Cardinal Nichols reflects on Family Synod

Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster and President of the Bishops' Conference, held a press conference at the Bishops' Conference office in London on Tuesday to offer his reflections on the Extraordinary Synod on the Family that took place in Rome from 5-19 October 2014. Fr Manuel Dorantes, who works for the Vatican Press Office, also took part in the conference.

Using a musical analogy, the Cardinal compared the Synod to a symphony. At this point in time we've got to the end of the first movement, he explained. There will now be a slow movement, over the next year before the finale.

The tone of the Synod was set by Pope Francis, who wanted to ensure that every voice was heard, the Cardinal said. The first week was a reflection on the situation, added to by 280 individual speeches, bringing the voices of the local church There were different opinions, disagreements, honest speaking. listening attentively, humbly, with charity and the tone never wavered, he said. Many issues were raised - the impact of war, immigration, domestic violence, polygamy, adoption, sexual exploitation, inter religious marriage, divorce and remarriage.

Cardinal Vincent said one of the strongest voices was the anger expressed by a group of eleven bishops over the way aid funding was tied to their accepting abortion and contraception. One bishop described this as "blackmail" and said "keep the money. We would rather keep our values than this."

The interim report had a strongly pastoral tone, the Cardinal said but added that many people thought it "wasn't balanced and was careless in its use of language in some points."

The Synod then broke up into ten discussion groups which focused on four key themes. Firstly, a powerful trumpet call in support of marriage. Secondly they wanted to see in the next document more systematic presentation of Church teaching. Thirdly there were calls to intensify pastoral 'art of accompanying people' and finally there were calls to address explicitly some of the difficult situations.

Cardinal Vincent said the Synod report, which has not been published in English yet, is not a final report - but a point of new departure. Three subjects which narrowly missed receiving the majority vote, but still remain in the report, were how to approach the Eucharist for divorce and remarried people; Spiritual Communion and a pastoral response to same-sex couples.

The Cardinal said the Holy Father's address at the end of the Synod was "very moving and astonishing" . It has been described, he said, as "one of the most important of his pontificate'. Cardinal Vincent told reporters: " I've been to quite a few synods don't remember one that was as vigorous and as open as direct as this both in Synod hall and also in relation to the media."

Commenting on the "spirit of trust and openness" at the Synod he said there was "a tone and language being developed but more importantly than that a profound a senses of common purpose" under the leadership of Pope Francis.

To watch a film, or listen to recording of the press conference see: www.catholic-ew.org.uk/Home/Featured/Synod-of-Bishops-on-the-Family-2014/Latest-News-from-the-2014-Family-Synod/Synod-Reflections

Read Pope Francis' final address to the Synod here: www.indcatholicnews.com/news.php?viewStory=25791