Letters

Synod outcome "led by the Holy Spirit"

Contents - Dec 2015 Religious freedom: Catholic bishops face more than prosecution over marriage leaflet - Pat Byrne Education: Religious education: parents' responsibility or school's? - Fr Pat Stratford Apostolic voyage: Pope Francis supports Catholic church during Africa visit - AD2000 Report Genocide: US religious leaders condemn ISIS genocide against Christians - Nahal Toosi Germany: Pope Francis deplores decline of Catholicism in Germany - AD2000 Report China: New clampdown on believers in China - Bernardo Cervellera Religious freedom: Am I My Brother's Keeper? (Genesis 4:10) - Anne Lastman Has the Messiah come or returned? - Andrew Sholl Ordinariate Missal: "Divine Worship: The Missal" preserves Anglican patrimony - Fr James Bradley St Clement's revealing Letter to the Corinthians - Peter Westmore Letters: Euthanasia: letter to a PM - Arnold Jago Letters: Synod outcome "led by the Holy Spirit" Letters: Support religious freedom in India - Scott Schittl Reflection: Christmas: a time of light, peace and joy - Archbishop Mark Coleridge

Thank you to the author of "Synod re affirms church teaching pm sexuality, marriage and the family" (AD2000, November2015).

Having followed the Synod and its deliberations and its many detractors, I at times despaired at what might be the outcome. Yet I always felt deeply that the Holy Father and the Synod fathers led by the Holy Spirit would be in control.

Why is it that so much negative palaver was fed to the media even from within the Church? From within the body of Christ? What was their purpose?

Was it to try and force the Church to change? To this all we can say is thank God for the grace and humour and serenity and strength of the Holy Father, His Holiness Pope Francis.

This Synod had much to examine in a society in the turmoil of transition. Gender issues, re-marriage issues, same sex attraction and marriage issues, birth rate issues, abortion and anti-life issues.

This Synod had to contend with a changing culture, being in the midst of a loss of past certainties and mores, and new mores still not firmed and secure.

It had to look to strengthen the family as first priority "since a society that neglects the family has lost its openness to the future" To this end family associations and charisms committed to working together with other groups to defend life and family, freedom and religious freedom are to be encouraged.

Overall all 94 paragraphs of the proposed draft document were passed by the Synod Fathers. In this, in my opinion, we see the work of the Holy Spirit.

Thank you to the author of this excellent, abridged and easily understandable article on the Synod.

ANNE LASTMAN,
Vermont South, Vic.

Reprinted from AD2000 Vol 28 No 11 (December 2015 - January 2016), p. 11