The Catechetical Review - Communicating Christ for a New Evangelization

Reflections in Preparation for the Synod on the Family

Authored by Dr. Donald P. Asci in Issue #1.3 of Catechetical Review
The ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops will meet October 4-25, 2015 on the timely topic of “the vocation and mission of the family in the Church and in the contemporary world.” This article provides an overview of the final report from the 2014 extraordinary synod, as a way to prepare our readers for this important upcoming event in the life of the Church. The Catholic Church is now entering the final phase of the official work of the synod on Pastoral Challenges to the Family in the Context of Evangelization, and the synod fathers have committed themselves to continuing down “the path of renewal” outlined in their reflections[i] published in the Relatio Synodi at the conclusion of their meetings in October, 2014.[ii] As we anticipate the various practical programs and initiatives that will be explored as the synod continues, it is worth recalling the Relatio of the synod in order to get a better sense of what all authentic pastoral programs must strive for and how their success must be measured. While many in the media sought to portray the meetings among the synod fathers as a clash between divergent approaches to so-called “hot-button issues” like contraception, divorce, and homosexual unions, the official document from the synod fathers offers a much different view. The Relatio of the synod reads like a spiritual call-to-arms, urging all those engaged in pastoral care and evangelization to confront the many threats to marriage and family life and to gaze upon Christ in order to bring his grace and mercy to all those endangered by the current crisis.

The rest of this online article is available for current subscribers.

Start your subscription today!


This article is from The Catechetical Review (Online Edition ISSN 2379-6324) and may be copied for catechetical purposes only. It may not be reprinted in another published work without the permission of The Catechetical Review by contacting [email protected]

Articles from the Most Recent Issue

Children's Catechesis: The ABCs of Children’s Catechesis
By Sr. Mary Michael Fox, OP
As children, many of us learned the “Alphabet Song.” It is a universally known jingle that helps small children learn the ABCs of the English language. Other cultures use a different tune but the purpose is the same. At the start, a child merely repeats the sounds sung to him. In due time, he gradually learns that the sounds have corresponding... Read more
Youth & Young Adult Ministry: The Intentional Community of WorkCamp
By Christine Najarian
“Whenever you are united, you have marvelous strength. Whenever you are enthused about life in common, you are capable of great sacrifices for others and for the community.” [1] Immediately upon reading Pope Francis’ words in Christus Vivit (“Christ Is Alive”), I had them highlighted and underlined, with “WORKCAMP!” written emphatically in the... Read more
Applied Theology of the Body: Gender Ideology and Homosexuality
By Dr. Donald P. Asci
Pope St. John Paul II proclaimed the theology of the body (TOB) as perennial truths revealed by God through ancient biblical texts, but he also noted that this pedagogy of the body “takes on particular importance for contemporary man, whose science in the fields of bio-physiology and bio-medicine is very advanced” (TOB 59:3). [i] While he... Read more

Pages

Watch Tutorial Videos

We've put together several quick and easy tutorial videos to show you how to use this website.

Watch Now