Comparison of Mid-term and Final
Section, Paragraph from
Final “Relatio Synodi”
Intro
1.
2.
3.
4.
Part I
Listening: the context
and challenges of the
family The SocioCultural Context
5.
6.
7.
8.
Mid-term
Final (changes)
Adds words of gratitude
for families.
Jesus Christ is the
authority
Retains heart felt language
about family.
Adds “to marry” as a
foundation for forming a
family.
Adds “the Fathers” and
magisterium as authority
similar
similar
Listening: the context
and challenges to the
family The sociocultural context
Uses “socio-economic”
Adds faithful to God’s
teaching
Adds line about the
recognition of the rights of
women and children
Adds “crisis of faith” as a
cause for marriage
breakdown
Uses “socio-cultural”
Loneliness result of the
absence of God
Took out specific
reference to Africa
Suggest that in interfaith
marriages there is the
danger of relativism or
indifference
Both recognize cohabiting
takes place beyond
Western regions
Add section on absent
fathers
Expand the section of
violence and
discrimination against
women. Add specifics
such as genital
mutiliation, penalizing
motherhood, sexual
exploitation of children,
street children, etc.
Very positive additions
The Relevance of
Affectivity in-Life
9.
The Relevance of
Emotional life
Adds that the Church
should assist in helping
couples mature/develop
Adds use of pornography
as destructive
Adds commercialization of
the body as destructive
Adds misuse of internet
Adds forced prostitution
Says decline in population
is due to mentality against
having children promoted
by the world politics of
reproductive health
10.
Pastoral Challenges
11
Part II
Looking at Christ: the
Gospel of the Family
Looking at Jesus and the
Divine Pedagogy in the
History of Salvation
12
13
11
The last line is more
positive than the midterm
on mercy.
Add “in Christ”
The Gaze upon Christ:
the Gospel of the Family
12
13
The law of gradualness
introduced
similar
Interject language around
the sacrament of marriage
in continuity with natural
marriage
Attempts to spell out what
“the law of gradualness”
means
14
14
The Family in God’s
Salvific Plan
15 & 16
The family in God’s
Salvific Plan
15 & 16
Defends the indissolubility
of marriage; “not a yoke”
but “a gift”
Very patriarchal use of
scripture - the Samaritan
woman of John 4:1-30 and
the adulteress of John 8:111) are the signs of Jesus’
mercy
Spell out in greater depth
how Jesus’ teaching
redeems marriage
3 stages
Adam and Eve – perfect
origins
Moses – corrupted –
divorce decrees ok
Jesus – returned
marriage to original form
The family in Church
documents
17, 18, 19, 20
The discernment of
values present in
wounded families and in
irregular situations
17, 18, 19, 20
Talks about the principle
of gradualness and starts
in a very conciliatory way
Recognizes positive
elements even in
imperfect forms
Appreciates positive
elements in other
religions
Vatican II docs
Lumen Gentium
Nostra Aetate
Redemptoris Missio
Changes tone by using
other documents as
foundation, “Throughout
the centuries, the Church
has maintained her
constant teaching on
marriage”
Inserts more language
about the Magisterium,
Humanae Vitae, JPII’s
Familiaris Consortio,
Gratissiman Sane, Pope
Benedict, Deus Caritas Est,
Pope Francis, Lumen Fidei
These other docs are
mentioned again until 22.
The Indissolubility of
Marriage and the Joy of
Sharing Life Together
21-22
21
Focus: on those who need
help to mature in their
love
This section is added.
Mitigates some of the
conciliatory language of
the mid-term and waxes
on about Catholic
tradition
22
Accepting the reality of
civil marriage and also
cohabitation…as a step
toward sacramental
marriage
Retains most of language
(adding “despite their
limitations and
shortcoming”) the same
seed of sacramental
marriage present in
natural marriage
The Truth and Beauty of
the Family and Mercy
Toward Broken and
Fragile Families
Truth and beauty of the
family and mercy
23.
21
Begins by praising and
thanking “faithful
families” and brings in
language from 21 of midterm
24.
22, 23
Taking 22 from mid-term,
it corrects it by affirming
current teaching on
sacramental indissoluble
marriage
“the only marriage bond
for those who are
baptized in sacramental
and any breach of it is
against the will of God.”
Talks about “weakness”
and taking “small steps”
showing mercy,
Retains language of
accompaniment “with
mercy and patience . . .”
25.
22
26.
27.
22
28.
23
Part III
Facing the situation:
Pastoral Perspective
proclaiming the gospel
of the family today in
various contexts
29
30.
31.
32.
33.
34 – 35
36.
37.
38.
Guiding engaged
couples in their
preparation for
marriage
Civil marriage: Hold up
the ideal but also, the
Church turns with love to
those who participate in
her life in an incomplete
manner, recognizing God’s
grace to do good, to care
for one another in love…
Would like to find a way to
restore the trust of young
people in marriage
Civil marriage: relates to
22 in midterm doc
Important recognition
that stages of relationship
can be sacramental
Relates to 23 in midterm
Says truth telling is love
Invitation to conversion
Adulterous woman is
asked to sin no more
Facing the situation:
pastoral perspective
24
25, 26. language of
mother, teacher here
27
28.
29.
30.
31.
32.
33.
Guiding engaged
couples in their
preparation for
marriage
Similar
Added language “Carry
out with tenderness of
mother, clarity of teacher”
similar
similar
similar
similar
similar
similar
similar
similar
39
Accompanying the
Married couple in the
initial years of marriage
40
Pastoral Care for
Couples Civilly Married
or Living together
41
34
Accompanying the
Married couple in the
initial years of marriage
35
Positive aspects of civil
unions and cohabitation
similar
36
42
37, 38
43
44
45
39
41
40
46
41
Adds conversion language
but retains the notion that
there is are positive
aspect of civilly celebrated
marriages, cohabitation
that the Church should
acknowledge
Leave out specific
reference to Africa
Big omission in final of
Evangelii Gaudium
citation “the house of the
Father, with doors always
wide open where there is
a place for everyone, with
all their problems.”
Tries to give the benefit of
the doubt for people who
do not live in regular
marriages
similar
Add idea of assistance
Retains “necessity for
pastoral choices”
Retains describing
families as having to
endure situations with an
intention to omit blaiming
language
Omits “to apply a single
solution for all or one
based on a logic of ‘all or
nothing’ is not wise.”
Omits “broken families”
and replaces with “all
families”
Retains “art of
similar
47
42
48
43
49
44
50
51
45
46
52
47
53
48
54
55
49
51
accompaniment language”
which teaches us to
“remove our sandals
before the sacred ground
of the other.”
Adds other conditions like
“maltreatment” (dv?) and
concern for women who
are left as single parents
They acknowledge
difference of opinion
about simplifying
annulments
Positive change from
using only “specially
trained priests” to broader
language about “specially
trained counselors”
similar
Retains language of
accompaniment
Retained sense of midterm but added Catechism
quote
Retains “access to
sacraments might take
place if preceded by a
penitential practice,
determined by the
diocesan bishop.”
Adds the subject needs to
be thoroughly examined”
Retains questions of
“spiritual communion”
Adds need for further
theological study
similar
Retains and strengthens
message that homosexual
unions can’t be equated
with marriage between
man and woman
Omits 50 which has
language of welcoming
Omits 52 which
56
51
The Transmission of life
and Challenges of a
Declining Birthrate
57
58
The Transmission of life
and challenge of the
declining birthrate
53
54
59
Upbringing and the role
of the family in
evangelization
60
55
The challenge of
education and the role
of the family in
evangelization
56
61
57
Conclusion
62
No title here
58
Paragraphs that didn’t pass
52 (104, 74)
53 (112, 64)
complements the sacrifice
of parents and stresses
the rights and needs of
children
Stresses that outside
pressure to conform to
societal standards
regarding homosexuality
with strings attached to
financial assistance is not
acceptable
similar
Moves beyond focus on
biological reproduction as
a sign of openness to life
and speaks about
adoption/fostering
similar
Similar and stresses
parents right to choose
education for their
children
Similar
Retains language about
the Church becoming
“welcoming communities”
Adds Mary
Retains language
describing process as
occurring with “great
freedom”
55 (118, 62)
Paragraphs that passed but were more contested
41 (125, 54)
25 (140, 39)
43 (143, 37)
22 (147, 34)