Halftime at the Synod | National Catholic Reporter

Halftime at the Synod | National Catholic Reporter by MSW. MGB: It is interesting that there is such silence from the Synod (without a reported formal demand for it).  This synod is much more important than anyone thought - because the challenge is not which view of gay marriage, divorce and polygamy is adopted by the Synod (after its one year listening period), but rather whether they can produce something that will keep the Church relevant in this area (I rather think it will, because Jesus promised it would be).  I suspect that part of the answer is local decision making, so that North will be allowed to work out gay marriage in its area while the South can deal with polygamy.  More will be revealed.



On the extended family, the Church can only take over its functions if the government funds them.  Currently, it is the government, not the Church, who is the backstop.  Indeed, many say that government support of the elderly freed them from the extended family.



On pre-Cana rites - I don't think we need more events for the engaged that simply up the emotional level - none of that will help if one of the members is the child of divorce and quietly holds that as an option to be exercised later (welcome to my life).



On those who wrote to MSW, I don't think people outing themselves will help that much - especially not with those who reflect the second email, who seem to believe that God is an Ogre to be placated by good behavior (exactly why anyone would want to spend forever in such a God's company is a mystery to me - especially if that God does not permit any amount of pleasure in sex). I think the key to this may be realizing that every person is capable of natural law judgments - without the Church.  St. Augustine had his very stoic opinion, but if it sounds a bit too much like aesthetisicm, it probably is.  In the end, what Jesus thinks and now what his Church thinks, is important.  The questions is whether we know best through the Church's pronouncements or our hearts - and if the latter, will the Bishops admit it?