The synod is just the beginning

Newspaper headlines and social media came out in full force in the wake of the Catholic synod earlier this month – officially titled ‘Pastoral Challenges for the Family in the Context of Evangelization’ – laying particular focus on Pope Francis’ appeals towards a more compassionate stance towards alternative family models as well as homosexuals.

In what was perceived to be a conflict between Pope Francis and elements within the Roman Catholic clergy, bishops had reversed a historic acceptance of gays after they dropped parts of a controversial document that had been hailed as a breakthrough in how the Catholic hierarchy talked about gay people.

The call “to accept and value” homosexuals in a draft report was backed by Pope Francis but it failed to win the backing of two-thirds of the bishops at the synod in Rome. Two other paragraphs suggesting divorced and remarried Catholics could receive communion also failed to pass.

The report was issued at the end of a two-week extraordinary synod of some 200 Roman Catholic bishops from around the world.

Immanuel Mifsud • After the Vatican Synod

Notwithstanding that the original report was changed to what many perceived to be a more cautious version, and the arguably misguided combative terms in which sections of the media perceived the unfolding synod (with ‘Progressive Pope Francis’ one corner, ‘Conservative Bishops’ in another), the fact remains that this year’s synod has led to some discussion on the role of the Church in the world – and, of course, in predominantly Catholic Malta where the recent passing of the Civil Unions Bill has put the situation of LGBTI Catholics into further relief.

The founding member of LGBTI Catholic group Drachma Malta, Mario Gerada, is certainly appreciative of Pope Francis’ overall message, pointing out however that we should refrain from seeing his plea to “accept and value” homosexuals as some kind of intrinsically radical move.

“Elements within the Catholic Church have been debating this issue for quite a while, but I think it’s crucial that the higher echelons of the Church hierarchy are finally putting this issue at the forefront of their agenda,” Gerada said.

“For example, Fr Richard Woods made a similar argument in his book ‘Another Kind of Love’… and this was way back in 1977. So while Pope Francis’ statements are not new in and of themselves, I appreciate what he is doing – particularly in the sense that he’s emphasising a more pastoral dimension, which prioritises the fact that you should embrace and welcome people to the fold.”

Frank Psaila • After the Vatican Synod

However, Gerada adds that any developments in this regard would have to be bolstered by theological developments too.

“Ultimately, when it comes to homosexuality, the question that needs to be answered is: are homosexuals ‘defective’ heterosexuals? If you have that perspective, a certain kind of teaching comes out… but if not, you have to negotiate with the changes you’re currently seeing in society.”

Similarly, Gerada outlines a similar logical underpinning to how marriage relates to the Church.

“There are two fundamental questions: what makes marriage, marriage? And following on from that: what makes a marriage Christian? Once you set about answering those questions in earnest, gender ceases to really matter.”

Asked about the bishops’ apparent resistance to Pope Francis’ initial message, Gerada emphasises that “fear, in this area, is huge on the part of the Church hierarchy… my wish is to see less of a philosophy of fear and more of a philosophy of joy”.

Manuel Mangani, blogger and social worker specialising in alcohol and drug abuse prevention, also cautioned against seeing Pope Francis’ statements as being in any way revolutionary, lamenting that, “it was perceived as such by a media which persists in characterising the Church as a homophobic institution intent on issuing anathemas on those individuals with a homosexual orientation”.

“The Pope’s proposal echoes what he already stated months ago: that the Church must change emphasis and harp less about what is wrong, while stressing the human aspect of its relationship with individuals who are living in ways which do not reflect Catholic morality,” Mangani said.

Mangani is hopeful that the discussions begun during the synod will lead to a positive ‘trickle-down’ effect on the local scenario – pointing out that new currents are already being felt, what with “the supposedly ‘traditionalist” Gozo Bishop Mario Grech penning an article encouraging reflection on whether the position and practices of the Orthodox Church regarding remarriage could lead to ideas that would allow divorced and re-married individuals to receive Communion without compromising the doctrine of indissolubility.

“Understandably this has provoked an animated discussion in local Catholic circles, but it is from these discussions that ideas for the way forward may emerge,” Mangani said.

‘Animated’ is a key word for ‘Iswed Fuq l-Abjad’ presenter Frank Psaila too, who hopes that both the synod in particular and Pope Francis’ more inclusive and tolerant approach in general will pave the way to a livelier and more relevant scenario in Malta.

“I certainly hope that the conservative element which appears to have taken the upper hand at the synod, doesn’t also stifle debate in Malta. I hope to see a Church that is alive and open – a Church which you can point to as being relevant, even if you may not agree with its fundamental teachings,” Psaila said, adding that relevance is a crucial concern for the Maltese Church since, “you could say that over the past couple of years, it has ceased to be relevant at all”.

Novelist Immanuel Mifsud, having previously complained about the rote way in which religion tends to be taught in schools, is heartened by how the synod has revealed “differing factions” within even the highest echelons of Church institutions.

“If we understand that the Church is not a monolithic institution, but one which has many dissenting voices within it, this will hopefully encourage a less rigid way of teaching religion, and one which encourages livelier debate,” Mifsud said.

Deputy leader of the Labour Party Toni Abela was also hopeful that, notwithstanding what he characterises the “conservative element” within the clergy, Pope Francis’ overall message could be seen as an even more tolerant development on Vatican II.

“Vatican II was predicated on the tolerance of other religions. Now, there should be a ‘second Vatican II’ – which doesn’t just embrace different religions, but different types of individuals too,” Abela said.