Iacopo Scaramuzzi La Stampa - LaStampa.it Tutti i diritti riservati.

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1 Interview to Aldegonde Brenninkmeijer-Werhahn, founder and director of International Academy for Marital Spirituality (Intams), in Bruxelles, and since 2005 a Chair at the Catholic University of Leuven Iacopo Scaramuzzi What is the main goal of two synods ? What would be in your opinion a success - and what would be a failure - of the synods? Once again, the Pope has amazed many of the faithful with his extraordinary gift of being able to open the Church to a matter of broad concern, namely Family and Marriage. He has asked national bishops conferences worldwide to conduct a wide-ranging poll of Catholics, asking for their opinions on the Church s teachings on marriage and family life. Although the questionnaire was relatively complex, and with a rather short time frame, this survey has been greatly appreciated in general throughout the Catholic world. This could be a first step to the so-called Sensus Fidei. My hope for this Synod is twofold: I To use a more professional methodology than in the past. What do I mean thereby? It would be fruitful to make a clear distinction between the first and second weeks of the Synod. To avoid losing precious time during the first week of the Synod, it would be helpful if all participants who are coming to the Synod have read the results of the Questionnaire beforehand. This would give the Secretariat of the Synod the possibility before the Synod starts to decide on four or five themes with perhaps one or two sub-themes, to enhance a fruitful dialogue in the various discussion groups. As far as the discussion groups are concerned, I know from my own experience that the understanding of marriage and family life varies very widely from one continent to another. The Instrumentum Laboris shows this too. In order to respect these proper singularities and cultures, the discussion groups could be composed according to continents, and within each continent, according to languages. It would be more beneficial if each continent could have a relator. His or her task is to present the summary of the discussions at the end of the first week. These summaries could then set the agenda for the second week. The value of the second week is very great, namely to set a concrete agenda for the second Synod in This would increase the chances of an open, sincere dialogue and exchange, and would prevent the European view on marriage and family life from imposing itself as the norm. Finally, I assume that an intense prayer session is planned at the very beginning of the Synod. I think that it is important for each day that the whole process is embedded in a truthful prayer together and that all participants of the Synod are more guided by the Holy Spirit. II. My second hope is that no definitive decisions will be taken in this first Synod, but rather that, through the Pope s initiative in convoking the first Synod, it will be once again be possible to create a basis among the bishops for reflection first of all on collegiality, synodality, and subsidiarity, in keeping with the Second Vatican Council. This would be an absolutely fruitful first preliminary stage, before important questions about marriage and the family are discussed.

2 How to hold together indissolubility and mercy towards divorced and second marriage couple? What kind of pastoral solution can you imagine? And what theoretical basis: what does it mean from a theological point of view access to eucharist and excommunication? In October last, the Pope launched his worldwide questionnaire in which so many faithful people have invested time, not to mention their heart and soul! This very enriching consultation process with all baptized Christians, Lay, Bishops, Priests, and religious orders should be continued. The Instrumentum Laboris is very clear with the result of the questions, also about the divorced and remarried. Truly, my hope for the Pope s initiative would be that in the period between the two Synods a worldwide journeying could be launched to reflect, dialogue and to work together according to the agenda for the second Synod. This would be a wonderful initiation and a blessing for the human family, to launch a process with all the baptized faithful, together with the Bishops Conferences and the dioceses, to participate in listening, learning, and dialoguing together about the various and challenging issues pertaining to marriage and family. Your question about divorce has in fact also an ecumenical dimension. Both churches, the Latin and the Orthodox churches, are convinced about the teaching of the Gospel with regard to the value of marital fidelity. Both maintain the indissolubility of marriage, both hold fast to the continued existence and the sacramental character of the first marriage. Since the sacrament of matrimony cannot be received a second time (except after the death of one s first partner), the Orthodox church has developed a pastoral praxis based on the insights of its centuries-old tradition. Since the sacrament of matrimony cannot be received a second time, it has envisaged a church blessing for the second marriage and, if necessary, for the third marriage. This blessing is not a superficial consolation prize. It is preceded by an intensive period of penance, reflection, and reciprocal forgiveness. Against this background, it would be very useful for the Latin church at the present moment to reflect anew on the meaning of the doctrine of the indissolubility of marriage and on the importance of an appropriate pastoral accompaniment. These two aspects are not mutually exclusive, as some think (and others fear). Pastoral care cannot be separated from church teaching, nor can doctrine be separated from pastoral care. Both are equally important, and both could be discussed in the first Synod. Once again, the basis of this discussion involves collegiality and synodality in a particular way. These are important presuppositions, if the Synod fathers want to open up paths for the evangelization of marriage and the family in our society. Although the family is, in the church's teaching, a "domestic church", the bible is full of examples of violence, betrayal, abandonment within the family. What does it mean from a theological point of view? And what kind of indication for the pastoral today? I believe that you have touched on an important aspect here, namely, the question of the family as a domestic church. On the basis of my own experience, I would like to add two considerations here. The term domestic church came into existence in the 1960s in the Roman Catholic Church. Christian families have a baptismal and vocational character, which makes it an ecclesial reality to fulfil its mission of evangelisation and transmitting the faith. This is why the Ecclesiola in Ecclesia, a little church within the great church is an ever more important question for all of us today. Within our baptismal and vocational character each baptized Christian has the privilege to focus on his/her priestly, prophetical and kingly vocation, whether you are called to priesthood or religious life, or have your ecclesial vocation in the world, whether you are a man or a women. We

3 all are building one Church in Jesus Christ. But this must be better established and nurtured in our Church. But are Bishops and pastors willing to accept suggestions and criticisms from the laity? My hope would be that the Bishops in the Synod have enough ability to sense from this what the Spirit of God wants to say to them and to us. One problem in the ecclesial sphere is that for too long we have cultivated a top-down thinking, instead of acknowledging a bottom-up approach too. Once again, the bishops should give their priests a better training, so that they can cultivate more fully in their parishes the value of baptized, well-formed faithful and their baptismal vocation as Kingly, Priestly and Prophetic vocation. Secondly - Married couples and their families know all too well that a domestic Church is based not only on a theologia gloriae, but also on a realistic theologia crusis. Do we pay sufficient attention to the imperfect, weak, and sinful characters that can exist in a family? Does the domestic church belong only to a perfect household, because all the others do not fully correspond to those ideal characteristics of the Church? Many Catholics don't understand, and even don't accept, church's teaching on sexuality, first of all on contraception. How to cope with it: give up? Better communication and explanation? Change the rules (eg, Humanae vitae)? One would be justified in wondering why the Roman questionnaire was addressed to all the faithful throughout the world. The Instrumentum Laboris is astonishingly open and gives a sufficient number of informative answers. The outcome shows us that this way of doing thing is very important, both ecclesiologically and ethically. Indeed, I would affirm that something important has been taken up anew here, namely, the concept of the sensus fidelium, the appreciation by the faithful of the faith. It would therefore be a very good thing if more attention was paid to this concept in this and in the next Synod, in keeping with Gaudium et Spes. The enlightened person in today s world has a great desire to listen to the voice of his or her own conscience, which God has implanted in the heart of each one of us, and to motivate and form this conscience better. Cardinal Lorenzo Baldisseri, the general secretary of the Synod, emphasizes that the Instrumentum Laboris offers more than a merely sociological investigation. It offers an ecclesial and a spiritual reflection. My hope is that the Synod fathers will recognize, by means of the answers, that the faithful find their belief in Jesus Christ and his church important and helpful for the conduct of their lives. In general, they hold fast to the lofty value of marriage and the family, but they reject the way in which the hierarchical church deals with various topics, such as the question of family planning in Humanae Vitae and other challenging questions. The encyclical cannot be dismissed out of hand, since it contains so many important statements of faith. But the question is to quote Pope Francis in Evangelii Gaudium 119 whether we have in fact discerned sufficiently what is truly of God. And that is possible only when we take account of the individual circumstances of people s lives and of what people are concretely capable of. What kind of evolution can one expect from the bishops of catholic church on same-sex couples: nothing? More understanding? Blessing of couples? New theological developments on the issue? I understand your question, and I would like to give a twofold and more comprehensive answer. Your question concerns the value of two persons and of their relationship, and our esteem for it. But it also concerns the sincere search for human identity whether we are speaking of partners of different genders or of same-sex partners.

4 In many areas, our society is becoming ever more complex, polarizing, and often hurtful. Debates in Europe about family politics frequently lack mutual respect and the willingness to champion the rights of people in their various life-situations. We need more courage in Europe, to speak of values with conviction, and to promote the values that are dear to us. Secondly, the question also concerns the cultural, societal, and political ethos. Ought we not to look at this question holistically? Responsibility for one another plays a decisive role in every friendship, association, or partnership. This applies to marriage too, which is a sign of the future and of the hope of life for the family, for society, and indeed for the whole world. All relationships involve faithfulness to one s own self and to one s fellow human beings, irrespective of the societal, cultural, or religious community in which one lives, and irrespective of whether one is young or old, impoverished or wealthy, successful or unemployed, healthy or sick, a wage-earner or selfemployed. No matter what my gender is, the essential thing is a developed and formed conscience and the moral responsibility with which I live love in a friendship and relationship. You see, I believe that we all know families in which one of the children suddenly discovers that his or her sexuality is different. This presents enormous challenges to parents and to their families. But would you throw your adult son or daughter out of the parental home and refuse them hospitality above all, when they desire to enter sincerely and very responsibly into a same-sex partnership? Do you think the Vatican's questionnaire on synod was diffused and known enough? Many bishops have eagerly and openly sought parish level input for this Vatican questionnaire. Some have set up an online process of response. Others organized discussion groups. Others encouraged the parishes to meet together to discuss the issues, and reports were composed on the basis of these discussions. Many lay faithful took a great interest in the questionnaire and have spent the time and energy, both individually and in the organized groups, to respond. They did so in a grateful spirit of collaboration in thinking through these important issues for the Church today. Some bishops conferences, however, have preferred to respond to the questionnaire without much lay involvement, putting together responses by the clergy alone. This is especially regrettable, given that the synod s topic so directly affects the lives of couples and families. I am very thankful, and we were very lucky with the Belgian Bishops Conference for their trust and the spirit of cooperation with which they have accepted and supported the quantitative survey which the Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies at the Catholic University of Leuven together with our organization, the INTAMS Chair for the Study of Marriage & Spirituality,have carried out in the Flemish part of Belgium in addition to and complementary to the Vatican questionnaire. We are publishing this month a special theme issue of the INTAMS review that contains a collection of articles from various countries in Latin America, North America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia. Twenty specialists, selected on the basis of their academic and pastoral expertise in the field of marriage and family studies, were invited to contribute to this volume. You can find it under: INTAMS Journal for the Study of Marriage & Spirituality: "Toward the Synods of Bishops 2014 & 2015: A Multi-National Survey and Analysis of Initiatives, Trends and Perspectives" Don't you see the risk of unbridgeable division within the synod: a conservative majority against a reformed-minded minority, a north-european position against the rest of the world, a pope-friendly group against those who dislike bergoglio, theologians and canonist against pastors and lay people?

5 One hears or reads this kind of question very often. But I doubt whether it is helpful, since it posits a contrast that leads to estrangement and alienation, rather than to unity in variety Confrontation means an apologetic truth, which is to defend myself. Whereas Unity in diversity means that there is truth in itself. Power often conceals anxiety and fear about renewal, unwillingness to listen or to learn. One retreats into one s own thoughts. Hope, on the contrary, endorses imagination, liberty, and love. Hope gives strength and multiplies it. Our Church at the moment is too fragmented in several ways; we have to be careful not to waste our time and energy in internal disputes. The more we do that, the less we preach the Gospel. To pull the Church (God s one people) together is the most important task of Pope Francis. How can we strengthen Peter s role with the wisdom and prudence dispersed among his brother bishops, as it was in the early church? Was not Peter helped by the insights of Paul? (Gal ). That is why I should like to say once more that my hope for this first Synod in October 2014 is that the principle of collegiality will be internalized the principle at which the Second Vatican Council aimed, and which it aso practiced before important topics such as marriage and the family are taken up. The question of centralization should not occupy the center stage. Rather, we should ask how it is possible to help the bishops to get back to being shepherds, as the Pope describes this in various passages in Evangelii Gaudium, especially in nr. 32.