South Dakota Senate Rejects Effort to Undermine Embryonic …

(From left to right) Archbishop Forte, Cardinal Luis Tagle, Cardinal Peter Erdo, Cardinal Ricardo Ezzati Andrello, and Father Federico Lombardi speak at the press conference announcing the mid-term report on the Synod on the Family on October 13, 2014.

Hungarian Cardinal Peter Erdo, general relator of the Synod, presents his interim report at a Vatican press conference October 13, 2014.

ROME The Vaticans interim report on the debates at the Extraordinary Synod on the Family, released in Rome this morning, includes a range of controversial proposals that are eliciting strong reactions, including a statement from the Voice of the Family coalition charging that it amounts to a betrayal of the Catholic faith.

The document, which is not definitive and is merely meant to summarize the debates of the first week, asks whether accepting and valuing [homosexuals] sexual orientation could align with Catholic doctrine; proposes allowing Communion for divorced-and-remarried Catholics on a case-by-case basis; and says pastors should emphasize the positive aspects of lifestyles the Church considers gravely sinful, including civil remarriage after divorce and premarital cohabitation.

After the document, known as the relatio post disceptationem, or report after the debate, was read in the Synod hall this morning, numerous bishops reportedly rose to raise concerns or ask for clarification.

Cardinal Peter Erdo, the synods general relator and thus the documents lead author, told a press conference at the Vatican this morning that some bishops questioned why the document fails to mention Church teaching that homosexual unions are disordered. Vatican reporter John Thavis, who describes the document as a pastoral earthquake, wrote that at least one bishop asked what happened to the concept of sin, noting that it is hardly mentioned in the document.

The document has drawn strong praise in mainstream media and from liberal Catholics. Joshua McElwee, the Vatican correspondent for the leftist National Catholic Reporter, commented on Twitter, "Reading this#Synod14document, I don't know what to say. It feels like a whole new church, a whole new tone, a whole new posture. Wow."

Fr. James Martin, SJ, tweeted: "Today's stunning change in tone from the Catholic bishops on LGBT people shows what happens when the Holy Spirit is let loose.

However, it has also met a sharp rebuke from Catholic activists. John Smeaton, co-founder of Voice of the Family, a coalition of 15 international pro-famiy groups, said it is one of the worst official documents drafted in Church history.

Thankfully the report is a preliminary report for discussion, rather than a definitive proposal, he said in a press release. It is essential that the voices of those lay faithful who sincerely live out Catholic teaching are also taken into account. Catholic families are clinging to Christs teaching on marriage and chastity by their finger-tips.

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South Dakota Senate Rejects Effort to Undermine Embryonic ...