Bishops, a debate on the family

The family and the Synod, assisted fertilization, persecution of Christians in world countries: three themes were addressed during the plenary meeting of the Polish Bishops’ Conference, held in Warsaw on March 11-12. In particular, as relates to the themes linked to the Synod on the family, the final statement of the plenary pointed out that the bishops “once again reiterated the irreplaceable value for Christian life and for the growth of the Church of the sacrament of marriage and of the family”. Reflections on the family. The document summarising the outcomes of the bishops’ plenary signals the presence of an in-depth debate on themes regarding the family, marriage, communion to divorcees, the theme of education. It states, inter alia, that “the Magisterium and tradition of the Church shows that life partners lacking sacramental union deprive themselves of the opportunity to approach the Holy Communion” but that “those living in such unions must be ensured pastoral care so that they may preserve the faith and continue to be part of the ecclesial community.” The text also states that the pastoral care of those not married with sacramental rite must also include “the children, who have the right to full participation in the life and mission of the Church.” Among the speakers on the debate on the problems of de facto unions figured Stanislaw Grygiel, former head of the Pontifical Institute for Studies on the marriage and the family, and Dariusz Kowalczyk, professor at the Gregorian University, dean of the faculty of Theology. The latter, referring to the theological aspects of a possible admission to the sacrament of Communion for divorced persons, highlighted the “chaos” that would ensue from a similar decision in the teaching on the indissolubility of the marriage bond, “without helping people in that situation and failing to positively impact pastoral care”. The bishops have also spoken of the question, object of in-depth debate in Poland, of assisted fertilization that is not regulated by Polish legislators. A pastoral letter on this subject. A special pastoral letter dedicated to Christians persecuted in the world will be read across Polish dioceses on Sunday November 8, the bishops made known during the plenary. The letter will remember, inter alia, the genocide of the Armenians, perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire in the years 1915-1916. “The document – announced the president of Polish Bishops monsignor Stanislaw Gadecki – openly refers to “the death of Armenian victims slaughtered by Turkey with a genocide”. The Turkish government has always rejected the charge of genocide and thus the pastoral letter, “considering its political implications”, still requires some time”, pointed out the prelate, adding that the document “will also contain a reflection on the situation of Christians in Europe”. This letter takes on a special interest in the light of the recent statement of Pope Francis who denounced the violence against Christians in the world, recalling the responsibility of the international community. “Voices of protest”. “In response to violence we should show solidarity towards persecuted people by raising our voices to convey our protest”, states the final declaration of the plenary, which focused on the situation of Christians in war zones, underlined in the panel speeches of Iraqi and Ukrainian bishops. Monsignor Basel Salim Yaldo, from Baghdad thanked the Polish Church for the help whose material value amounts to over 600 thousand euro thanking the Polish bishop for that “first visit by the president of a national bishops’ conference” that showed us that we’re not alone”, “there are those who show solidarity towards us and on whom we can count”. The tragedy of Ukraine. The tragic situation of Christians in the war zones of Ukraine was presented during the plenary meeting of the Exarch of Charkiv, Vasyl Tuchapets, and by the auxiliary bishop of the Latin diocese in Podolia, Radoslaw Zmitrowicz. “Normal life has stopped in the territories hit by the conflict”, said Msgr. Vasyl Tuchapets, who pointed out “refugees from war zones, – over 200 thousand in Charkiv -” are “the most serious problem”. Msgr. Radoslaw Zmitrowicz spoke of the “tragic consequences of war on families” and of the difficult economic situation in the Country that forces adult citizens to emigrate, leaving their children behind. The aid of the Church in Ukraine is collected in Poland, by Caritas Polska and by the Polish seat of the association Aid to the Church in Need, as well as by many other organizations of civil society.