PRESS RELEASE 25th May 2015

Association of Catholics in Ireland

ACI say Synod on Family without married laity will lack authority

The Association of Catholics in Ireland, following a process of public reflection and discussion, have responded to Pope Francis’ invitation to contribute to the planned Synod on the Family in October and stressed that a synod without the significant involvement of married laity will lack authority. Furthermore, a synod attended primarily by male bishops will exclude the 50% of the Church who are women.

The ACI Submission Document was prepared following an Open Forum held in Dublin on the 21st March, from regional meetings and written contributions from individual members. It has been forwarded to Rome and to the Irish Bishops and it is planned to discuss it with the Archbishops of Armagh and Dublin, the Irish representatives at the Synod.

The themes discussed at the Open Forum were the important ones taken from the Synod Lineamenta Questionnaire:

• Marriage breakdown, social, economic factors, pastoral issues;
• The status of different ‘second relationships’ and access to the sacraments for those in ‘second relationships’;
• The annulment process, options for widening and simplifying the process;
• Issues surrounding co-habitation;
• Humanae Vitae and family planning;
• Same sex relationships, the sacraments, pastoral support;
• Possible pastoral responses to the identified problems and issues impacting on the various forms of ‘family’;
• Family and Faith: What support does the family need in developing and spreading the faith?

Some key points from the Submission:

• Priests who left the church to marry should be invited back and would bring the experience of marriage to their ministry.
• Women and married couples should train priests for the ministry of marriage and the family.
• Post ordination education of priests on marriage and the family is needed.
• Humanae Vitae teaching on artificial birth control has been rejected by the majority of the church in Ireland. It has damaged the church and contributed to the exodus of young people from the church and should be changed.
• The annulment procedure requires greater transparency and a neutral mediation service provided to help people through the process.
• Co-habitation is a normal part of modern relationship development. The church needs to recognise this and support couples through pastoral care programmes to help them move towards permanent commitment.
• There should be no exclusion from the sacraments for those in mixed marriages,  second relationships, etc. If a full open-table policy is not possible, then develop alternative worship services. Communion should not be used as a reward or punishment. Who has the right to deprive a person of ‘good faith’ of this essential spiritual nourishment?
• Full membership of the church should be extended to those in second relationships. Is the church an obstacle to the relationship between these couples and God? How would Jesus respond to their needs?
• Pastoral care should be provided to support LGBT people, their parents and families. The legitimacy of personhood of people must be respected. The language of the Church must change.

The question was asked ‘Where is love in the Lineamenta?’  The attitude of the Church should be based on the example of Jesus; open, welcoming and loving to all.

Click here to access the full submission.

The Association of Catholics in Ireland (ACI) is committed to the pursuit of a reform and renewal agenda in the Irish Catholic Church based on the letter and spirit of Vatican II. It is committed to helping to re-build (through words and deeds) a united Church based on the teachings of Jesus Christ – a Church that is inclusive, compassionate, accepts the
equality of all believers by virtue of their baptism and acknowledges its failures.

For further information contact:

• Noel McCann 087 9274379 or
• Anthony Neville 086 8112715