What happened at the Extraordinary Synod?

20 May 2015

In his address given at the seminar preceding the Rome Life Forum earlier this month and entitled “What happened at the Extraordinary Synod?” Matthew McCusker offers a narrative of events before and during the Extraordinary Synod held in October 2014.

Matthew McCusker is a historian and researcher, specialising in ecclesiastical history. He joined the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children in 2010 and since September 2014 has been part of the core team of Voice of the Family. He was present in Rome during the Extraordinary Synod and is responsible for drafting most of Voice of the Family’s publications, both online and print.

The presentation delivered to pro-life leaders from all over the world, who had gathered in Rome for the Rome Life Forum and March for Life, is a condensed version of the more extensive document “The Extraordinary Synod on the Family – a narrative account” written by Matthew McCusker after the Extraordinary Synod. This document is being distributed widely with Voice of the Family’s “Analysis of the final report of the Extraordinary Synod on the Family” among bishops, priests and faithful laity.

In addition to summarising the story of proposals put forward by Cardinal Kasper, Matthew McCusker discusses the interim relatio making it clear “that the goal of the radicals was not just the admission to Holy Communion of a certain group but rather an assault on the whole edifice of the Church’s teaching on questions of life, marriage and the family.”

Matthew concludes by recognising that “since the end of the synod the confusion in the Church has only deepened and threats facing the family have expanded.”

However, he also emphasises that “apprehension of the truth is the foundation of all prudent judgement and all prudent and efficacious action.”

The full text of his presentation in Rome is available here.