African cardinal sees effort to manipulate Synod
October 17, 2014
Cardinal Robert Sarah, the president of the Pontifical Council Cor Unum, has complained that some influential forces have sought to manipulate the Synod of Bishops.
Speaking to the Catholic News Agency, the African cardinal specifically cited “what has been published by the media about homosexual unions is an attempt to push the Church (to change) her doctrine.” Cardinal Sarah complained that many news stories had suggested that the Synod would reverse Catholic teaching that condemned homosexuals. Such reports were inaccurate, he said: “The Church has never judged homosexual persons, but homosexual behavior and homosexual unions are grave deviations of sexuality.”
The cardinal, a native of Guinea, called attention to the strong statement in the Synod’s interim report insisting that the Catholic Church cannot accept “gender theory.” During the Synod’s discussions several African prelates have complained that Western nations have used foreign-aid programs to promote gender theory and other anti-family ideologies in developing nations.
Cardinal Sarah led a French-language working group at the Synod whose report included a strong expression of dismay that the interim report had been released before being discussed and polished by Synod participants. He said that he was confident a final document would be more complete.
But in his conversation with CNA, Cardinal Sarah indicated his concern that some Church officials, as well as media figures, are anxious to alter Church teachings. He said: “Let us pray for those pastors who leave the Lord’s sheep to the wolves of decadent and secularized society, far from God and nature.”
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Posted by: Watt Dwineault -
Oct. 19, 2014 3:37 PM ET USA
“Let us pray for those pastors who leave the Lord’s sheep to the wolves of decadent and secularized society, far from God and nature.” Perfectly stated. How love can include denying the actual biological nature of the so-called "loved" one is the point, and all the widely accepted science is actually with the church's position, e.g. U of Otago, Denmark 2006 and US. Aus identical twin studies. Thankj God for the church and her benevolent sanity.
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Posted by: lak321 -
Oct. 18, 2014 8:37 PM ET USA
Yes, God bless him!
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Posted by: koinonia -
Oct. 18, 2014 8:38 AM ET USA
“Let us pray for those pastors who leave the Lord’s sheep to the wolves of decadent and secularized society, far from God and nature.” Also, those who might be "anxious to alter Church teachings" might be paving the way for greater future suffering. There are widespread political implications in all these synodal "sound bites". Im western countries the iniative is lost; the end of one Bishop Sheen tape recounting Our Lord in Gethsemane concludes dramatically: WATCH! WATCH! WaATCH!
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Posted by: Minnesota Mary -
Oct. 17, 2014 8:21 PM ET USA
May God bless Cardinal Robert Sarah for speaking out!
