Education to love: the real issue for the next Synod on the Family

Last updated on: November 12, 2014 at 9:03 am by CNA Daily News

Education to love: the real issue for the next Synod on the Family 2014-11-12T09:03:00+00:00 CNA Daily News

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Rome, Italy, Nov 12, 2014 / 02:03 am (CNA/EWTN News).- The lack of a proper 'education to love' is the major issue at stake with regard to family – being more compelling than the issues of the divorced and remarried or same-sex attracted persons, Msgr. Livio Melina has stressed.

Msgr. Melina is president of the Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family.

Speaking with CNA Nov. 6, he explained that the institute feels it “has a vocation to accompany the Church on her synodal path,” and that for this reason it is going to organize three different events to explore in-depth the issues that are at stake.

The first of these events will be an “intensive class with public events on the topic of the cohabitation and the ‘forever of love.’”

“The theme of a proper education to love is always more compelling. This is the real issue, not that of the divorced and remarried, as has been wrongly pointed out.”

“The real issue is the incapability of taking a definitive decision for marriage,” Msgr. Melina said.

Another hot-button issue – which will be discussed in March – is that of “the objective goods of love,” that is the goods ‘of the sacrament and love’.

“Speaking about objective goals helps one to understand that marriage is not a private event, but it rather deals with the whole of society.”

The last synod of bishops presented a wide discussion about the possible access to Communion for divorced and remarried persons, and so the Pontifical Institute will clarify Church teaching with an event scheduled in April: a debate on “Eucharist and Marriage – Two Sacraments, one sole alliance.”

These three events display the kind of contribution the Pontifical Institute will be able to give to the synod path.

Founded 34 years ago at the wish of St. John Paul II, the Pontifical Institute has 11 branches in the world, and its effort has been widely praised in the Extraordinary Synod preparatory document, though none of its members were invited to take part in the assembly as experts.

Msgr. Melina stressed that “the Institute works to fullfil the mission it had been entrusted by St. John Paul II, that is the mission of seeking what is the vocation of the family under the twofold light of revelation and human experience.”

“On one side, we should be attentive to the daily life of families, its painful experiences as well as the experience of beauty and sanctity … and on the other side, we should look at this under the perspective and light of biblical revelation,” Msgr. Melina said.

Europe

Previous Post

November 12, 2014

US bishops elect new secretary, discuss health care ethics guide

Next Post

November 12, 2014 Agree to disagree: Why young Catholics pose a unique challenge for the Church

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Americas Asia - Pacific Europe Middle East - Africa Uncategorized US Vatican

Select a Month November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What part of the body does the Breastplate of Righteousness protect?

Select your answer to see how you score.

The head The stomach The heart The back