The Vatican has sent a new questionnaire to bishops around the world in preparation for next year’s synod, focusing on the family.

Unlike the first questionnaire, which was distributed to families in all parishes, there is no indication parishioners will be invited to participate. Bishops are however being asked to broaden the consultation.

“The document instructs Episcopal conferences to involve ‘all levels’ of the Church in their analysis of the questions listed in the questionnaire.

“It is in the bishops’ discretion ‘to choose a suitable manner of involving all components of the particular churches and academic institutions, organisations, lay movements and other ecclesial associations’,” Gozo Bishop Mario Grech told Times of Malta, quoting from the document.

Asked about the language that will be used in this consultation, seeing that terminology used in the first survey was deemed difficult, Mgr Grech said the questions would have to be easily understood.

In October, Mgr Grech represented the Maltese Episcopal Conference in Rome for the extraordinary two-week gathering of world bishops that was themed ‘Pastoral challenges of the family in the context of Evangelisation’.

The bishops discussed various issues, including the Church’s relationshipwith gay couples and whether divorced Catholics who remarry should receive Holy Communion.

The conclusions of this extraordinary meeting will serve as a reflection for next year’s synod, when the Pope will be expected to declare a final stand on the subject.

On Wednesday, the Vatican’s office for the Synod of Bishops circulated a document (Lineamenta) among all bishops’ conferences in preparation for the synod that is expected to be held between October 4 and 25.

The subject will be ‘The vocation and mission of the family in the Church and contemporary world’.

Mgr Grech said the document was partly a summary of the 62-paragraph statement voted on by the bishops last October.

It also contains a series of 46 questions meant to help prepare for the coming event.

“These questions are intended to help bishops in their reflection and to avoid, in their responses, a ‘formulation of pastoral care based simply on an application of doctrine, which would not respect the conclusions of the Extraordinary Synodal Assembly and would lead their reflection far from the path already indicated’,” he added.

In the latest questionnaire, the Christian community was being asked whether it was in a position to undertake “the care of all wounded families so that they can experience the Father’s mercy”.

“How does the Christian community engage in removing the social and economic factors that often determine this situation? What steps have been taken and what can be done to increase this activity and the sense of mission which sustains it?

“Another question addresses the situation of divorced and remarried people, specifically, saying: ‘With regard to the divorced and remarried, pastoral practice concerning the sacraments needs to be further studied, including assessment of the Orthodox practice and taking into account the distinction between an objective sinful situation and extenuating circumstances’.”

“During the last Synod, I advanced the Orthodox practice as a new pastoral approach towards wounded couples who sincerely wish to make a fresh start in their spiritual life,” Mgr Grech said.

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