Your leader ‘Big question for the Church’ (The Sunday Times of Malta, November 17,) ends with a basic question regarding the Church’s questionnaire on the family: “But the fundamental question is, can the Church change its position on certain doctrinal issues?”
The answer to this question can only be in the negative.
The Second Vatican Council did not change any basic Church doctrine but wanted only an aggiornamento, bringing the Church up to date with the times, while maintaining all the traditional doctrine.
The Church has no power to change anything of its traditional doctrine.
The questionnaire reminds me of the day when Jesus was at Caesarea Philippi and asked his apostles about the opinion people had of him.
Their answer was: “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets”, (Mt 16, 14). Briefly, all the answers were wrong.
Peter, then, enlightened by the Father who is in heaven, gave the right answer: “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God” (Mt 16, 16).
The same will happen to the questionnaire mentioned above: The basic right answers will be only those inspired by the Holy Spirit, who is the soul of the Church.