The Synod has started....

This is the good stuff...

Like the Africans... maybe the eastern rite sees the spiritual battle more clearly. Where the Western Cardinals are more worried about the pastorial side.

I wish i could be the fly on the wall at the Synod. But im sure Kathy K would swat me away.

Thanks for article.
Brother al

Note: i also like the picture...looks like a warrior for God.

 

Archbishop at Vatican Synod: The Family Today Is ‘Under Ferocious and Enormous Attack’ by ‘Satan’

Yet, the Vatican document –Instrumentum Laboris(working instrument) -- which is more than 22,000 words long, does not even mention “Satan,” “Lucifer,” or the “Devil.” Nor does it mention “demon.”

http://cnsnews.com/blog/michael-w-c...ily-today-under-ferocious-and-enormous-attack

 

In the book Trial, Tribulation and Triumph by Desmond Birch, he cites many prophecies from saints which speak of the fact that the crisis of faith will happen in the Latin rite and not the Eastern ones. It is interesting to see that is what appears to be happening.

 

Prayers going up for Synod



Who says we are not part of the synod

 

This report is from Vatican Insider - http://vaticaninsider.lastampa.it/en/the-vatican/detail/articolo/sinodo-famiglia-43979/


Synod goes right to the heart of the remarried divorcee question

EUCHARIST IS CENTRE STAGE AT THE SYNOD

Opinion is split, with some believing that doctrine cannot be changed as it would confuse faithful and others emphasising that the Church is supposed to accompany everyone. One of the Synod Fathers tells the story of a little boy who broke the host in two and gave half to his father who had divorced and remarried

IACOPO SCARAMUZZI VATICAN CITY

The Synod on the Family is pressing on in the Vatican (4-25 October 2015) and today participants went right to the heart of the question about the possibility of admitting remarried divorcees to the sacrament of communion. This is one of Synod’s thorniest topics and was also addressed at last year’s Extraordinary Synod, with a long series of speeches covering a wide spectrum of views.

“Although it is not the only issue being discussed, it has to be admitted that the issue of whether remarried divorcees should be granted access to communion, has been present in a large chunk of the numerous speeches given in the past 24 hours.” The point was highlighted by Romilda Ferrato, one of Vatican spokesman Fr. Federico Lombardi’s French language assistant.

Ninety three speeches were given during the general discussions that took place in the Synod Hall between yesterday afternoon and this morning. The debate marks the third and final phase of the Synod discussions on working document (the Instrumentum laboris), which should conclude this afternoon, before the 13 language-based discussion groups (circuli minores) take the floor once again, to produce their final batch of reports before the conclusion of the assembly. The subject is especially interesting “in that it captures, more than any other issue, the essence of the approaches proposed in this assembly, like last year: there are those who underline that the role of the Church is not to be swayed by public or political opinion but to be faithful to the Lord, others say that the Church should be by people’s side despite their failures but without betraying doctrine and those who urge caution against the adoption of hasty solutions that risk generating confusion and unsettling faithful. In between these two approaches, many point out that no one is aiming at giving indiscriminate access to communion but to propose a personalised approach to the conduct of faithful, guided by diocesan bishops. There is such a variety of in-between stances that one of the speakers spoke of a tonality spectrum that ranged from 0 to 100.”

Bernd Hagenkord, Fr. Lombardi’s German language assistant, underlined that many of the Fathers “spoke in defence of and for a clarification of the Catholic doctrine on marriage and the family, saying that the Christian vision of marriage needs to be more clear-cut, with an emphasis on the fact that the Church does not have the authority or the power to alter the word of God. Others have underlined that as a follower of Jesus’ teaching, it cannot permanently exclude certain faithful from the sacraments because we are not border control officers who check Christians’ purity.” Hagenkord summed up by stating that “many, many speeches” were given and they were all “constructive and of a high quality”.

Fr. Manuel Dorantes, the Spanish-speaking language assistant, recounted the powerful story told by one Synod Father about a very unusual first communion. When a young boy went up to the altar to receive the host, he spontaneously broke it in half and gave half to his father, who was a remarried divorcee and could therefore not receive it directly.

Regarding the penitential path, a project presented by Cardinal Walter Kasper a year and a half ago, as a condition for accessing communion, Mgr. Carlos Aguiar Retes, Archbishop of Tlalnepantla (Mexico), who spoke during the briefing, recalled that it is a path that is similar to the one offered in the Orthodox Churches, which involves repentance as a condition for mistakes being accepted and a new path taken.” Stanislaw Gadecki, Archbishop of Poznan and President of the Polish Bishops’ Conference, stressed that the Polish Episcopate “excluded” communion as a possibility, referring to the Familiaris consortio of 1984, underlining that remarried divorcees “are not excommunicated, but there are a numerous different ways to participate in Church life,” while recognising that sometimes “those who are excluded from communion have a stronger yearning for the Eucharist than those who have regular access to it.” More in general, the Mexican bishop recalled that it is not and has never been the Synod’s intention to take decisions that are the Holy Father’s to take. We communicate our reflections and points of view to him.”

Many issues, aside from the remarried divorcee question, were addressed in the various speeches delivered. Fr. Thomas Rosica, Fr. Lombardi’s English-language assistant talked about the differences between all the various cultures, the formation of priests with difficult family backgrounds, social questions such as immigration and prostitution. He also referred back to what one of the Synod Fathers said, “speaking about the importance of smiling, given that Pope Francis demonstrates how important it is for priests to smile”. Fr. Lombardi added that someone “talked about the Motu Proprio on the marriage annulment process, particularly with regard to the training of legal professionals”. Many proposals were put forward and some very concrete pastoral advice was given. One of the Synod Fathers “underlined that the Instrumentum laboris only mentions forgiveness once, and that is not much”.

 

So the priest coming out before the synod was an evil pot by conservatives????

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/wor...on-bait-plots-to-destabilise-from-within.html

 

I've chosen to not follow the "politics" of this Synod. I will await to here what the Pope and bishops have to say when's it's over. In the meantime, I came across this blog and I thought this is so real for so many people. I thought how remarkable - really saint like this woman is. It opened my heart to examine how I might be coming up short as a husband and dad.

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/simcha...1&spJobID=781926423&spReportId=NzgxOTI2NDIzS0

 

Miker,

We agree on most issues...but this Synod can be compared to Vatican 2. I think the politics is an important part of the process. I think the postings have been well balanced...just like the Synod.

I still think this forum is an important part of the process.

We will see how the Holy Spirit moves us.

Brother al

 

Mark Mallett has a thought-provoking piece about future schism, perhaps coming from the Synod:

http://www.markmallett.com/blog/sorrow-of-sorrows/#more-410

 

Kathy K,

You want us to ignore the Synod but you post Mark Mallet?

 

miker,

Thanks for your post. I put my own wife through something similar and will pray for this husband, asking the Lord to deliver him. Here's a copy of my post from 2012. May Jesus exorcise our hidden sins from each of our hearts!

I've told this story on the forum before, but alas, I haven't been able to locate it. It pertains to my first few years of marriage when I struggled with what my precious wife, Geralyn, and I, called tailspins. About once every month or two, when my frustration at failing to walk the talk of faith life would peak, I would experience these tailspins. At home, for three days or so, yours truly was the most miserable of persons with which to live. My frustration would lead to a sort of self-loathing. I knew Jesus would never abandon me, so I was the problem. I was the sinful failure! Of course, such venom would ultimately spill out and affect my wife and young children. I would be rude, intimidating, and cruel in my use of the silent treatment. Interestingly, I never allowed this behavior outside the home. Mea culpa!

Well, Geralyn and I prayed and prayed about this. We strategized how we might shorten or even nip one of these tailspins in the bud. One time, Geralyn was upset enough to ask one of my friends, Al Weinberger, to come talk with me about it. However, nothing appeared to work and God seemed agonizingly slow in his response!

Then, at the First Friday Mass in December, 1987, just before our departure to Medjugorje, Fr. Crist was preaching on a passage from Ephesians 1 and these words popped out at me:

v.18, 19 ...that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power in us who believe...

Immediately, God gave the grace to believe that the immeasurable greatness of his power was available to me at that moment, and so I begged for it. And instantly, I felt a change within my heart! To this day I have never experienced another tailspin! Alleluia!

This has left me with a number of questions. Why did God wait four years in solving this dilemma? Were our prayers and efforts prior to that night fruitless? Or was I pushing the wrong buttons? Best of all, why hasn't God delivered me from subsequent struggles in similar dramatic fashion? Here is what I have received in reply. No heartfelt prayer is ever wasted! First, the Lord deeply cares about all our relationships and He chooses to use our personal crosses to help others mature, too. Why do I describe my wife as a gem? One reason is because Geralyn was so patient, loving, and persevering in the face of my struggle. She was a prayer warrior who deflected away from the children, much of my venom. I love and respect her so much for her example of faithfulness and she learned more fully to trust in God and not her immature husband. Second, I saw friends like Al, who would drop everything to come and spend time with me. Third, I realized that this healing came through the hands of Our Blessed Mother; it was a gift in preparation for that most profound gift of Medjugorje!

You see, we live in space and time, and Jesus is building His Kingdom here and now, leading us together on the path of mercy and holiness. It takes time, in one sense, to put all the ducks in order, because God wants to bring home as many as possible! It's just not me, but us! Praise his Holy Name! for the Body of Christ:

1Peter 2: 9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people, that you may declare the wonderful deeds of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were no people but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy but now you have received mercy.

Now what about God's refusal to use that instantaneous snap in all my other difficulties? Sorry, I'm still waiting on that one!
Safe in the Hearts of Jesus and Mary!

 

Kathy,

It is just not in the Warning that we shall perceive sin and all its ugly consequences. It is being laid before our very eyes. Lord have Mercy!

Safe in the Refuge of the Immaculate Heart!

 

What a beautiful and heartfelt "confession". Thanks for sharing it. I see similarities to my early married days. My sin was pride and what I thought was my right to express myself whoever and however I wanted. If you objected- oh my- you would get the "wrath of Mike". Poor language and angry words would just pour forth. Did I mean it and plan it? No, but the effects were not good for anyone. And like you, my wonderful wife would somehow navigate from silence to instruction to pray. She was (and remains) remarkable in her patience, love and forgiveness. When I look at my life, I know Jesus saved me but he did it through my wife. Pride to me is that sin that is just so sneaky and alluring. I fight it everyday and will so until God calls me. So yes the synod has so many "angles" and can be intriguing but in the end I think it's about saving souls.

 

Mario, thank you for this very personal post. I have to admit i have found your invariably adding a positive adjective whenever you mentioned your wife in a post , a little trying. No longer.

 

What a slippery slope this could become:

https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/c...il&utm_term=0_c5c75ce940-9ee8926d8d-397786285

 

Hear for yourself....

 

Schism is not just a threat now, it is being paraded by some bishops and cardinals at the synod. I offer the quote below from our dear Lord to Vassula in 1994 for consideration. The entire message is worth a read. I will stay in the Barque of Peter with the Pope but I believe that help will come from the East



http://www.tlig.org/en/messages/885/

My House in the West is being plundered; I had asked them to assemble under Peter, 9 but they have not understood and are doing the contrary; many from within that House are saying: "why is it that we have to have a guide, 10 especially this guide?" I had warned you that cardinals will turn against cardinals, bishops against bishops and priests against priests; I selected Peter to feed and guard My lambs but the spirit of rebellion, thriving now, has reached its peak of rebellion; this was the great Tribulation I was warning you of; 11

My House in the West is being plundered, but, the wind from the East will rise and together with My Breath will strip the plunderer; many members of your nation object to My Call of Unity and have accustomed their steps to walk their own way; they call themselves rich, but then, where are their riches

 

There can be no doubt that Satan is alive and very active indeed at this Synod.

If I were Pope I would disband it at once and actively excommunicate numerous Cardinals and Bishops in as public a fashion as possible .

Pure evil is going on there. The Smoke of Satan

http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/new...smoke-of-satan-has-entered-synod-discussions/



Archbishop Tomash Peta

 

However I know the Synod is not a football match. I will not go into rants. Let them get on with it.

But it had to be said. The devil is sitting down with the Bishops in Rome and is managing much of the agenda there from the wings.

This much is very clear.

 

No, we are jumping to conclusions...this is Gods will. I believe in the Holy spirit.

Lets not jump to conclusions.

How many saints are at Synod holding the line.