“African bishops optimistic about the outcome of this Synod”

Cardinal Wilfrid Fox Napier

In his statements during today’s press briefing on the Synod discussions, Fox Napier said an ideological approach prevailed in the 2014 meetings but that now there is trust. The cardinal called for pastoral independence in the case of marriages in stages. And Synod Fathers are positive about the reform of the marriage annulment process

Iacopo Scaramuzzi vatican city African bishops are “optimistic” about the outcome of the Synod on the Family, said the Archbishop of Durban (South Africa), Cardinal Wilfrid Fox Napier, during the course of the daily Vatican press briefing. He rejected claims that last year’s Extraordinary Synod followed “in a certain direction, ideology and agenda”. Instead, he expressed his satisfaction with and trust in the assembly, which draws to an end this weekend, underlining that the letter of criticism which 13 cardinals addressed to the Pope, received a satisfactory response from the Pope himself. The African cardinal also called for the African episcopate to be given a certain independence with regard to pastoral care given in the various stages of African marriage. The Synod Fathers who spoke during the press briefing all expressed their satisfaction with Pope Francis’ proposal for the reform of marriage annulment.
 
“African bishops feel a sense of optimism at the Synod because of God’s goodness but also because of Pope Francis’ testimony and the way in which he is guiding the Church, an optimism other bishops share too,” Napier said. “As African bishops we wish to express our appreciation for the many millions of people  who are praying for the Synod’s success and are helping us through the difficult moments in the Synod,” the Franciscan cardinal said, adding that “the new Synod procedure is a great help because it leaves plenty of time for reflection in the language groups. It gives us the chance to exchange views with people from different parts of the world, as well as lay auditors and fraternal delegates”. According to Napier, “the Synod will give a strong impulse to the local Churches to improve marriages through marriage preparation courses and clear communication of the Church’s teaching on marriage and the family”. The South African cardinal drew a parallel between the Synod and the 2013 Conclave: at the time, “the need clearly emerged for reform in the Church, starting with the Vatican and moving onto all dioceses. Now this reform is about what the Church does for families in terms of a good education, which has a positive impact on society as a whole. Napier then answered a journalist’s question about what had changed to make him so optimistic after the concerns he openly expressed about the Extraordinary Synod of 2014 and the letter to the Pope, which he signed along with 12 other cardinals at the start of this year’s assembly, raising some doubts about the Synod process: “Some specific issues caused concern at the last Synod. One of them was the publication of the intermediary report, as if it represented a reflection of the entire Synod, which was not true because we ourselves received the document an hour after you journalists did and the things said in that document had only been expressed by two or three people: this have the impression of a Synod that was heading in a certain direction. I was a member of the commission that drafted the final document and it seemed to be going in a certain direction, it seemed to express a certain ideology or agenda”. Regarding the letter sent by the 13 cardinals, “which was confidential”, “it was written in the same spirit encouraged by Pope Francis when he invited us to speak openly and honestly and to listen with humility. Pope Francis responded the day after he received the letter. This made a huge difference, it inspired trust, the concerns expressed in the letter were taken into consideration and from that moment on we all worked for the good of the Synod. Hence, my impression is that in comparison to the last Synod, participants this time round are working in a spirit of synodality and collegiality - a term the Pope is very fond of -, we are walking together for the good of the Church”.
 
Cardinal Napier listed a series of problems African bishops are particularly concerned about. In one of his answers to the media, he focused especially on the issue of pre-marital “cohabitation” which - in Africa, unlike in the West - is seen as being beneficial for marriage: “Traditionally, marriage in Africa is not between two individuals but between two families. It is said to be arranged but it is actually negotiated. During this process, while the families the future spouses try to agree on the financial arrangements, they may agree for the two to live together before the marriage is celebrated. Cohabitation is nevertheless part of a marriage in stages.” This is “one of those things that the Synod cannot decide on, it should be up to African bishops to decide”.
 
The Archbishop of Barcelona, Cardinal Lluís Martinez Sistach, a canonist by training, stated that the reform of marriage annulment procedures which was recently approved by the Pope, “fully integrates faithfulness and indissolubility with the mercy of the Church”. All three Synod Fathers present returned to this during the press briefing, answering questions put to them by various journalists. Napier said bishops are aware of the challenge the reform presents “in ensuring the right personnel and that the process is respected”. Sistach underlined that the “brief” process can easily become an “ordinary” process if it emerges that the conditions do not allow for brevity. “We could establish a religious congregation or an association of lay male and female faithful who could learn a bit about matrimonial law, offering advice and assistance to tribunals across the world,” the Catalan cardinal added.