Disturbing Revelations

Cardinal Lorenzo Baldisseri

An important story concerning the Extraordinary Synod on the Family last October has emerged. The Catholic World Report has it and you can read it here. Fr Z blogged on it yesterday.

According to the story, copies of the Ignatius Press book on marriage, Remaining in the Truth of Christ, were posted through regular mail to the participants in the Synod, however most of them were taken, intercepted (stolen according to Fr Z) allegedly by Cardinal Baldisseri, General Secretary of the Synod, so they would not "interfere with the Synod" (apparently his own words).

If this is true, and it seems it is given the Cardinal's own admissions, it is a disgrace. It is an action that casts another shadow on the workings of the Synod and further reduces people's confidence, not only in the Synod and its aims, but also on those organizing it, and let's face it, many many good people have many legitimate concerns. Many are worried about how things will go at the next Synod in October, this revelation will not help. Committing a crime to prevent members of the Synod having access to an important publication on matters concerning the Synod (and intercepting/stealing another's mail is actually a crime) may well bring the whole Synod process into disrepute.

One wonders how the Holy See will now respond? Will Cardinal Baldisseri be left in place? Will the Holy Father take action? Will Cardinal Kasper, who seems to be the darling of some of those organizing this Synod, continue to be facilitated to air his views without challenge, while those who offer valid and orthodox objections to his proposals are pushed out into the margins? Is the interception of this book an indication as to the plans of some organizing this Synod and a revelation of how far they are prepared to go to get their way?  

I fear poor Fr Lombardi will be wheeled out yet again in an damage limitation exercise in the hope it will all go away and the backroom boys can get on with their work.  This is not good for the Church.

Remaining in the Truth of Christ, co-authored by a number of scholars, five Cardinals among them, is a response to Cardinal Kasper's proposal to allow divorced and civilly remarried Catholics receive Holy Communion. The book is a fine piece of work and in my opinion, a marvellous summary of the various aspects of Church teaching on marriage and sound pastoral practice. It should be on every reading list in every course on marriage and sacraments and in the library of every Catholic institution. As bad as things are, and they are bad, at least good scholars and orthodox pastors are coming out with sound catechetical material which will ultimately help the Church's understanding of marriage and her mission to married couples.

Canon lawyer Ed Peters has an interesting article on this.