During a briefing at the Holy See Press Office this afternoon, Father Federico Lombardi, German Cardinal Reinhard Marx, Msgr. Paul Pontier, and Spanish laywoman llva Myriam Hoyos Castaneda spoke on the continuing work of the Synod of Bishops.
Cardinal Marx noted that the debate was “intense,” but «overall there was a desire to find a common road.”
During his opening remarks, Fr. Lombardi said that as the end of the synod approaches, a final report will be released tomorrow.
“Individual situations are to be taken seriously, not everything is in black and white,” said Cardinal Marx.
ZENIT asked the German prelate whether it is feasible to reach a comprehensive document including the vast discussions over the course of the week. “As you said, not everything can be found in a final document,” he said, while noting that the grand majority of the discussions will be.
Noting that while it is impossible to incorporate everything, he underscored, the «need to bring everything to a common denominator, to respect all views.”
The prelate continued, “We have a procession,” that goes three steps forward and two steps… No it’s better, three steps forward and two backward, or two steps forward and one step backward, this is the procession that we have in Germany.”
“You always go on, even if it’s only [one] step,” he summarized.
In addition, Cardinal Marx said: “We must stand next to people, who have particular circumstances;” noting that “exclusion is not part of the language of the Church.”
“We should find a different language,” he concluded, “not one of black and white,” because “human problems are much more complex.”
