Synod on the Family (2014)

Image courtesy of Time

This weekend saw the start of an "extraordinary Synod" in the Vatican. It will be a two-week meeting by over 200 leaders of the Catholic Church, including the Pope to discuss marriage, divorce, homosexuality, abortion, contraception and all other matters connecting to family life.

The agenda was set after an opinion survey of Catholics world-wide ordered by Pope Francis last year. Many have claimed it was aimed at looking at to what extent Catholic teaching is being rejected or ignored by the faithful.

Even strongly Roman Catholic countries, have legalised abortion, divorce and same-sex marriages. Many Roman Catholics use birth control and a significant number have divorced (and potentially remarried).

There has been much made of Pope Francis' own views on sexuality which have been conditioned by years of working in the slums of Buenos Aires. He continues to stress the importance of understanding the problems faced by the poor, rather than focussing only on obedience to unbending rules.

"We cannot insist only upon issues related to abortion, gay marriage and the use of contraception,.. The dogmatic and moral teachings of the church are not all equivalent,.. The church's pastoral ministry cannot be obsessed with the transmission of a disjointed multitude of doctrines… We have to find a new balance, otherwise even the moral edifice of the church is likely to fall like a house of cards."

The world will be listening very carefully to what this Synod has to say...

What do you think the Church leaders will have to say? Will it change much? 

Read more <here>

Full Vatican briefings <here>

Excellent blog post with all the info you need <here>

Prenups Legal?

Until now, the much famed prenup has not been recognised in the UK. However things may be about to change...

A new law is being put forward which would make pre- or post-nuptial agreements for couples legally binding. This means couples could agree the terms of their divorce BEFORE getting married. This, in theory, makes it easier to split money and property. 

Currently, unlike in places like the US, they can be made but not inforced. This change would make them legally binding.

Do you think they would be commonplace? Do you think many Catholics would take one out? Will they mainly be used in re marriages to protect existing children's inheritance (as some have suggested)? Would you get a prenup? 

Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-26357609

Italy: Divorce Italian style may get easier

Is Italy about to become more like America?

An Italian parliamentary committee on Thursday recommended making divorce in the overwhelmingly Catholic country easier. Much easier.

The Lower House Justice Committee said the separation period should be cut to one year from three years before qualifying for a divorce. Married couples with children would have to wait two years.

"Reducing the time for a separation prior to a divorce...makes all Italians freer to make decision about their future," said committee member Anna Paola Concia.

Before divorce was legalized in 1970, estranged Catholic couples would have to submit themselves to an arduous annulment process to get the Church to basically say the marriage never happened.

Read online here: http://www.adnkronos.com/IGN/Aki/English/CultureAndMedia/Italy-Divorce-Italian-style-may-get-easier_313011716221.html

Is it right that Italy is reforming it's laws? Were they too strict before? Do you think this will increase the rates in divorce? Will it be because it is easier, or because unhappy people will now be able to get out of their marriages where as before they were stuck?