Cardinal Wuerl: 'internal forum' not seen by Synod as alternative to annulment process
December 04, 2015
Cardinal Donald Wuerl of Washington, DC, has said that the Synod of Bishops did not approve an “internal forum” to the question of Communion for divorced and remarried Catholics.
Cardinal Wuerl—who is regarded as close to Pope Francis, and was appointed by the Pontiff to take part in the October 2015 Synod meeting—told the National Catholic Register that the “message of the Church, as a whole on all matters, is one of mercy, not moral indifferentism.” He added that the Synod did not propose “that the internal forum, or other subjective discernment, be a substitute for the objective tribunal process.”
“The synod was clear that in these conversations with a pastor, the person’s discernment could not properly be contrary to the truth and charity of the Gospel as taught by the Church,” the cardinal said.
Cardinal Wuerl told the Register) that the Synod recognized an urgent need for proper formation of Catholic couples preparing for marriage. He explained:
Following the sometimes-bad catechesis of the ’70s and ’80s, today, most pastors recognize that we are dealing with a generation of people who have a diminished understanding of the faith and therefore appreciation for it. Combine this with secular attitudes which present marriage as temporary, and couples might easily begin to think their marriage has failed. Our response to this challenge must be better preparation before marriage and then continually to reach out after the wedding and lovingly accompany them throughout their journey of married life.
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