God's Dream for Creation? the Union of a Man and Woman, Pope Says
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The Catholic Bishops’ ConferenceCatholic of PNG & SI - Commission on Social Communications, Reporter P.O. Box 398, Waigani, NCD Tel.: 325 9577 - Fax: 323 2551 OCTOBER 2015 ISSUE: 122 God's dream for creation? The union of a man and woman, Pope says by Elise Harris realities, whereas we thirst for the infinite, he POPE Francis formally opened observed. the synod of bishops Sunday, Francis then said the telling participants that the Church is called to union between a man and carry out her mission woman is the foundation of regarding family life in God’s plan for the family, and a fidelity, truth and love. solution to the many forms of In fidelity to her mas- loneliness in today’s world. ter, the Church is “This is God’s dream for his called to defend faithful beloved creation: to see it fulfilled love and encourage in the loving union between a man families whose married and a woman, rejoicing in their life reveals of God’s own love, he said. shared journey, fruitful in their mu- The Church is also tual gift of self,” the Pope said in his called to defend “the opening Mass for the Synod of sacredness of life, of Bishops. every life; in defending He explained that this plan is the the unity and indissolu- same one presented in the day’s bility of the conjugal Gospel for Mark, when Jesus says bond.” “From the beginning of creation, He said the Church’s ‘God made them male and fe- mission must be car- male.’” ried out in truth, which “For this reason a man shall doesn’t change with passing fads or popu- leave his father and mother and be lar opinions. Truth, the joined to his wife, and the two shall Pope said, “protects in- become one flesh. So they are no dividuals and humanity longer two but one flesh.” as a whole from the Pope Francis’ comments were Pope Francis celebrates the opening Mass for the Ordinary Synod of Bishops on the Family Credit: Daniel Ibañez/CNA. temptation of self-cen- made during his Oct. 4 Mass mark- teredness and from ing the official opening of this or freedom to enjoy them, he good that the man should be exhortation to believers “to over- turning fruitful love into year’s Ordinary Synod of Bishops noted. alone,” and created a suitable part- come every form of individualism sterile selfishness, faithful union on the Family. “There is) a deep and growing in- ner for him. and legalism which conceals a nar- into temporary bonds.” Set to last from Oct. 4-25, this terior emptiness,” he said, adding God’s words, the Pope said, row self-centeredness and a fear of Finally, Pope Francis said that for year’s synod follows the theme that “the number of people who feel “show that God did not create us to accepting the true meaning of the the Church to carry out her mission in charity doesn’t mean pointing fin- “The vocation and mission of the lonely keeps growing, as does the live in sorrow or to be alone. He couple and of human sexuality in number of those who are caught up gers or judging others, but rather family in the Church and the mod- made men and women for happi- God’s plan.” in selfishness, gloominess, de- Francis explained that for God, implies being conscious of her duty ern world,” and follows last year’s ness, to share their journey with structive violence and slavery to “marriage is not some adolescent to seek out and care for wounded extraordinary synod on the family, someone who complements pleasure and money.” them…to love and to be loved, and utopia, but a dream without which couples “with the balm of accept- which focused on pastoral chal- Like Adam, the world today ex- to see their love bear fruit in chil- his creatures will be doomed to ance and mercy.” lenges regarding family life. periences power but also vulnera- dren.” solitude! Indeed, being afraid to ac- Quoting a speech of St. John In his homily, Francis noted how bility and loneliness, Francis Francis referred to how in the cept this plan paralyzes the human Paul II from 1978, the Pope the first reading from Genesis, observed, explaining that this fits Gospel, Jesus was questioned heart.” stressed that “error and evil must which recounts the story of cre- the image of the modern family. about divorce by the crowd, who Paradoxically, there are many always be condemned and op- ation, speaks to us of Adam’s ex- “People are less and less serious practiced and established it as an people who ridicule this plan while posed; but the man who falls or perience of solitude before the about building a solid and fruitful “inviolable fact,” and wanted to trap continuing to be attracted to true, who errs must be understood and loved.” creation of Eve. relationship of love. Love which is him. steadfast and faithful love, he said. The Church, he said, “must Although Adam was given do- lasting, faithful, conscientious, sta- Jesus responds in “a straightfor- “We see people chase after fleet- search out these persons, wel- minion over the garden and the ble and fruitful is increasingly ward and unexpected way” by ing loves while dreaming of true love; they chase after carnal pleas- come and accompany them, for a other creatures, he “felt alone, be- looked down upon, viewed as a bringing everything back to the be- Church with closed doors betrays cause there was not found a helper ginning of creation, he said. By ures but desire total self-giving.” quaint relic of the past,” he said. herself and her mission, and, in- fit for him. He was lonely.” doing this, Jesus teaches us “that Quoting a text by Benedict XVI “It would seem that the most ad- stead of being a bridge, becomes a The Pope then pointed to several God blesses human love, that it is while he was still Cardinal Joseph vanced societies are the very ones roadblock.” forms of loneliness in modern soci- he who joins the hearts of two peo- Ratzinger, Pope Francis said that which have the lowest birth-rates Francis closed his homily by ask- ety, and said that despite living in a ple who love one another, he who in Genesis, “forbidden pleasures and the highest percentages of ing the Lord to accompany and globalized world filled with man- joins them in unity and indissolubil- lost their attraction at the very mo- guide the Church and the synod fa- sions and skyscrapers, the warmth abortion, divorce, suicide, and so- ity.” ment they stopped being forbid- thers during the upcoming discus- within families today is diminishing. cial and environmental pollution.” Turning to the role of the family, den.” sions, and entrusted the gathering While people have great ambi- Pope Francis then noted how the Pope said that Jesus’ com- “Even if they are pushed to the to intercession of Mary and her tions and many different forms of God was pained by Adam’s loneli- mand to “let not man put asunder” extreme and endlessly renewed, “most chaste spouse,” St. Joseph. entertainment, they have little time ness when he said that “it is not what God himself has joined is an they prove dull, for they are finite Page 2 Catholic Reporter October, 2015 CBC Youth Policy and Guidelines' Awareness Workshop - Alotau Diocese ALOTAUDiocese had a the parishes except from fact of meeting with the rela- Fr. Shanthi has been very week-long youth workshop Woodlark parish, despite the tives, friends and others. Each much encouraging and inspir- on CBC Youth Policy and difficulties of finding the boats participant could notice envi- ing although some of the par- Guidelines from Sunday 27 and rough weather. ronmental difficulties and con- ticipants missed the September to Sunday 4th Five MSI aspirants and pos- textual factors of the market opportunity due to the time October 2015. tulants, one seminarian and place too but each participant constrain. It was not planned in the two religious sisters too partic- experienced and learnt the Sr. Cresentina truly de- CBC Youth and Laity Commis- ipated in it. According to Fr. need of having a proper con- served a special recognition sion calendar but Sr. Cre- Shanthi the remarkable char- centration in prayer with this and applause for her hard sentina, the Diocesan Youth acteristic of Alotau diocese is experience. work for organising it as a new Coordinator of Alotau really that every parish participates Another novelty of the work- Diocesan Youth Coordinator and Bp. Rolando Santos, wanted it as she is new to the in the diocesan formation ac- shop was doing an interview bishop of Alotau did thank her country and this is her first tivities in spite of all the diffi- with a stranger at a public and encouraged her during time to work with the youth. culties of rough sea and place asking a question "what the closing ceremony of the The three-day festivities of the Bicentenary (200 Fr. Shanthi Chacko getting a boat, comparing sev- are the best qualities of a good workshop. years) Birth of St. John Bosco (“Don Bosco” as he was Puthussery PIME accepted eral other dioceses in Papua leader?" Bp. Rolando along with the fondly called) last 14th to the 16th of August 2015 at her invitation and he was the New Guinea which Alotau dio- There were several appro- participants thanked Fr. Shan- facilitator of the eight days of cese can be really proud off!!! priate qualities of a leader thi accepting the invitation and Vunabosco Agro-Technical Secondary School, workshop.