The lost concept of “family”

It’s a synod on the family, remember

by Cormac Burke

Divorce, annulments, and contraception certainly have their impact

on family life, but surely it is a negative one.

Judging by media reports on the Extraordinary Synod which opened in Rome on October 5, the bishops present will be mainly concerned with issues such as admission to the Eucharist of divorced and remarried persons, the speeding up of annulment processes, and the possible revision of the Church’s teaching on contraception. Implicit in most of the reports is the view that a liberalization or “relaxation” of the Church’s present discipline in these matters could help to ameliorate the pastoral problem or concern that the synod is called to examine. What could be said about this view?

First, it must be remembered that the synod is on the family, not on marriage. Certainly the health of the family depends on the health of marriage; hence the two questions are intimately connected. Yet, if the topics so highlighted by the media are discussed, then it should be in the light of their relevance to the health of the family itself.

From this latter point of view, divorce, annulments, and contraception certainly have their impact on the quality of family life. But surely it is a negative impact, not a positive one? Hence, proposals to make them more “available” or more “acceptable” would seem to run clear counter to the presumed purpose of the synod.

What in fact is this purpose? Why has the synod been convoked? The recent Instrumentum Laboris answers in its opening paragraph, “to bring about a new springtime for the family.” While this is suggestive (implying also that the family is going through a winter), it is not too concrete. Let us go directly then to Pope Francis himself, who can certainly tell us what is central in his concerns about the family and, therefore, what he wants the synod to discuss.

The media might have taken more notice of a letter he addressed directly to Christian families themselves earlier this year. There he expresses his mind about the role of the family, and the dangers which threaten it today, in a very condensed but beautiful manner.

It is no accident that Francis chose to date this brief letter February 2, the Feast of the Presentation.

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