Local Catholics Can Interact with the Archdiocese on Issues Church Typically Frowns upon

By David Madden
The CBS Philly
November 17, 2013

http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2013/11/17/local-catholics-can-interact-with-the-archdiocese-on-issues-church-typically-frowns-upon/

file photo of Charles Chaput

[Click here for the questionnaire]

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Philadelphia Catholic Archbishop Charles Chaput wants to hear from clergy and lay people alike, as he prepares a meeting of Bishops at the Vatican next year.

The Synod Meeting will address what’s termed “The Pastoral Challenges of the Family in the Context of Evangelization.” This is the first time the leader of the local Roman Catholic Church has reached out in such a fashion.

Father Dennis Gill directs the Office for Divine Worship, and he insists this is not a survey:

“It’s not so much a questionnaire to challenge church teaching, but certainly a questionnaire that is going to have an impact on church practice.”

The idea here is to develop a method to combat secular acceptance of things like divorce, living together and same-sex marriage that would run afoul of church teaching.

“We cannot deny the fact that the culture, and many of our Catholic people within the culture, are at odds with church teaching when it comes to family life and marriage. So we have to look for the bridge,” Father Gill said.

Chaput will use the data gathered to make his suggestions to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in advance of the meetings in Rome.