Vatican Synod on family backtracks on homosexuals

The Vatican Synod on the Family wrapped up with a final document which appears to backtrack on the mid-Synod Relatio concerning homosexuals issued on Monday.

Whilst that document spoke of “welcoming” homosexuals into the church family, the final document warned against “discrimination” against gays but added that there can be no comparison between “God’s design” for men and women and the concept of same sex marriage.

“Some families live out the experience of having someone with a homosexual tendency in the family. With regard to this, the Synod Fathers asked themselves what would be the opportune pastoral response to deal with this situation, bearing in mind the teaching of the Church. There is no reason to assimilate or establish analogies, even remote ones, between homosexual unions and God’s design for marriage and the family,” the final document says.

With regard to the other “celebrity” issue, namely the ban on the divorced and remarried receiving communion, the Synod’s final document suggests that any attempt to change this teaching “needs to be further considered”.

The document does however register that the Synod Fathers are divided on this issue, with some in favour of the current Church ban and with others calling for a different pastoral approach.

Wrapping up the Synod, Pope Francis warned against a series of intellectual "temptations" that may be encountered on the Synod's "walking together" to renew its pastoral care of the family.

However, the pope defended the work of the assembly, even with regard to its very evident differences of opinion, saying: “I would have been very worried and saddened if there had not been these temptations and these animated discussions, this movement of the spirits, rather than everybody being in agreement and silent in a false peace.

“Instead, I heard and saw, gladly and willingly, speeches and addresses that were full of faith, of pastoral and doctrinal zeal, of wisdom, of frank speaking, of courage, of bold talking.

“And we said all this without ever putting in doubt the fundamental truth of the sacrament of marriage, the indissolubility, the unity, the faithfulness and procreation, in other words openness to life.”