By JOSEPH MATT
The Ordinary Synod of Bishops on the Family has drawn to an end. Was it all for naught?
If one can even categorize such a thing in terms of winners and losers, the jury seems to still be out regarding the outcome of this 2015 synod. There are many comments on these pages by which one can conclude it certainly was not a success for either side. Time will tell. Some observations are quite clear.
It did bring to light two distinct factions within the Church at odds with each other, in a Church where there is only one truth. Much of what bubbled to the surface during the synod has been gnawing at the Church for decades, disguised under many different initiatives but always exposed as modernism.
Why is it instead of preaching the Gospel we are always trying to change the Gospel?
It seems the only clarity the synod brought was the clear distinction of who among the clerics align themselves with the unchanging teachings of Christ of the past 2,000 years and who do not.
The downside to this whole process was the exposing of our Church for the world to see that there is widespread disunity within it, and allowing that vulnerability to be manipulated by the narrative of the day. Our Church, because it has a Pope, is called to speak with one unified clear voice. It still remains to be seen whether we will have that clarity needed under this pontificate.
It seems that if there is one thing that can be learned from this synod, it is the overwhelming need for increased formation and education in the Catholic faith. It is imperative that the Church revitalize its initiative to catechize the faith in its parishes and schools.
Our culture is crying out with a resounding need for instruction in the Catholic faith, from the formation of priests in the seminaries to the Catholic parents and the children who need that instruction to survive in today’s Godless society.
As Raymond Cardinal Burke said in a recent interview, “Only sound Catholic education at home and in school can transform the culture.”
Yes, there is a battle for the soul of the Church, which is why we must be vigilant and steeped in our faith. Now is not the time to wring our hands and despair. We are called as Catholics to live our faith and to proclaim our faith.
The Wanderer will continue to do its part in educating and informing its readership in the Catholic faith and continue to expose and resist the forces that continue to threaten that faith.
We will strengthen our efforts to explain and bring the one true Catholic faith to more people in the months and years to come.
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