General Congregation: listen to the laity
 Vatican City, 10 October 2014 (VIS) - During the ninth general Congregation,
which took place this morning, 15 interventions were heard (6 from couples and
9 from single Auditors), almost all laypersons engaged in the fields of family
pastoral care, bioethics and human ecology. From various countries throughout
the world and representing almost all the continents, the Auditors brought to
the Assembly their living testimony of family apostolate lived in everyday
life.
 Firstly, mention was made of the difficulties experienced by families living
in the Middle East, especially in Iraq: these numerous conflicts have serious
repercussions on families, divided by the death of their members, forced to
migrate in search of a safe place to live, deprived of a future for the young
who are removed from schools or for the elderly who are abandoned to their own
devices. The unity of the Christian family in the Middle East is profoundly
disrupted, with consequences also for the social and national unity of the
countries in the region. Faced with such dramatic situations, the Church truly
represents a safe haven, a "family of families" that offers comfort and hope.
It is also necessary to prepare married couples to be "mediators" of peace and
reconciliation.
 Another point highlighted by the Auditors was the need for the Church to
listen more to laypeople in the search for solutions to the problems of
families, especially in relation to the sphere of intimacy in the life of
couples. For this reason it is important for there to be synergy between the
academic world and the pastoral world, so as to form not "technicians" but
rather pastoral workers who know and understand how to promote the themes of
family and life through a solid Catholic overall anthropological vision.

--- MPost/386 v1.21
 * Origin: Sursum Corda! BBS=Huntsville AL=bbs.sursum-corda.com (1:396/45)