Read in conjunction with the recent document by the International Theological Commission on interpreting the sensus fidelium, the attitude [of the bishops as expressed in their recent instrumentum laboris] seems to be, if Catholics disagree with Church teaching, it’s because they don’t understand it. A more reasonable conclusion, would be that if people in real-world loving relationships don’t agree with church teaching, it’s because celibate bishops and theologians don’t understand sexuality, relationships or marriage.
– Terence Weldon
"Bishops’ Depressing Document on Marriage: Glimmers of Hope"
Queering the Church
June 27, 2014
"Bishops’ Depressing Document on Marriage: Glimmers of Hope"
Queering the Church
June 27, 2014
UPDATES:
Catholic LGBT Advocates Respond to ‘Disappointing’ Synod Working Paper – Bob Shine (Bondings 2.0, June 29, 2014).
Church Leaders' Condescension An Affront to Catholic Laity's Intelligence – Kelly Stewart (National Catholic Reporter, June 30, 2014).
Related Off-site Links:
Synod Document is First, Not Last, Word on Marriage and Family Issues – Francis DeBernardo (Bondings 2.0, June 27, 2014).
Synod Working Paper is Boring and Joyless – Thomas Reese (National Catholic Reporter, June 27, 2014).
Vatican Document's “Value of the Family” Applicable to ALL Families – Terence Weldon (Queering the Church, June 27, 2014).
Vatican Document for Synod on Family Balances Mercy and Cultural Blame – Joshua J. McElwee (National Catholic Reporter, June 26, 2014).
Vatican Admits Most Catholics Reject Its Teachings on Sex – Nicole Winfield (Associated Press via HuffPost Religion, June 27, 2014).
See also the previous Wild Reed posts:
"If the People Don't Believe It, It's Not True"
A Clerical Leadership Unresponsive to Voices of Reason
Stop in the Name of Discriminatory Ideology!
Will We See Change?
The Catholic Challenge
A Time to Re-think the Basis and Repair the Damage
Roger Haight on the Church We Need
Quote of the Day – April 14, 2010
Paul Lakeland in Minneapolis
A Church That Can and Cannot Change
Robert McClory on Humanae Vitae
Rosemary Haughton and the "True Catholic Enterprise"
James Carroll on Catholic Understandings of Truth (Part 1)
James Carroll on Catholic Understandings of Truth (Part 2)
James Carroll on Catholic Understandings of Truth (Part 3)
James Carroll on Catholic Understandings of Truth (Part 4)
Getting It Right
God is Love
When the bishops arrived at the Second Vatican Council, they were confronted with working papers prepared by the curia that were heavy with regressive ideas, rehashed dogmas, and moral condemnations from on high. The bishops reacted forcefully, criticizing the curial documents, and demanding time to develop their own drafts. The council went on to initiate an ambitious reform and renewal of the church.
ReplyDeleteThe synod can be rescued, and go on to become the moment when the church turned away from the right wing backlash to Vatican II. I think, given the bishops we have, this is less likely to happen than in 1962, but one can hope. If the synod is a disappointment, however, I think that will be very damaging.