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Perth WA: September 25 — October 1, 1980 Telephone: (09) 328 1388
Divorce Jesus' word
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FOCUS ON FAMILY
Number 2205 Price: 30 cents
VATICAN CITY (NC) — The World Synod
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family life and will not be a debate on church - doctrines such as the indissolubility of marriage or the unlawfulness of artifice! birth E_ control, Archbishop Tomko, general secretary of the synod, has said.
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The Catholic Church, in its consistent opposition of divorce, has been Eoften criticized for lack of compassion and appreciation of the misery that exists in many f amilies, Father Barry Hickey, director of Centrecare, said this week. He was commenting on the opening of the Synod of EBishops on the vote of the Christian family. The Church is no stranger to marital troubles. While she appears to be the most active group in the community presenting the vision of what marriage can be, especially in the light of the teachings of Christ, she has for a long time sought Eto prepare young people for marriage and provide help and guidance for marriages in trouble, he said.
He said the synod would deal with pastoral concerns of Christian family life from the perspective of the family as E" a "community of love" and a source of sanctification and education in values. "The family today finds itself, in many areas, in the eye of the cyclone," the archbishop said, and the synod will discuss the many social, economic and other factors that directly or indirectly affect family life. He said it will talk about positive factors that can help a E-_- family life such as broadened educational possibilities, E- scientific advances, better understanding of sexuality and the re-evaluation of the role of women. It will also talk about negative factors such as divorce, a abortion living together without marriage, and a variety of social forces that can hurt family life, he said. Pope John Paul II has told the 216 bishops taking part that they face the task of showing "what it means to follow christ in the field of married and family life." In his talk in February to the council of the synod secretariat, Pope John Paul said the synod should discuss "difficult cases" such as "those of homes 'which _ know separation — those of divorced and civilly remarried persons who, without being able to have full access to the sacramental life, must be accompanied in their spiritual and apostolic needs wherever possible — the case of widows and widowers — the case of single persons who have children." Cardinal Carter of Toronto, said recently he thought Pope John Paul's influence would affect the synod's discussions of family life.
Father Joe Russell's popular historical pieces that appeared in The Record in 1978 in "Around the Churches This Week" came out in print this week. "Most people will find history boring so I have tried to present events from the past as though they are happening now. Father Russell, who is on light priestly duties atStJohn of God Hospital, Belmont (277 2675), has always been interested in script writing for drama and role playing exercises that were used when he was director of the Catholic Marriage Guidance Council. "I hope that the book will prove useful in schools or for people who want to think a little over what has happened in the Church in the past. "It is not a book to be read in one sitting. An incident can be read anytime. In fact it would be an ideal way to fill in the time during a television commercial — and after. ."
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For life
With over 130
Nevertheless, she has always held that promises made for life mean what E--. they say , he said. We have to preach lifelong fidelity in a culture that t akes breakdown and divorce for granted, the E. Covenant of Marriage in a w orld disenchanted with family life and stability, and sexual abstinence before marriage in a culture that puts hedonism before love. It seems impossible, but we know that Jesus did it once before. Why did Jesus' teachings t ake? One reason, surely, is because they were in a total context of faith. With an acceptance of the Good News about the redemption of mankind the new teachings on marriage made sense. Without that faith they could not be accepted. Perhaps that is why as faith recedes in our modern world, even among baptized Catholics, the teachings of Jesus on marriage become incomprehensible. Our preaching on marnage, then, is to be very much part of our preaching of the whole Faith.
Savings Centres throughout Western Australia, we're near you. But no other building society comes near us. Father Russell is watching his book coming off the press this week: During the last two decades many Catholics have been shocked by widely-publicised Church scandals. People thought that such things were happening for the first time. This book tries to help them realise that "it has all happened before". Far from being shocked they should reflect on the fact that the continued survival of the Church, despite its human weaknesses, may be the greatest proof that the Catholic Church is divine as well as human.
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