By Fr Glen Fernandes, OFM –
Pope Francis on October 15th, 2017 called out for the special assembly of the Synod of Bishops on the theme: New Paths for the Church and for an internal Ecology.
Amazon is a region with rich bio-diversity; it is multi-ethnic, multi-cultural and multi-religious. It is a mirror of all humanity which, if defense of life, requires structural and personal changes by all human beings, by nations and by the church. The highlight of the synod is going to be, “How do we imagine our ‘Serene future’ and the ‘good life’ of future generations? What is the Church’s particular mission today in the face of this reality?
A working document released in June 2018, has 3 parts. It identified many issues of Amazon region but the key themes of the synod as the role which are controversial and have caused uproar in the church are found in the third part of the working document. The synod’s preparatory document titled as Instumentum Laboris mentioned key issues were the ordination of married men, the role of women in the church, the rights and traditions of indigenous people, allowing lay people to preach at Mass etc.
Many church leaders have raised objection to the synod. Cardinal Burke and Bishop Athanasius Schneider issued an eight-page declaration warning against six “serious theological errors and heresies” and calling for prayer and fasting in the run-up to the Synod.
Cardinal Gerhard Müller, former Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith who was removed from his post by Pope Francis in 2017, concentrated especially on the question of the priesthood and of the impossibility of female participation in it. He said, “No synod, with or without the Pope, and also no ecumenical council, or the Pope alone, if he spoke ex cathedra, could make possible the ordination of women as bishop, priest, or deacon. They would stand in contradiction to the defined doctrine of the Church.”
Cardinal Müller gives his entire theological weight and expertise in order to defend the Catholic priesthood. He reminds us that “the three-fold office – as it historically grew out of the apostolate in the Early Church as instituted by Christ – exists by virtue of a “divine institution” (Lumen Gentium 20).” This office is exercised by bishops, presbyters/priests, and deacons.
“The Mass is as a Liturgy of the Word and of the Body and Body of Our Lord one single act of worship’ (Sacrosanctum Concilium 56),” the Cardinal states. “That is why it is up to the bishops and priests to preach and, at the most, at times to let the ordained deacon deliver a homily. The service in the Word and in the Sacrament has one inner unity.” Herewith, the German Cardinal refutes the idea to separate the priest’s duties of celebrating the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass from his preaching of the Word of God.
Other high-ranking prelates who have raised concern about the direction the Amazon Synod is taking include the following:
1. Cardinal Walter Brandmüller, a world renowned-scholar of church history and one of the two remaining dubia cardinals, called the working document “heretical” and an “apostasy” from Divine Revelation. He called upon Church leaders to “reject” it with “all decisiveness.”
2. Bishop Marian Eleganti, auxiliary bishop of Chur, Switzerland, stated that if ideas in the working document are adopted, they “will contaminate the whole Mystical Body of the Church – and gravely damage it.”
3. Monsignor Nicola Bux, a theologian and former consulter to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith during Benedict XVI’s pontificate, called the Amazon Synod an attempt to “create another church” by “demolishing” the true Church from within.
4. Bishop Athanasius Schneider, the Auxiliary Bishop of Astana, Kazakhstan, stated that Pope Francis has a “strict duty, as given to him by God” to uphold the “apostolic inheritance of priestly celibacy” at the upcoming Amazon Synod. “He may not support in the slightest way – by silence or by an ambiguous conduct – the obviously Gnostic and naturalistic contents of parts of the Instrumentum laboris (working document), as well as the abolishment of the apostolic duty of priestly celibacy (which first would be regional, and then naturally, and step by step, then becomes universal),” he said.
As I was reflecting of the genesis of the whole issue I realized that it’s not just the Amazon Synod that is making the difference rather the issue is half a century old. The main crux of the problem, I think, is originated from the Vatican II. Pope John XXIII was a visionary holy man of God. He could see that after the World War II the world was getting influenced by modernism and liberalism. The modern ideas, discoveries, technology was influencing our way of life. Catholicism was in danger because of these advancements.
Modern Christian thinkers wanted to get rid of Catholic teaching of the past saying it is outdated. Thus Pope John XXIII called out for a council, which was not to condemn anyone but to give new direction and bring out the renewal in the Church. He had good intention which was to renew the church by upholding the traditions of the Church.
But there were catholic thinkers, even cardinals during the Council who were influenced by modernism and liberalism. They believed that the theologians who over the period of time have given catholic tradition had little knowledge about recent scientific discoveries and technological advancements. They, by their participation, influenced the Vatican II. They say Vatican II opened the windows of the Church and let the fresh air come in. But the same fresh air can turn into mighty storm and cause the destruction. Thus opening windows cannot be the solution. We also need to close some windows when there is need.
Today we like it or not the Church is influenced by the mind of liberalism and modernism. We want easy and quick solutions for our modern problems.
Our holy father Pope Francis is a holy man of God. He has best intentions in mind and really wants to take Church forward with unity and harmony. However, there is always the suspicion that our holy father Pope Francis is motivated partly by a Western secular model which encourages people to change things locally in accordance with the spirit of the age. Today the Church is in distress and the assembly of the German Bishop’s Assembly has made the especially, the German Synod which is seen as a kind of rebellion.
To highlight, Where do we go from now? We need to take the example of St. Francis of Assisi. In his life we see that Francis did not know the way, he was confused; he did not show the way for he did not know the way. One of Francis’ favourite resorts was a dilapidated little chapel dedicated to St. Damian. There he would spend hours on his knees before a Crucifix, pouring out his supplications that God may deign to forgive him his past frivolities, and adding like St. Paul, “Lord what do you want me to do for you?”
One day, while he was thus praying before the crucifix, suddenly, the image of Christ became animated, and he heard the following words from the lips of the Crucified, “ Francis, Go and repair My house which you see is falling into ruins.” Instantly Francis arose to execute his Master’s Command.
His leadership is one not based on power, ambition, domination, avarice, suppression but love, service, brotherhood, liberation and sanctification. There are areas where his leadership stands clear and undoubtable such as his leadership in rebuilding the church of his times. The condition of the Church during the time of St. Francis was all but hopeless. Bishops and priests struggled in vain to check the flood of licentiousness which was spreading among all the classes of society due in part to the fact that they themselves had become infected with the spirit of worldliness. Clergy were absorbed in the management of temporal affairs to the neglect of their pastoral ministry.
As for people their moral and religious status was on par with that of their pastors. The Church of Christ was damaged and ruined by sin. The world wondered what is going to be the future of the Church which Christ build on the foundation of the Apostles.
It was in such situation that God chose a little man from Assisi called Francis to be the spiritual builder of the Church to renew His Church in all ways. In a society wherein appearance, affluence, living for self and achievement were seen as the prized values of the day, Francis and his disciples dared and strove to live the Gospel values of simplicity, humility and compassion for others. He taught his followers a lesson of service after the example of Christ. His entire life is capsule in one word and that one word is love. His love for crucified Christ empowered him to spend long hours in solitary places to contemplate on the passion of Christ. Francis learned early on that rebuilding God’s Church meant embracing everyone.
It is very difficult road ahead but the ideals of St. Francis can help us. The night is always the darkest before the dawn. We hope and pray that Holy Spirit may inspire and work during the Amazon synod. Many Catholics are devoting themselves for praying for fasting and penance.
Archbishop Fulton used to say “Who’s going to save our Church? It’s not our Bishops, it’s not our Priests and it is not the Religious. It is up to you, the people. You have the minds, the eyes and the ears to save the Church. Your mission is to see that the Priests act like Priests, your Bishops act like Bishops, and the religious act like religious.”
So let me conclude with a heartfelt plea to you my friends. Don’t take the bait. We are not thinking of schism. We are thinking of and working and praying for the preservation of Catholic unity, a unity that keeps us in full communion not only with the Bishop of Rome and with our fellow Catholics around the world today, but also with all the faithful Catholics of previous generations. It’s our Church: the Church of the apostles and saint and martyrs and of us poor sinners. Let us become worthy children of our Mother Church by our constant prayer. May St. Francis of Assisi intercede for us all! Pace e Bene!