This morning’s speeches were varied in terms of style, detail and subject. This is just the first phase of a Synodal process which will come to a temporary end this coming Sunday with the beatification of Paul VI and will continue in October 2015, when the Ordinary Synod is to take place. Today’s was an open, collegial and “heated” debate, where disagreements did come to the fore. “In families it often happens that the mother says ‘it’s too dangerous’, while the father says ‘no, don’t be scared’. “While some Synod Fathers say: ‘Be careful, we should not forget about the doctrine’, there is also a need for accompaniment in certain situations, hence the Pope’s references to a field hospital,” the Archbishop of Vienna, Cardinal Christoph Schönborn – who spoke in today’s briefing – said. Some groups urged caution regarding the openness the relatio post disceptationem showed towards such couples. The debate focused on two areas in particular: communion for remarried divorcees, which remains an open question and same-sex couples. After this, the final document, the relatio synodi, will be published. These are amendments to the relatio post disceptationem, the document which summarised the first week of discussions and will be voted on on Saturday afternoon. The topics were presented by the ten circuli minores, the different language groups the bishops have been split into (3 Italian groups, three English Groups, two Spanish and two French groups) and the contributions published by the Vatican. These were the recurring themes of the speeches delivered at the Extraordinary Synod on the Family (5-19 October) in the Vatican today. But also the Church’s promise of mercy for families in irregular situations. The need to present positive Christian family models.
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