Synod will not result in ‘spectacular change’ in doctrine, says cardinal

Observers expecting the family synod to result in a “spectacular change” of Church doctrine will be disappointed, a senior cardinal has said.

Speaking at a Vatican press conference on Monday, Cardinal André Vingt-Trois said: “If you have come to Rome with the idea that you are going to witness a spectacular change in Church doctrine, you are going to be disappointed.

“Nor do you need a synod to work that out. All you have to do is listen to the Pope’s homilies on the family, week after week at his Wednesday public audiences.”

The cardinal is the Archbishop of Paris and one of four delegate presidents at the synod.

His comments were echoed by Archbishop Bruno Forte, the synod’s special secretary, who added that the media wrongly presented bishops as divided into two parties.

“We are pastors, filled with faith, open to God,” he said.

At the press conference synod rapporteur Cardinal Péter Erdő defended his comments about Communion for the remarried in his opening address at the synod.

In his address Cardinal Erdo had said: “The integration of the divorced and remarried in the life of the ecclesial community can take many forms, [but it] is different from admission to the Eucharist.”

Cardinal Erdő told reporters that for the divorced and civilly remarried “it is not failure of first marriage, but living in a second union that prevents access to Eucharist”.

Cardinal Erdo emphasised that marriage was indissoluble. “God offers forgiveness to sinners, but asks for conversion,” he said.

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