Family synod: Cardinal Napier added to drafting committee

Pope Francis has added Cardinal Wilfrid Napier to the drafting committee which will produce the final report on the Extraordinary Synod on Pastoral Challenges to the Family.

The appointment is significant because the South African cardinal was critical of the mid-term report produced by the drafting committee earlier this week.

The Pope has also added Archbishop Denis Hart of Melbourne to the committee.

The Vatican today released an updated version of the English translation of the mid-term report. The translation has been re-worded so that it now refers to “providing for homosexuals” rather than “welcoming homosexuals.”

In a press conference Cardinal Schönborn told reporters that the final report will include “many expressions of caution” compared with the mid-term report.

He also added that the Church wants to accompany co-habiting couples on the path to marriage and that “accompanying” people did not mean relativism.

The synod’s final report will be discussed in the synod hall on Saturday afternoon and voted on.

A spokesman for the Vatican said it was unlikely the final report will be published on Saturday.