All the bishops attending the upcoming Synod are agreed they “proclaim the Christian doctrine of marriage, founded on the teaching of Jesus”, the Vatican secretary of state has said in an interview.
Cardinal Pietro Parolin told Belgian Christian weekly Tertio in a recently published interview said that “It is true that Pastors can sometimes have differing opinions on single pastoral issues, but this really shows that the Church is a living institution.” He added that “the presence of the Pope is a guarantee for all and the safeguard of the faith”.
And he said: “Moreover, we are all agreed on the essential: that it is necessary, with courage, to proclaim the Christian doctrine of marriage, founded on the teaching of Jesus, and, at the same time, tend to the wounds of those who have made mistakes and are suffering. The Synod is a place for debate and discernment, but it does not have deliberative powers. It is called, rather, to offer guidance and bring suggestions to the Holy Father, who is the guarantor of the unity of the Church.”
He also said the Vatican was “deeply concerned about the situation in the Middle East”, especially for the Christians there.
“The whole Church has the responsibility of sustaining our Christian brothers and sisters living in the Middle East with prayer and every possible help, and of encouraging them to be a significant presence for the good of all.”
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