Liberal European bishops planning media campaign before Synod?

June 04, 2015

Most of the journalists who attended a closed-door meeting on May 26, at which European bishops discussed proposals for the Synod meeting in October, have not yet reported on the event, notes Andrea Gagliarducci of Catholic News Agency.

Their silence raises the question of whether the reporters, along with the bishops who organized the meeting, are planning a media campaign to promote the suggestions endorsed by the group of German, French, and Swiss bishops. One source within the European hierarchy told Gagliarducci that “representatives of the media were certainly convoked in order to prepare a media platform to launch and spread contentious issues and lead the discussion.”

The May 26 meeting brought together mostly liberal bishops, to discuss proposals for the Synod on the Family. A spokesman for the German bishops' conference has said that the meeting saw a "very broad" discussion, and denied that the bishops were plotting strategy to advance a change in Church teaching on marriage.

The German bishops’ conference, which was the main force behind the meeting, reportedly paid expenses for some of the journalists who were invited to attend.

 

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Further information:

• Why did most of the journalists at the 'shadow council' fail to report on it? (CNA)
• German bishops' spokesman denies closed-door meeting planned for change in Church teaching on marriage (CWN, 5/28)