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Sunday, October 4, 2015

It Begins: Synod on the Family Opens in Rome

Today is a big day. First of all, my husband and I celebrate our 46th wedding anniversary. What an adventure rearing five children in a world of confusion (in the "spirit" of Vatican II and the dissent over Humanae Vitae)  and a growing culture of death. When Roe v. Wade came down in 1973, we had two little ones and I hugged them tighter as I mourned the untimely deaths of their spiritual brothers and sisters murdered silently amidst the cheers of the raging feminists. And then, with the support of my husband, I put on the armor of God and began fighting against abortion for the sake of our family and all the little endangered ones. The faithful Catholic family is the greatest bulwark against the relentless culture of death.
October 4, 1969

Ostensibly, the Synod is supposed to strengthen, renew, sanctify, and increase the number of faithful Catholic families. That, at least, should be its goal. But we all know from last year's Extraordinary Synod and machinations of the "progressive bishops" that many do not share that vision. Rather than build up the nuclear family, they want to transform the definition of "faithful Catholic family" to include adulterous unions and same-sex partnerships.

Was it an accident that the Synod opens on the day we hear readings from Genesis and St. Mark that affirm the family? Certainly not in God's providence. Genesis reminds us that "a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, and the two of them become one flesh." One man and one woman -- not a series of men or women like musical chairs and not two men or two women playing house together. It is the sacred union of Adam and Eve that God blesses when he gives them dominion over all creation, tells them to multiply and fill the earth, and looks at all he has made and finds it "very good."


The reading from St. Mark shows us Jesus POSITIVELY ruling out divorce. "What God has joined together, no human being must separate," and "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her; and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery." Could Jesus be any clearer than that?

Dancing together at our 40th wedding anniversary
But it doesn't end there. Immediately following that passage the children are coming to Jesus and He rebukes the apostles for stopping them. Marriage and children go together. I see that rebuke about hindering children as Christ's subtle message against couples "hindering" children by the sins of abortion and contraception?

The Synod Fathers cannot (They also may not!) change Christ's doctrine on the idissolubility of marriage. As for the abomination of calling same-sex partnerships "marriage," how can that even be discussed at the Synod other than helping familes who struggle over the sinful choices of their children (any type of sin from rejecting the Church to various addictions to cohabiting to homosexual practice, etc.). Besides that context the issue should not even be on the agenda!

But it is.

Why? Because the smoke of Satan fills the sanctuary. How can one keep it from seeping into everything the Church does through those whose lives are committed, not to Christ, but to the enemy. Like the priest who "came out" a few days ago who worked at the Congregation for the Defense of the Faith. How diligent do you think he was in defending the faith?

Pray and do penance for the Synod. It's drizzling and chilly here in Woodstock, but my husband and I will go to the Life Chain in the rain (hoping it clears up) and offer that sacrifice for the Synod. With the little shepherds of Fatima we will pray, "It is for love you, Lord, for the conversion of sinners, and in reparation for sins against the Immaculate Heart Mary." Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us.

As you consider the issues surrounding the synod you may find these articles interesting:

"Gay" priest times his coming out for maximum impact on Synod  (He's been dismissed from his Vatican post at the Congregation for the Defense of the Faith, but otherwise his status is left to his ordinary. He is planning a book and it would be prudent that his bishop give him the boot imho. He rejects a teaching of the Church which makes him, by definition, a heretic.)

Pope Opens Synod Stressing True Marriage (I have not read the homily from the Mass, only excerpts. Here's one quote from this article:
Francis dedicated one third of his homily to the topic of love between man and woman and its role in procreation.
"This is God’s dream for his beloved creation: to see it fulfilled in the loving union between a man and a woman, rejoicing in their shared journey, fruitful in their mutual gift of self," he said.
He also spoke of the "true meaning of the couple and of human sexuality in God's plan," a clear reference to heterosexual marriage.
Relics of St. Therese and her parents to be displayed throughout the Synod Her parents, Louis and Zelie, will be canonized October 18th. Pray for the intercession of entire Martin family for the Synod

13 comments:

  1. What a lovely couple!

    Happy anniversary dear Mary Ann.

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  2. Dear Mary Ann,

    Seeing your wedding picture, I realize that you are Mary Ann Schneider.

    You won't remember me, but I remember you. It is so wonderful to know that not all our fellow alumnae are like Nancy Pelosi and Kathleen Sibelius. Love your blog.

    I am fortunate to belong to a parish with Mass in the Extraordinary Form, and the Gospel today was NOT about marriage, but we had a sermon on the topic anyway in view of the upcoming synod.

    Mary Downey Class of '69

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  3. Congratulations on your 45th wedding anniversary! Your and your husband certainly made a beautiful couple at the altar on your wedding day. (On a minor note, allow me to commend your husband on having worn a morning suit to what was presumably a morning--or early afternoon--wedding; it demonstrated good taste and discernment.)

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  4. Mary,

    Is Downey your married or maiden name? Got a picture in the yearbooks between '66 and '68?

    I know what you mean about our "fellow alumnae." Trinity was falling apart even before we arrived. It has about zilch Catholic identity today.

    Sr. Julia Billiart must be rolling over in her grave.

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  5. My maiden name. I don't think I am pictured in any of those yearbooks - too introverted. If you look at the Trinity website, you would not think it was ever Catholic. The student health page refers girls to Planned Parenthood and "Emergency Contraception". Our poor mothers! They thought they were sending us to the Trinity that they attended in the 1930's.

    Mary

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  6. Too sad. My mom was so upset when I told her the damage Trinity did to my faith. I left and walked out of the Church for a few years. Thank God the Blessed Mother wouldn't let me stay away for long.

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  7. Hope you had a happy anniversary Mary Ann ! We celebrated our 46th on Sept 13th!
    May you and your dear hubbie celebrate many more to come!

    On a sad note Solange Hertz passed on Saturday ,thank you for your prayers!
    It is difficult to see so many stalwart Catholic friends that I looked up to leaving this earth. I pray, that like the Little Flower, we have friends who will pray even harder before the throne of God for us who are still left here.

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  8. I echo your prayers. I used to worry that as the old guard died off, no one would replace them. Thank God my concern was silly. Look how God has raised up people like Lila Rose, the young people involved in the GAP project, the head of the Center for Medical Progress, etc. The Holy Spirit is clearly active.

    Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and enkindle in them the fire of your love!

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  9. What a lovely wedding photo! My oldest daughter was born on October 4. She is now twenty-three. How time flies!

    God Bless,
    Katie

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  10. From California,

    A belated Happy Anniversary. What a lovely picture of you and her husband. May you two have many more Happy Anniversaries. And thanks for all the years of standing up for the mothers and children in the womb. God will reward you well.

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  11. Sorry this is rather late, but many congratulations to you and your husband on your recent wedding anniversary. Thank you for your fine Catholic blog, a truly informative and admirable labour of charity.

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  12. Thank you,umblepie, and all you other dear ones who sent congratulations. On to 50!

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