Pope Francis raised some eyebrows among conservative Catholics this week, making this week just like every other week since he became Pope in March 2013.
Pope Francis raised some eyebrows among conservative Catholics this week, making this week just like every other week since he became Pope in March 2013.
A mass, or Catholic service, on Sunday signaled the start of the synod, a closed door meeting supposedly regarding contentious family issues like divorce and contraception.
Some cardinals — or ecclesiastical leaders in the church on both side of the issues — have been vocal in their advocation or condemnation of a more progressive view by the church.
Progressive Catholics are very hopeful that this meeting will provide a change on the church’s position against birth control and gay civil unions, but conservative Catholics argue that the church’s position against things like divorce are a direct adherence to the Bible’s teachings and therefore, should stay unapproved.
I am hopeful for the implications of what a more progressive Catholic church could mean for faith and Catholic identity as a whole.
Research conducted prior to the meeting showed that a majority of Catholics ignore the church’s teaching on major issues like family planning and divorce. I know anecdotally that many Catholics struggle with identifying as such because of the position that the church takes on some of the most important social issues of the day.
I hope — better yet, I pray — that this meeting creates the change that the Catholic church desperately needs. I identify as a Catholic, but I ignore most of the major teachings of the church on most of its social issues.
I am what they call a “cafeteria Catholic.” I pick what I want and leave the rest. It’s hard to identify with a religion when you disagree with most of its social teachings. Especially when you believe in the spiritual teachings of the Church.
Pope Francis has certainly started to change the conversation about the Catholic church in the modern age, but so far, it has mostly been all talk. The synod meeting has great potential, but as many progression critics point out, maybe the church needs to stay critical of things like divorce and contraception if it wants to continue being the largest Christian denomination.
Meg Omecene is a junior studying strategic communication and the public relations director for The Post. Email her at mo403411@ohio.edu.
