Reflection and congresses are increasing these weeks in the final stretch of the Year of the Family 'Amoris Laetitia', which is expected to conclude with the Meeting World Meeting of Families on June 26th, in Rome and in the dioceses, promoted by the Dicastery Vatican for the Laity, Family and Life, whose prefect is Cardinal Kevin Joseph Farrell.
In addition to the Gregorian University Conference, which was attended by a scientific committee of experts from twelve international universities, this weekend in Barcelona, for example, there is the I Workshop International Conference on Family Accompaniment, organized by the International University of Catalonia (UIC), and the next June 4 and 5 will be held the Love TalksThe International Federation for Family Development's digital congress (IFFD), in which more than 40 experts from different countries and specialties will talk about affectivity and sexuality, couple relationships or pornography.
"The family boat"
In Rome, Pope Francis underlined some of the ideas set forth in the Apostolic Exhortation Amoris LaetitiaThe theme of the conference was "Pastoral Practices, Life Experience and Moral Theology: 'Amoris Laetitia' between New Opportunities and Paths", and the theme was "Pastoral Practices, Life Experience and Moral Theology: 'Amoris Laetitia' between New Opportunities and Paths". The theme of the Congress was "Pastoral practices, life experience and moral theology: 'Amoris Laetitia' between new opportunities and paths".
Da Silva Gonçalves, and greeted Cardinal Farrell, Monsignor Paglia and Monsignor Bordeyne, along with all those who have collaborated and participated in the Conference from all over the world.
The Pope recalled in his Speech that "the initiative takes place in the context of the Year of the 'Family Amoris Laetitia', convoked to stimulate understanding of the Apostolic Exhortation and to help guide the pastoral practices of the Church, which wants to be more and better synodal and missionary", and that "it gathers the fruits of the two Synodal Assemblies on the family: the extraordinary one in 2014 and the ordinary one in 2015. The fruits matured by listening to the People of God, which is largely made up of families, which are the first place where faith in Jesus Christ and mutual love are lived," Francis noted.
"It is good for moral theology to be nourished by the rich spirituality that germinates in the family," the Holy Father added. "The family is the domestic Church (Lumen gentium, 11; Amoris Laetitia, 67, hereafter AL); in it spouses and children are called to cooperate in living the mystery of Christ, through prayer and love implemented in the concreteness of life and daily situations, in mutual care capable of accompanying so that no one is excluded and abandoned. Let us not forget that, through the sacrament of Matrimony, Jesus is present in this boat', the boat of the family".
The family, "more tested than ever".
"Yet family life today is more tested than ever before," the Pope stressed. "First of all, for some time 'the family has been undergoing a profound cultural crisis, like all communities and social bonds' (Evangelii gaudium, 66). In addition, many families suffer from a lack of work, of decent housing or of land on which to live in peace, in an age of great and rapid change. These difficulties affect family life and generate relational problems. There are many 'difficult situations and wounded families'" (AL 79).
"The very possibility of forming a family today is often difficult and young people encounter many difficulties in getting married and having children," the Holy Father continued. "In fact, the epochal changes we are living through are causing moral theology to take up the challenges of our time and speak a language that is understandable to the interlocutors - not only to the 'initiated' - and thus help 'overcome adversities and contrasts' and foster 'a new creativity to express in the present challenge the values that constitute us as a people in our societies and in the Church, the People of God'."
"Discovering the meaning of love."
Francis stressed in his speech that "the difference of cultures is a precious opportunity that helps us to understand even more how much the Gospel can enrich and purify the moral experience of humanity, in its cultural plurality".
"In this way we will help families rediscover the meaning of love, a word that today 'often appears disfigured' (AL 89)," he said, "because love 'is not just a feeling,' but the choice in which each person decides to 'do good' [...] superabundantly, without measuring, without demanding rewards, for the sole reason of giving and serving" (AL 94).
And in this way he praised the daily struggle in families: "The concrete experience of families is an extraordinary school of the good life. Therefore, I invite you, moral theologians, to continue your work, rigorous and valuable, with creative fidelity to the Gospel and to the experience of the men and women of our time, in particular the living experience of believers".
"The 'sensus fidei fidelium', in the plurality of cultures, enriches the Church, so that today she may be the sign of God's mercy, who never tires of us," the Holy Father noted at this point. "From this point of view, your reflections fit very well into the current synodal process: this International Conference is fully inscribed in it and can make its own original contribution to it."
The Pope also responded to discouraging views: "How often is marriage presented 'as a burden to be borne for life' rather than 'as a dynamic path of growth and fulfillment' (AL 37). This is not to say that evangelical morality renounces proclaiming the gift of God. Theology has a critical function of understanding the faith, but its reflection starts from living experience and the 'sensus fidei fidelium'. Only in this way does the theological intelligence of faith render its necessary service to the Church".
Criticism of the "return to the past" with casuistry
Pope Francis introduced at the end of his speech an idea that was not written in the initial text. It was the criticism of "so many ecclesiastical figures," he said verbatim, for what he called "backtracking." His words were as follows:
"I would like to add one thing, which is doing so much harm to the Church at the moment: it is like a 'going backwards', either out of fear, lack of ingenuity or lack of courage."
"It is true that we theologians, even Christians, must go back to the roots, it is true. Without the roots we cannot take a step forward. In the roots we draw inspiration, but to move forward. This is different from going back. Going backwards is not Christian. On the contrary, I think it is the author of the Letter to the Hebrews who says, 'We are not people who go backwards.' The Christian cannot go backwards. To go back to the roots yes, to be inspired, to continue. But to go back is to go back in order to have a defense, a security to avoid the risk of moving forward, the Christian risk of carrying the faith, the Christian risk of making the journey with Jesus Christ. And this is a risk".
"Today, this turning back is seen in many ecclesiastical figures - not ecclesiastical, ecclesiastical - that sprout like mushrooms, here, there, and present themselves as proposals of Christian life. In moral theology there is also a turning back with casuistic proposals, and the casuistry that I thought was buried under seven meters, re-emerges as a proposal. ̶ something disguised ̶ of 'up to here you can, up to here you can't, from here yes, from here no'".
"True Thomism".
"And to reduce moral theology to casuistry is the sin of going backwards. Casuistry has been superseded. Casuistry has been the nourishment for me and my generation in the study of moral theology. But it is characteristic of decadent Thomism.
The true Thomism is that of 'Amoris Laetitia', the one that takes place there, well explained at the Synod and accepted by all.
It is the doctrine of St. Thomas alive, which makes us move forward at risk, but in obedience. And this is not easy. Please be attentive to this turning back which is a current temptation, even for you, theologians of moral theology".
This is how Pope Francis expressed himself, who then pronounced the final paragraph: "May the joy of love, which finds an exemplary witness in the family, become the effective sign of the joy of God, who is mercy, and of the joy of those who receive this mercy as a gift. Joy. Thank you and please do not forget to pray for me, because I need it. Thank you.
